...huum... As they got a closer he could see the guy was pressing a blood stained piece of fabric against his nose. Whoever was in that alley had fought back. He moved so that he would be between his brother and the alley as they neared.

"Stay out of the way, Amaru," he warned in a whisper as he shrugged his pack off his shoulder and handed it to his brother.

Amaru nodded as he took it.

Owaru stopped and tried to look in the alley. The guy stepped in front of him.

"What do you think you're looking at, punk?"

"Well, you at the moment," Owaru answered with a friendly grin. "Would you mind moving?"

He leaned to try to see around the guy. The guy grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him up onto his toes.

"You really don't want to do that," Owaru warned.

"Oh, and what are you going to do about it, pretty boy?" The guy sneered, then tried to snort up the blood that leaked out of his nose.

Owaru's response was a punch in the stomach followed by an open handed strike under the guys chin. The Tiger ached backwards into the alley with a broken jaw to accompany his broken nose.

"I did warn you," Owaru muttered as he stalked in.

The White Tigers were in a tight knot farther down the alley. Whoever they had was down. He made a guesstament as gang-member's heads swiveled in his direction. Around ten. Owaru cracked his knuckles and grinned.

"Oi! Lets play!"

They just stared at him stupidly for a moment as he continued to walk towards them, then with a remarkable variety of very impolite words they came at him. Owaru laughed. He was very gentle with the first three, not doing much but throwing them out of the way. That was until he saw the silver hair with black tips through a gap in the attackers and the guy standing over her. He stopped laughing and got serious.

The last one that had attacked him had just gone down when Amaru yelled from the alley mouth, "Owaru! Gun!"

He whirled, felt the impact against his upper arm, then the burning pain. The Tiger had moved away from the girl and fired again but Owaru was already out of the path of the bullet. Before the Tiger could squeeze the trigger once more Owaru had him. He rammed the Tiger against the wall and closed one hand around the wrist that held the gun as the other went to the Tiger's throat. Owaru used that grip to push the Tiger up the wall until his feet no longer touched the ground. The Tiger clawed at Owaru's arm, gurgled and started to go red as Owaru wrenched the gun out of the Tiger's hand.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you guns were dangerous?" Owaru growled at the Tiger as he crushed the weapon in his hand until it was nothing but a crumpled piece of metal.

The Tiger's eyes bulged out even more and Owaru saw fear in them as he displayed the remains on his palm. He tightened his grip even more as he turned his hand over and let the destroyed gun drop to the ground. The Tiger went from red to bluish purple.

"Next time, don't pick on girls," he gave the Tiger a shake that smacked his head up against the wall, hard.

He let go as the Tiger passed out and watched him slump to the ground with disgust, then his expression changed to one of worry as he spun and went back to the girl. He felt himself blush hard but was very relieved to see that they hadn't gotten as far as he had feared. Her shirt was ripped and open, the two sides of her bra pushed away, exposing her breasts. There was a little vertical gash on her sternum. He figured they had used a knife to cut her bra. But her jeans were still half on her hips. They must have been working on getting them down when he showed up. He knelt down and pulled her shirt together just as Amaru arrived.

"Is she all right?"

"I don't know," he started to look her over more carefully, searching for any other signs of injury.

Amaru eyed the blood that streaked his brothers arm and the holes it originated from. "Are you all right?"

Owaru shrugged. He would be. The bullet had gone all the way through the muscles of his upper arm but the wound had already stopped bleeding. He knew that the deep ache accompanied by a horrendous tingling meant that it had started to heal. By tomorrow morning the holes would be marked with shiny new scar tissue. By tomorrow night all traces of it would be gone.

"Ooosh. That's a mess! I'll be back in a sec," Amaru informed him.

"Don't go far, Amaru-kun," Owaru warned without looking up. He had discovered a dark stain mixed into the silver of her hair.

He touched the blood cautiously, then parted the soft strands with his fingers looking for the wound. He heard the sound of tearing fabric from somewhere behind him and wondered what Amaru was up to as he examined it. The cut itself was small but there was a good sized bump underneath. He guessed he'd better get her to a doctor. Her eyes snapped open as he started to slide his hands under her shoulders and knees to lift her and she did what twelve Tiger's hadn't been able to do. She hit and connected as she gave a little shriek, then wiggled away. There was enough force behind her strike to knock him off balance and back onto his rear.

"Ouch!" Owaru rubbed the side of his throbbing face as he watched the girl press herself against the wall. Man, that girl has some punch!

"Hey! It's O.K. We're not going to hurt you!" Amaru appeared and put himself between his brother and the girl and gave her his best smile.

Her gray eyes were huge and wild as she stared at them, one hand clutching her shirt together and the other pressed against the side of her head.

"Promise," Amaru put all his sincerity into that word.

"Yeah. In fact, I just rescued you," Owaru added from behind him and sounded aggrieved.

"I'm Amaru," he told her as he stepped away and knelt by Owaru and started to wrap the length of shirt he'd 'borrowed' from one of the Tigers around and over the bullet wound, "and this is my brother, Owaru."

She didn't say anything but her glance went past them and flicked from fallen Tiger to fallen Tiger as Amaru hurried to finish the bandage. He got a hissed "ouch" from Owaru as he tied the knot down tight over the front hole. That brought her eyes back to them.

This was the guy who she had gotten tangled up with and sprained her ankle. What was he doing here and how had he taken down twelve Tigers, most of them quite a bit older and bigger than himself?

"What happened to your arm?" she asked softly, caution in her expression and voice.

"I got shot," Owaru glared at the fallen Leader as he answered her.

"Shot?" She blinked at him in surprise then looked at Amaru. "Is it bad?"

"Just a graze. It'll be gone in no time," Owaru answered her query to Amaru and grinned, voice full of bravado, as he flexed his arm and made a muscle to test the bandage and show her he wasn't badly hurt.

She lowered her eyes, both hands going to clutch her shirt. Owaru saw that they were trembling. It bothered him in a way he couldn't put words to and made him wish he hadn't pulled so many punches.

"Thanks for helping me. I thought I was..."

Jesse left that hanging and her eyes darted back towards the Tigers as she swallowed hard. She brought her gaze back to them and offered a shaky smile.

"I'm Jesse."

"Owaru, we need to get out of here," Amaru warned softly as a few of the Tiger's began to stir and groan.

Owaru gave a curt nod even as he smiled at the girl.

"Jesse. That's a pretty name. I like it!" He rose in one smooth motion and offered his hand to help her up.

She had also realized the Tigers were stirring and accepted the offer of help this time. Her vision darkened and blurred as he pulled her up and the dull ache in the side of head flared into vicious stabs.

"Woah!" Owaru grabbed her shoulders as she swayed and went glassy-eyed. "Well, you aren't up to walking yet. Up we go!"

She somehow managed to keep her shirt together as he lifted her easily into his arms.

"Amaru, get her pack," Owaru asked and waited until his brother had done so and was headed out of the alley before he followed.

Jesse squinted her eyes closed against the brightness of the late afternoon sunlight and the pain in her head. She willed her fast healing to hurry up and take care of it as she let her head rest against Owaru's chest. She tried to distracted herself by listening to the even beat of his heart under her ear. That and the slight sway of his stride was hypnotic and she finally started to relax. She felt safe here in the cradle of his arms. Safe for the first time she could remember. Slowly the pain receded to a tolerable throb.

"That's a pretty nasty bump you got on your head. You need to have a Doctor take a look at it. You have one you go to or should I head for the Clinic?" He felt her tense in his arms.

His words wrenched her out of her dream. She wasn't safe. Nowhere was safe. "No. I'm all right. In fact, you can put me down now."

"Nope. I know your ankle's hurt and you still look too pale. I'd hate to put you down and have you go all faint again. Stop wiggling, you're making my arm hurt," he gave her a scowl, then softened it with a wink.

"Then put me down!" she responded fiercely and pushed against him.

He just tightened his grip. "The Clinic then."

Jesse saw him wince but his grip only shifted enough to keep her firmly in place. She realized he wasn't going to put her down unless she hurt his arm enough to make him drop her. And she didn't want to do that. She was flattered and pleased yet at the same time annoyed. She studied his face as she debated what to do. The strength of his jaw line off-set the beauty of the rest of his features and rescued them from being effeminate. She decided it was a good face, open and honest. Easy to mislead.

"Not the Clinic. Just take me home, please? One of my neighbors is a nurse and can take a look at it when she gets back from work, O.K?"

He looked down at her, unsure. She smiled up at him. Celeste had been a nurse, once. A lot of the neighbors went to her for medical help. Personally, Jesse wouldn't let that woman touch her with a ten foot pole.

"I guess. Where do you live?"

Jesse lifted her head and took in landmarks. "Turn right on Cherery. I'm the second building on the left."

Owaru chuckled. She frowned up at him.

"What?"

"My brothers and I live just a few blocks farther down. Small world, huh?"

"I guess," she answered, distracted.

She chewed on her bottom lip as she realized the enormity of what he'd done.

"You've brought a lot of trouble down on yourself, you know. The Tigers are nothing to mess with. They'll be gunning for you now."

Owaru shrugged and grinned. "Don't worry about it."

"I'm not kidding. You've disgraced them. They'll kill you."

Owaru looked down at her and there was something in his eyes and face that was frightening. Then he grinned again and it was gone.

"They can try. Don't worry about it. I'm not." Then the grin faded. "Will they come after you?"

She was worried about that. But that was her problem, not his. She would deal with it.

"I doubt it. They'll want you. Besides, most of the time I can stay out of their way. Today I was just stupid." Really stupid.

Amaru held the door open for them and Owaru maneuvered them through, careful not to bump her feet on the frame. "Which floor?"

"Six. You don't have to carry me up. I can do it," she offered.

Owaru didn't say anything, just started up the stairs. She tried to convince herself that he wasn't in any danger. He took out most of the gang once. But he wasn't immune to bullets. And the Tigers had guns. Lots of guns.

"613," she informed him as they hit the landing for her floor.

A part of her realized he was in great shape. He wasn't even breathing hard after carting her up all those stairs. She studied his face and felt a great sadness come over her as she put it into her memory. He was dead. He just didn't know it yet. She doubted he would survive the weekend. Owaru put her down in front of her door and his hands hovered close to catch her if she should go down. She wouldn't. Amaru handed her her pack and she fumbled with the zipper to one of the smaller compartments that held her keys, still having to hold her shirt together with one hand.

"Here," Amaru took hold of the pack and unzipped it for her.

She pulled out her keys and smiled at them. Time to say good-bye.

"Thanks so much. I don't know what else to say," she blushed and looked down. Thank you was so inadequate.

"It was my pleasure!" Owaru favored her with a traditional bow. "You make sure you have that nurse neighbor of yours look at that bump, O.K.?"

She nodded and winced inwardly at her lie.

"Maybe I'll see you on Monday?" Owaru asked, almost shyly.

"I hope so," she was surprised at the fierce hope that colored her answer.

Owaru colored a little and she saw Amaru give his brother a sideways look and an impish grin.

"Great! Well, we'd better get going. Um..." Owaru dug in his pack and came up with a pen and piece of paper.

"Here's my address and number. If those goons give you any problems, you call or come over, O.K.?" He folded it and handed it to her.

"O.K. Thank-you again, Owaru. And be careful."

He shrugged into her concern with a devil-may-care gleam in his blue eyes.

"Go on, we'll wait until you're in."

She let herself in and leaned back against the door. She could hear Amaru start to tease Owaru as they headed away and felt tears come into her eyes.

"Hajime," she called softly, "it's time to wake up."

His eyes snapped open and for a moment there was confusion in them. Then he smiled and hugged her tight.

"Did I fall asleep on you there?" he whispered into her hair and sounded embarrassed.

"Eh. You needed the rest and I needed the time to recuperate," she teased softly.

She felt more than heard his little laugh. "The boys will be home soon. We need to get moving if we want to get cleaned up before they get here."

He sighed and she could almost feel the weight of his worries come back down on him. He released her reluctantly and stretched as she sat up beside him. She pushed his shoulder gently.

"You go shower, I'll put up the futon."

"Thanks, Matsuri-chan," he propped himself up onto his elbow then pulled her head down for a lingering kiss.

She melted into the teasing promise of it for a moment, then pulled away. She gave him a smile as she saw the readiness of his body. Well, it would have to wait for later.

"Go on! We don't have much time!"

Hajime sighed as he rose, his fingers trailing through her hair before he turned away. She sighed also. A gleam came into her eyes as she watched him turn into the hallway. They might have enough time if she hurried...

Hajime leaned against the wall as he listened to the ancient plumbing groan in protest as it struggled to pull water up through the building and force it out of the shower head. Visions of a very naked Matsuri was foremost his mind and he smiled softly. He would have to rearrange his work schedule so they would have time together and alone. He sighed and reluctantly turned his thoughts to tonight's dinner and the problems that would surely come with it. Finally the water reached the shower head and he let it run for a few seconds until it was clear, then stepped in and pulled the curtain closed.

He stood in the weak, warm streams of water and tried to relax and let his mind go blank. The movement of the curtain startled him and he tensed and whirled. He found himself staring into Matsuri's eyes. She returned his regard evenly as she reached for the bar of soap. He raised one eyebrow as she ran it between her hands and worked up a lather.

"I thought we didn't have time?"

"Well, we probably don't," she put the soap down, then put her hands on his chest and started to transfer the lather with a firm touch. "But who knows when we'll have time alone again?"

Every inch of his skin tightened as her soap slicked palms ran slowly across his nipples.

"I'll make sure we have time, Matsuri-chan," he assured her as he reached for the soap and hurriedly made handfuls of suds to return the favor.

She laughed lightly and reached for the bar again as he massaged his soap onto her breasts, her nipples hardening under his fingers. They washed each other languidly, both of them searching out and delighting in the discovery of the others erogenous zones and just enjoying the feel of wet skin under soap.

Matsuri felt the throb of desire grow inside and knew she was ready for more than touches. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she stepped up onto the side of the tub with one foot, her other leg going to wrap around his waist. His hands went instantly to her rear to support her. It took a few wiggles and giggles, Hajime's deep chuckle joining her, but finally they were both in the right place. She let herself down slowly, savoring the sensation of his flesh entering her own. His hands tightened on her rear as he sought out her mouth, their tongues meeting and dancing together.

Hajime felt a rush of embarrassment as he struggled to help Matsuri into the position she wanted. He hadn't expected anything so...exotic. But her giggle reassured him and he found his own laugh joining with hers. He wondered how she even knew about this position. Then he didn't care as she engulfed him. She wrapped her supporting leg around his waist, entrusting him with her whole weight as he captured her mouth. Her inner muscles gripped and pulled at his length in a maddening caress as they kissed. He started to lift her, wanting to move her on him but felt her resist. He accepted that and went back to just holding her. For a few more moments she didn't move, just continued their deep kiss. When she did move, he reveled in the sensations.

She moved in small circles, then after a few of those would rock her hips forwards against his pubic bone, then back to her circles. It was a pleasure-filled torment he wished could go on forever. She broke the kiss and leaned back slightly, totally trusting in his support and balance, bringing her breasts into the range of his mouth. He caught one garnet colored nipple with his lips and played with it with his tongue. She purred as her breathing and movements quickened, driving his own pleasure higher. It was frustrating and at the same time exquisite that he couldn't manage more than a slight rock in her. He wasn't going to be able to hold back much longer. She pulled her breast away from his mouth and leaned back into him.

"Do it, Hajime. I want to feel it," her whisper was deep and sultry next to his ear as her movements became more forceful.

He couldn't resist her any longer. His shuddered as the pleasure-filled sensations gathered and knotted in his penis, then pulled her against him as it thundered out of him in pulsing waves.

Matsuri smiled as she felt him harden and lengthen even more, then he shuddered as his hips jerked under her again and again as his member jumped and pulsed deep inside. It was wonderful! She closed her eyes as the sensation triggered her own release.

"Hurts, huh?" Amaru asked softly and with apology in his tone.

"Yeah. It does," Owaru shrugged and gave him a forced smile.

Amaru hovered close as they went down the stairs in silence. All kinds of thoughts were chasing each other through his head. First and foremost was concern over Owaru and what he'd just done to the Tigers. Hajime was not going to be happy with this afternoon's events. The plan had been to keep a low profile. Owaru hadn't done anything too extravagant, but still, beyond normal human ability. Hopefully the Tigers would chalk it up to superb martial arts training.

There were rumors of Sensei in the community who had remarkable control over their bodies and chi. But what if rumor got back to their hunters? Yet surely a bunch of lowly street punks would have no connections with The Four Sisters, would they? He had an uneasy feeling that Owaru's actions were going to have terrible consequences. He sighed and glanced up at his brother as they turned onto the sidewalk and headed home. Owaru hunched his shoulders and echoed it. Amaru imagined he was envisioning their eldest brother's reaction also.

Owaru actually had to grab the handrail with his good hand to help pull himself onward after the fourth flight of stairs in their own building. He was so tired and the pain from the bullet holes had shifted up from dull ache into an itch filled torment that stabbed in time to the beat of his heart. All he wanted to do was shower and pass out for a few hours. Amaru moved up beside him, his face full of concern.

"It's all right. I'm just tired."

Amaru didn't answer but came up on the other side of him after Owaru made the next step and slid his arm around his brothers waist as he ducked under the arm that supported him on the rail. Owaru tensed for a moment, ready to refuse the help. He hated having to depend on anything other than his own strength of body and spirit. The refusal passed as his youngest brother flashed him another concerned look. It would make Amaru feel better to help him, so he allowed it. He pulled himself straight and squared his shoulders while Amaru undid the locks. Hajime was already home. He glanced at his watch and wondered why. He was hoping for a little more time before he had to face his oldest brother. Amaru pushed open the door and announced, "We're home!"

They shrugged at each other when no one answered. Amaru took their packs and turned into the bedroom they shared with Matsuri as Owaru continued the few feet farther to the closed door of the bathroom. He knew Hajime was in there and thought that perhaps Matsuri was on the small platform of the fire escape outside the kitchen window. She liked to go out there for a little privacy. He open the door enough to stick his head through. His older brother had a tendency to linger in the shower and Owaru didn't know how much longer he was going to be able to keep this creeping exhaustion at bay.

"Hajime, are you almost done?"

There was a second of silence. "I'll be out in a moment."

Owaru closed the door and leaned back against the wall next to it and tried to place what was 'off' about his brother's tone. Amaru stuck his head out around the frame of the bedroom door. Checking on him to make sure he was still on his feet, Owaru knew. The door opened and Matsuri stood in the opening wrapped in a towel. Owaru blinked at her, his mind slow to figure it out, then he did a double take in shock. She blushed furiously and looked down at her toes for a moment, then raised her head.

"Good afternoon, Owaru-kun," she bid sweetly as if nothing was out of the ordinary as she walked past him.

He opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out.

"Not one word, Owaru-kun," Hajime warned with a smile as he followed Matsuri out, tucking the corner of towel around his hips into itself to keep it in place.

Owaru found himself grinning and shrugged. He caught Matsuri's shoo-ing motion and Amaru's movement into the hallway as he stepped into the muggy heat of the bathroom and closed the door behind him.

Amaru's even regard as he passed made the heat rise in Hajime's face. He waited for the question as his youngest brother followed him into the main room as he headed for the closet and his clothes. What came took him totally by surprise.

"Owaru got in a fight with the White Tigers today."

Hajime paused with his hand on the closet door knob and his eyes narrowed.

"He what?"

Amaru winced inwardly at the hint of anger that colored those words. His brother turned and stalked back towards the bathroom.

"Hajime! Wait! There was a good reason!" Amaru protested as he hurried to follow.

"There had better be!" Hajime bit out as he knocked once then opened the door.

He doubted that any reason Owaru could give would be enough to explain the potential danger he had just put them in.

"Owaru! What did I tell you about fight..." the word died as his third brother turned towards him and he saw the raw circular wound on his upper arm and the pain and exhaustion that mixed with the guilt and defiance in every angle of his body and face.

"I didn't have a choice, Hajime! They were going to rape her!" Owaru rushed his answer to fill in the hole Hajime left.

"What happened?" Hajime's tone was much calmer as he took Owaru's arm and turned it gently into the weak light to examine the extent of the damage.

Owaru bit back the obvious response and hurriedly explained what had happened as Hajime nodded at the progress of the healing holes in his arm and let it down gently.

"You did the right thing, Owaru-kun. I'm sorry I yelled," Hajime apologized.

"You have every right too, Elder Brother. I screwed up and I know it. But I just couldn't..." Owaru paused, hunting for words to explain his reactions.

"If anything comes of it, we'll deal with it, Owaru. Take your shower," Hajime gave him a reassuring smile as he squeezed his shoulder and turned to leave his brother to clean himself up.

Owaru had wobbled out of the bathroom and collapsed onto the bedding Matsuri had just finished spreading for him, out by the time his head had hit the pillow. Yes, they healed quickly, but it took its toll on the body. At least Owaru hadn't Changed.

"I guess we'll have to cancel," he answered.

"What dinner?" Amaru piped up from his position between his brother's hip and the door.

"We were invited to dinner by one of Tsuzuku's acquaintances," Hajime answered with a slight frown.

He had really wanted to meet Lebeau Remy face to face.

"Well, you and Matsuri should still go."

Hajime looked down at Amaru and raised an eyebrow at the mischievous gleam in those deep blue eyes.

"Owaru is going to be out until tomorrow and I have to work on my science project anyway. I'll stay with him. And I don't think that any of the Tigers are going to be in any shape to come hunting for a few days, even if they knew who we were and where we lived. And you two should go out!"

Hajime ran his hand through his hair and debated. Amaru was probably right. And he needed to find out about Lebeau. If he was ally, enemy or neither and what his true intentions toward Tsuzuku were. But then again...

"No. I'll call and cancel."

Amaru almost started to argue but the expression on Hajime's face as he gazed at Owaru kept him silent.