***

The Next Year, About Halfway Through.

***
 

Kathy looked around the empty house, groaning in pain.  She rubbed her stomach, sighing in relief as the current labor pain stopped.  Kit had the kids in the park.  Goemon had went with the guys on their latest jaunt to Monaco.  Not that any of them were allowed in the country, but Lupin said he needed to have a meeting and they had went with him.  She had assured him that she had went late the last two times.  And here she was, right on time this time.  She stroked her stomach.  "Okay, son, let's just calm down in there.  We'll go even if we have to hitchhike, then you can come out in a much nicer way than your big brother."  She grabbed her purse and overnight bag, heading out to the garage.  She found an old motorcycle she had been fixing up and winced.  "Okay.  I can if I have to," she decided, wincing as the next pain hit.  "Shit, under five minutes," she groaned.  She climbed on once the pain had stopped, heading off down the driveway.  She had forgotten to shut the front door but the cats wouldn't go any farther than the yard to chew on the grass.  Cat had helped her train them.  She roared down the road, wincing and pulling over each time a new pain started, leaning on her handlebars.  She looked up as a car went past her.  "Nice guys, the local cops.  I would have stopped."  She took a deep breath and started off again, heading for the local hospital.  "Thank God that they haven't consolidated this little place."
She pulled in and dumped the bike as another pain hit her.  A guard came running, grabbing her by the arm.  "Get off!"  His eyes widened and he backed off.  "I'm in labor," she ground out once the pain had stopped.  "I was alone at the house.  The kids and the nanny are in the park.  Get me inside and give me a doctor!"  He nodded, escorting her gently inside to the Emergency Room.   The nurse came running with a wheelchair and she sank down as the next pain hit her.  "Ow."  She grabbed the guard's arm, squeezing for all she was worth.  "I did my first two natural," she ground out.  "This one isn't cooperating the way they were."  The nurse babbled faster.  "Damn it, French isn't my first or second language!" she snapped.  "Switch to English or Spanish!"

The nurse patted her gently, getting her into a bed.  "You wait here," she said in Spanish.  "I'll be right back with a midwife."

Kathy grabbed her arm, looking into her eyes.  "This is my third.  The baby's not cooperating.  I rode my motorcycle in because I was alone."  She nodded and got free, heading off at a run for someone to help.  Kathy screamed and grabbed the guard, making him howl in pain as her nails sunk into his arm.  "Never do this to a woman," she growled.  "Or else she'll castrate you!"  He nodded quickly, looking scared for his life.  As soon as she came down, she let him go and he escaped.  The local OB walked in with a smile.  "The baby's not cooperating.  I'm not dilating properly or something."

"Let me look," he soothed, grabbing some gloves to put on so he could check her.  "Ah, I see what the problem is.  Your placenta is partially over the hole.  Let me do something. It will hurt."  She winced and kicked at him but the nurse caught her foot.  "I warned you," he said gently.  He finally got things situated correctly and sat down to look at the birth canal.  "That should be good enough, it wasn't much over the cervix.  Can you push?"

"Not yet," she panted.  "Can't I fix my husband!"

"I'm sure he'll let you go to the appointment to fix him," the nurse soothed, patting her hand.

Kathy looked at her.  "You're not really helping," she pleaded.  "This shit hurts.  I'm pushing a watermelon out of an orange or a grapefruit."  She looked horrified and sniffled.  "Yeah.  So no more patting, just hold on and let me break your hand."  Another pain hit and she grabbed onto the nurse, screaming as the baby shifted during it.  "Damn it, don't move, son!"

The doctor stroked her calf.  "He's getting into perfect position, hold on," he soothed.  "It's nearly time.  Do you want painkillers?"

"They make painkillers for this!" she demanded.  "Damn it, I had two naturally!"

He gave her a gentle smile.  "At the very least, I can numb you a bit with a local."

"I don't care how you do it, just do it!"

"That's fine, Mrs. Jigen.  I'll do that for you," he said calmly, getting up to get some from the cabinet for her.  He came back and inserted the local himself, then sat down when she sighed in relief.  "There, how's that?"

"Better," she said in a dopy, happy voice.  "Oooh, that didn't feel good."

"That was your water breaking," the doctor said, smiling at the nurse.  "I think we'll be fine."

"I don't like to be alone with strange men."

"That's fine, Mrs. Jigen.  I do understand.  I delivered one last month to a rape patient."

"Mine's an older trauma."

"Again, it's very understandable."  He checked her again.  "We're moving closer."

"You're dilating too?"

He smiled.  "Not yet, but I would if I could.  As I told my own wife when she delivered at home."  She relaxed.  "Now, whenever you feel ready, push."  She nodded, banging her head on the table.  "You should still feel pressure."

"Oh, I do, but it's nothing like delivering in the middle of a convenience store in a blizzard with a minor stickup artist to deliver my first son."  She looked at the nurse.  "My nanny and kids are in the park."

"We've already informed the police and they'll find them," she soothed, picking up a damp sponge to wipe off her forehead.  "Would you like some oxygen?"

"Maybe," she admitted.  The nurse pulled it down for her and turned it on, making Kathy a very happy woman.  "Ooh, coming!" she said through the mask, pushing hard.

***

Jigen strolled into his wife's hospital room, bending down to look at his son.  "Hey, baby," he said gently, stroking the wrinkled forehead.  "I see you're here.  It's a good thing Lupin forced Kit to keep one of our phones."  He walked over to the bed, looking down at his wife. She was definitely smaller now.  He kissed her on the lips and she opened her eyes, making him grin at her.  "I heard he had come.  You couldn't wait another day?"

"He decided it was time," she said, slowly shifting upwards.  "Ow."

"Let me," he said, helping move her.  "There, how's that?"  He fixed her nightgown for her and crawled in beside her.  "Are you okay?"  She nodded, pushing her hair back.  "How about him?"

"He should be."   She looked at the bassinet.  "He looks fine."  She looked at him.  "The nurse suggested I could go with you when you get a vasectomy."

He nodded.  "I'll need you to drive me home," he agreed gently, kissing her again.  "I'm having this streak of manly feelings," he admitted.  "Like he's the first son ever."

She pointed at him.  "That came out of the hole you like so much," she said seriously.  "I'm sore."  He nodded, smiling at her.  "Don't you dare smile, I'll have someone open you that far."

"If you want," he said phlegmatically.  "I'm sure Lupin knows someone."  He stroked her stomach.  "I'm just glad you're all right."  She snuggled into his side, blowing a kiss at their son.  "He's red and wrinkly."

"He just came out of a nine-month bath, Jigen."

"Okay.  Not commenting."  He stroked her shoulders, looking at the nurse as she came in.  "No friends?"

"They're on their way up, they had to stop and get a ponderously large bear," she shared.  "Have you decided on a name?"

"Chad."

"Adama."

He covered her mouth.  "Chad."  He looked down, seeing her begging look.  "Chad Elven."  She smiled and licked his hand so he let her go.  "That good enough?"

"I don't like Chad.  He sounds like he'll be a politician."

"I like Chad.  It's simple to say, spell, and kids won't pick on him for it like they will our daughter."

She pouted.  "But I don't like Chad.  I thought you liked Jett?"

"I still like Chad.  I knew a great gunman named Chad."

"Fine," she sighed.  "Chad Elven."

"Chad Elven Jett?"

She smiled.  "I can take that," she admitted.  He kissed her again.  "You're still not having sex with me for months, boyfriend."

"Dear, we are married."

"Ick."

"I know," he soothed.  "You hate the formality."  He looked at the nurse, who was trying not to laugh.  "She didn't want to be married.  She hates that state of life."  She nodded. "Can you do the certificate and let us sign it before we change our minds?"  She nodded, sitting down to fill out the one on the foot of the bassinet.  "Thanks."  He signed his name, marking down his personal information, then let her fill in hers.

"Chandly?" she tried.

"No, and not Chandler either.  Chad."

"Fine."  She put down her signature, smiling at how he had filled in her parts too.  "Thanks, Jigen."

"Welcome, wife."  He handed it over and gave her a hard squeeze.  "We're fine."  The nurse nodded, leaving them alone.  "It's a good thing we were already on our way back.  Kit got us near the border.  Did you have her call Fujiko?"

"No, I forgot all about her."  She looked over as the door opened and Kit walked in with the kids. "Hey, guys.  Come see the new baby brother."

"Puppy?" Mal asked.

"No, your dad said he liked Chad."

"You can call him Puppy if you want," Jigen promised.  "It can be his nickname."

"What that?"

"It's like how we call you Mal instead of Malaki," Kit told him, lifting him up so he could see the new baby.  "That's your brother, Mal."

"Hi, Puppy!"  He waved.  "He red.  He 'kay?"  He looked at his mother, who nodded and smiled.  "Good."  He let himself be put onto the bed so he could crawl in between his parents.  Kit did the same thing with his sister.

"Lovies, Puppy," she said, smiling down at him.  "Hi!"  She got down and ran around to get in behind her father, hugging him.  She liked him best.  "Puppy, daddy!"

"I saw," he said, reaching back to pat her.  "Move where I can see you, Ciera."  She shifted, laying her head on his side so he could pat her too.  "Good girl."

Lupin carried in the teddy bear that was larger than him, dragging it slightly and nearly tripping over it as he walked.  Goemon thoughtfully held the door.  "Hi."  He sat the bear down, smiling at her.  "You couldn't wait six hours?"

"No!  He wanted out!  I can't argue with him."

"Good point."  He kissed her on the cheek, weathering Mal's swats.  "I can kiss her cheek.  She's nice that way."  He patted him on the head.  "What is the baby's name?"

"Chad Elven Jett," Jigen said, holding in his smirk at the disgusted look.

"Chad, Jigen?"

"We each caved a bit," she assured him.  "I wouldn't have minded Adam."

"Oh, hell, no, he's not the first one," Jigen said.  "He may be the last one, but he's definitely not the first one."  He kissed her again.  "Isn't it amazing what came out of her?"

Lupin looked at the size of the baby, then at her.  "We'll run you a bath as soon as you walk in the door," he promised gently, patting her on the foot.  "I can't even imagine something that huge coming out of my body."

Kit looked at him.  "Don't share that thought with Fujiko," she suggested.

"Shit," Lupin said, dialing her.  "Hey, Fujiko.  I'm at the hospital.  Kathy had a boy.  Chad.  Jigen won.  No, Chad Elven Jett.  Yes, I said that."  He held out the phone as she cackled.  "She thinks it's a decent enough name too," he said, then he listened to her.  "I'll be up tonight.  That okay with you?"  He snorted.  "Fujiko, I said I'd be up tonight.  Or I can catch a flight if you want me faster."  His mouth fell open and he looked at the date on his watch.  "When did it get rescheduled?"  He grimaced.  "Tell me next time.  Of course I want to be there.  Sure, I'll fly up tonight so Jigen can get some sleep."  He shrugged as he hung up.  "The baby wants me.  Need me?"

"Not yet," Kathy admitted.  "You can bring her back."

"The doctor said he wanted her flat on her back," Lupin said bitterly.  "So I might be doing that."  He gave Goemon a pat as he walked past him.  He looked at a nurse.  "What's false labor and should my girlfriend be having it at seven months?"

"It's preparatory labor," she told him.  "Sometimes it does happen this early.  Is she on bedrest?"  He nodded.  "Good.  Keep her near her doctor."  He grimaced.  "Or not.  Are you bringing her closer?"  He nodded. "Then don't do it for at least a week, then make a big deal about how much the baby has grown," she advised.  He nodded, smiling as he walked out.  "Her motorcycle was parked for her," she called after him.  He turned and grinned at her, then turned around in time to miss running into a certain cop.  "Oh, Inspector, she's up and they've named the baby.  Her other friends are in there right now."

"I can deal with them," he said dryly, pushing his way inside.  "That's a big bear.  Lupin's idea?"  Jigen nodded.  "Overdone again."  He patted her on the head.  "Am I a Godfather this time?"  She nodded.  Jigen gave her a look.  "I'm the Godfather for the others."

"It evens out our influence," Goemon noted.

Jigen nodded.  "Okay, so the kid's got three males and two females."

"Four.  Ray."

"Fine," he agreed, smiling down at his sleeping wife.  Then he looked at the baby.  "Hand him over.  I want to look him over."

Zenigata looked at him, then nodded.  "My son was about two inches longer and probably a pound heavier."  He picked him up.  "If not two pounds."  He handed him over. "What was he?"  Jigen looked mystified so he checked the bassinet.  "Twenty-one inches, seven pounds even."  He looked impressed.  "Then my son was an inch longer and a pound and a quarter heavier."  He looked at Jigen.  "Don't expect sex for at least a week.  My wife wanted to celebrate and you have to be very gentle."

Jigen nodded.  "Thanks for the advice, Pops."  He checked his son over, looking down as the blue eyes opened to look at him.  "Hey, son.  It's the father."

"And me," Mal said, sitting up to look down at him.  "Hi, Puppy."  He waved.  "I Mal, I brother!"

"Yes, you are," Goemon agreed, picking him up before he could knock into the baby.  "You'll be a good big brother I'm sure."  Mal nodded, looking quite happy at that.   He looked at the baby.  "He is quite large."  He glanced at Kit, noticing her enraptured look.  "Are you all right?"

"Just fine. May I?"  Jigen let her hold his new son, watching her as she carefully shifted him into a more comfortable position.  "Ooh, you are so cute," she cooed.  "You look so grumpy but you'll be just fine soon.  Are you hungry, little guy?  Would you like some nummy mommy treat?"

"Not yet," Kathy told her.  "I don't think the kids need to see that right now."

"Sure."  She looked at Jigen, who waved, so she sat down, letting Goemon look over her shoulder.  "Isn't he adorable!"

"Very," he agreed, touching the nearly bald head.  "He reminds me of a teacher I once had," he told her.

Jigen coughed.  "I doubt he'll ever be one of your teachers, except maybe of patience."

Kathy chuckled, holding her stomach.  "Don't make me laugh."

"Sorry, wife."  He kissed her gently.  "She called me her boyfriend earlier."

"You knew she was having problems dealing with that issue," Kit pointed out, staring down at the baby.  "Maybe I should put you down."  She put him back into the bassinet.  "How long before you two can come home?"

"Tomorrow," Kathy said with another yawn.  "Sorry, guys, but I need a nap."

"We help," Mal promised.

"You guys are very good at helping me nap," she agreed.  She snuggled into Jigen's chest again, waving as the doctor walked in.  "That's the nice guy who told me there are *drugs* for labor pains."

"There are?" Goemon asked, looking confused.  "Why?"

"Goemon, consider the size of the hole that baby came out of a few hours earlier," Kit said dryly.  "Drugs make it hurt less."  He looked at the baby, then suddenly looked like he got it.  "Yeah.  There's a reason for labor drugs."

"Indeed," the doctor agreed, coming over to check on the baby.  "You look just fine, little one."  He checked the name.  "Chad?"

"I won the first name toss," Jigen said dryly.  "Should we leave so you can look her over?"

The doctor looked at her.  "Having other problems?"

"Not yet.  How long before I can get that shot to stop the bleeding?"

"Six weeks.  Four at the earliest," he said dryly.  He looked at Jigen.  "If you wanted to stop this trend, I can give you the name of a very good urologist.  He does at least seventeen vasectomies a year and he works out of his home office about three villages over."  Jigen nodded so he handed over the card he had brought in.  "I see a lot of husbands who decide three is enough after watching at least one come out."

"I wish I had been here but I was at the border then," Jigen admitted, tucking it into his dresshirt's pocket.  He looked down at his wife, then at the doctor.  "Is she really fine?" he asked quietly.  The doctor nodded.  "No new rips, nothing like that?"

"No, not in the least.  Her other OB, the one in Japan, was most helpful and she did beautifully.  Since everyone was gone from the house, she ended up riding her bike in.  I'm not sure if that other friend took that one."  He scratched the back of his head.  "Do you have a whirlpool at home?"  Everyone looked clueless.  "Then I'd buy a tub attachment for that.  It'll make her hurt less.  She'll want to be in bed for the next few days.  The baby should be fine."  He glanced over, noticing the blue tinge.  "Or not."  He handed over the file, picking up the baby to look him over, including doing another sweep of his mouth.  "Okay, we've still got some snot, so let's take him down to the nursery, just in case," he said.  "We have security down there of course."  He walked out, taking the baby with him.  "He's got a stuffed up nose and it's dripping," he announced.  The nurses were specially skilled in this particular problem so he handed it over.  "The mother and father are both upstairs now.  As is the bassinet and name card."  They nodded, using a small suction bulb to work on his nose.  "Is he going to be okay?  He looks more blue."

"He's fine," the head nurse said, working on his nose.  She finally got one side clear and worked on his throat again, helping him breathe.  "We might want to put him into an oxygen-rich incubator.  Will the parents mind?"

"Considering his mother is the one who had the kids who were forced to take heroin so she went and killed the guy?  I doubt it."  The nurses looked at him.  "Those two are this one's big brother and sister."

"I heard the mother did it," the younger nurse noted.

"No, someone put the plants onto their lawns and the kids found them while playing in the grass," the older nurse said quietly.  "My brother's a cop and he told me.  He wanted to know if any others had come in.  She really did nearly kill him?"

"And then some.  He had to have his face, his ribs, and his pelvis reconstructed," the doctor said grimly.  "I went to school with one of the guys who worked on him.  She was quite upset with him."  He crossed his arms, watching them work.  "He's blue again."

They looked at him, then shrugged.  "Intubation?"

"I'll ask."  He picked up the phone but Jigen strolled in.  "Good.  We might have to intubate for a while.   Will either of you mind?"

"Kathy's one of those who doesn't want to die too soon.  Will he be able to live without it?"

"It'll only be for a while, until we can clear up the congestion," the doctor assured him.  Jigen nodded.  "Thank you."  He walked over, placing the small tube and hooking the baby up.  "I'm pretty sure he sucked in some of the birth fluid before he came out. That's all this is."

"Would a bigger hospital be better?" Jigen asked.  They all shook their heads.  "Then we're fine?"  They nodded.  "Thank you."  He went to tell everyone else, meaning Goemon and Kit since Kathy was still asleep.  "He sucked up some of the birth fluid."  He pulled out his phone but Kit stopped him.

"Don't.  Fujiko needs him right now like Kathy needed you.  If she's bad enough off to need bed rest then she needs his full attention."

"He'd want to know," Jigen told her.

"If you tell him, he'll turn around and come right back.  That'll only leave her all alone up there with his baby.  She's already irrational."  Jigen sighed and put the phone away.  "Tell him tonight, once he's up there.  Then at least he can bring her back if he decides to come back."

"It does make sense," Goemon offered.  "Though I would want to know first thing."  He looked down at her.  "You know something of being on bed rest?"

"I did a lot of reading in the pregnancy books.  She's on bed rest.  They think she's in danger and they want her to stay perfectly calm.  This is the step before going into the hospital for the rest of the pregnancy."

"The closest hospital to that hideout is nearly an hour away," Jigen noted.  "He'll probably want to bring her back."

"Then we can set up the room down the hall from Goemon's for her.  It's got no garden access but it's got a nice view.  It's on the bottom floor, has its own bathroom and a cable outlet so we can put a tv in there for her."  They looked impressed.  "I thought there for a while that Kathy was going to be put on bedrest.  Unfortunately she talked her doctor out of it." Jigen opened his mouth.  "Mostly her age, as a precaution.  Her blood pressure started to go up with all the protecting you were doing."

He shut his mouth and nodded.  "I remember."  He shuddered.  She had yelled at him for nearly an hour, going over everything he had ever done wrong in his life with her.  He looked at the bed, then at her.  "Tonight?"

"Let him get up there first.  Otherwise he'll wreck whatever vehicle he's in."

"True," Goemon agreed.  "He would be torn."  He looked over as the door opened and Lupin walked in.  "That was quick."

He held up the transmitter and plucked the bug off the bassinet, then tipped Kit's chin up.  "I'd want to know first, that way I can make plans.  Don't keep shit like that from me."  He looked at Jigen.  "I've already offered to bring her down. She's packing and I'm meeting her at the airport.  Which room?"

"The other garden room, the one without the patio doors."

"Good idea, I like that one," Lupin agreed.  He patted her on the head.  "It's all right. Your heart was in the right place.  I do worry about Fujiko, as I should.  She's got Jigen to worry about her too."  He grimaced at Jigen.  "Is he all right?"

"They're going to intubate for a bit."

"Ow," Lupin said, wincing.  "I remember having one of those."  He shook his head.  "Okay.  Let's take the kids home.  We'll get that room set up.  We'll move one of the extra tv's into the room.  I'm going to move the diamonds off my dresser to give her some challenge when she sneaks around later tonight."  He looked at Goemon.  "I want you listening for an escape attempt.  She wanted to terminate twice so far.  She made it as far as the doctor's office for a referral."  Goemon nodded, looking serious.  "Jigen, I want your ass here; where you belong.  I'll write Cat and Ray, and Pops doesn't know about this but I'm sure he's bribed someone down there to tell him if something happened.  If not, I'll write him later too."  They nodded, going to do what they needed to.  He smiled at Kit.  "You're still great.  We still like you."  She hit him, making him wince.  "Ow.  Mean wench."

"Your sole priority should be your future child," she chastised.

He nodded.  "I know.  That's why I'm bringing her here, so she can hear the horror stories and have some support from another woman who's done this as well, plus she can be closer to a damn hospital.  They were talking about sending her to Berlin if her blood pressure didn't come down."  Kit winced.  "So let's try and keep her calm."  They all nodded, Goemon and Kit taking the kids back to the house.  He smirked at Jigen.  "Let me know.  I'll be heading for the airport around dinner time.  If you need anything, simply yell."

"Deal," he agreed, patting him on the arm.  "Have fun with the hormone bomb."

"I helped you with yours.  I expect reciprocation."

"You sure about that?" Jigen teased.

"Yes.  Otherwise I might have a posthumous child, of at least one parent."  He strolled out, heading back to the house.  The motorcycle was freeing.  It was probably going to be one of his last free moments for a while.  Why had he wanted a kid again?  He groaned and took an extra long route back to the house.  That way he could enjoy some quiet.  He could also check out the other side of the property that no one ever seemed to get near.

***

Fujiko walked off the ramp, sweating and escorted by a stewardess.  "Fujiko," he called, hurrying over to take her from the stewardess.  "Thank you."  He sat her down, fanning her face.  "Another hot flash?"  She nodded.  "You okay?  Another false pain?"  She nodded again, glaring at him.  "It'll be fine," he said softly, stroking her hand.  "Just relax.  I brought Kathy's car since it's bigger and more comfortable."  She nodded, heaving herself up. "Let me get you out there and then I'll get your luggage."

"I've only got two bags," she said miserably.

"I'm sure you packed everything," he soothed.  She frowned at him.  "As soon as you're able, we'll go shopping for more," he agreed, knowing what she was hinting at.  He led her to the baggage claim, taking her ticket to find her bags.  They came off fairly quickly and he grabbed her and her things, walking her out to the car.  "Kathy's home but the baby isn't," he said as they walked.

"Why?"

"He swallowed some of the birth fluid and it's in his lungs.  It's nothing very serious but he's in an incubator.  They removed the tube last night."

"He was on a respirator?"

"More of an in-depth oxygen tank," he admitted.  "He could do it on his own but he was struggling and had some in his nose too.  It was dripping and making it really hard.  With any luck he'll be back the day after tomorrow."  He got her settled into the front seat, letting her hitch herself up.  Her things went into the backseat and he got around to drive.  "We fixed you up a pretty room on the ground floor.  It's around the corner from Goemon's, but you can see the garden through the big windows.  Goemon and I moved a tv in so you wouldn't be bored."

"A silken prison?"

"No, we're not locking the doors.  I will come keep you company too, as much as you can stand.  As soon as you're able, we'll start with gentle walks around the gardens and woods.  There's something up with the woods.  There's something on the other side and I'm not sure what."

"There's a house over there," she told him.

"Really?  I couldn't even find the other gate."

"It's near the river.  It comes out of underground garage.  It's got a tunnel out there.  I went looking during the stress before the wedding."  She shifted some and moaned.  "I ache, Lupin."

"Of course you do," he soothed, reaching over to stroke her stomach. "Just an hour more and then you can get comfortable. No one will care if you run around in a nightie."  She sighed and tipped the seat back.  His hand slipped and he quickly moved it before she could say anything, putting it back onto the steering wheel.

"You don't want to touch me there?"

"I said that was up to you," he reminded her.  "Last I knew you said you didn't want me to ever touch you again."

"I...it was a hormone surge, Lupin."

"Hey, whatever you want, I'm your man," he said happily.  "Backrub, footrub?  Help scrubbing your back?  Anything."

"I wouldn't mind a leg rub," she admitted.  "A whole hour?"

"Maybe a little less," he said tolerantly, speeding up a bit.  They were on the open country roads, there shouldn't be a problem.  The few farm vehicles were quickly gotten around and none of the cops really wanted to chase this car.  He pulled into the driveway of the house just after dark, turning to look at her.  He smiled because she was asleep.  He got out, leaving the door partially open so it wouldn't wake her.  Then he got her out and carried her inside, grunting a bit from the extra weight.  Goemon saw him and opened the door for him, letting Lupin put her down into the bed and tuck her in as soon as her shoes were off.   Kit brought in the bags.  "Thanks, princess kitten."  He kissed her on the cheek on his way to the bathroom.  "Out, let the poor girl sleep."  They disappeared, going to play a game in his room.  He came out after he was done, finding her awake.  "You up?"  She nodded, rubbing her eyes.  "Want to clean up then have a leg rub or do the rubbing first and then shower off the oil?"

"I'd almost rather eat and go back to bed," she admitted.  She looked around.  "This is a nice prison."

"Nothing's keeping you here, Fujiko," he pointed out gently.  "You can leave your room and everything.  It's not a big thing.  I'll track you down if you *really* leave, but I'll gladly walk you around and show you some of the stuff I've found."

She shrugged.  "Maybe tomorrow."  She got up and grabbed some pajamas, taking them into the bathroom to change.  He came back in with a few sandwiches as she came out of the bathroom.  "Food?"

"Sandwiches until I can fix you real food," he said lightly, handing her the tray.  She sat down in the comfortable reading chair, the tray next to her on the lamp table.  "Tell me if you want something different."  She nodded, looking around as she ate.  He stood there for a minute, then sighed. "I'll go.  Yell when you're ready for something."

"Thank you."  He nodded and smiled, leaving her alone. She ate another bite, then put it aside.  "Dressing.  Eww."  She shrugged and heaved herself up, heading back to the bed to scratch her nipples in privacy.

***

Fujiko walked upstairs, slowly, going to check out this new creature in the house.  She saw Helena's door open so she headed for there, wandering in.  "Hi.  I thought I'd look over the new one to see how much pain I was going to be in."

"They make drugs for that," Kathy told her.

"Good.  I'll start demanding first thing."  She looked at the baby, then winced.  "He's really big."

"Jissan was bigger."

"Ow."  She sat down on the bed, sitting cross-legged.  "Didn't that hurt?"

"Not with the drugs.  The first two were agony, but this one wasn't so bad once I got the drugs.  The motorcycle ride in was a trip and a half though."

"Motorcycle?"

"Kit had the kids in the park because I was getting irritated with everyone.  The guys hadn't made it back yet."

"You didn't call an ambulance?"

"They're for big emergencies."

"What would you consider labor?"

"Things that take a while.  It took me nearly six hours to have him once I got to the hospital."  Fujiko looked horrified.  "Maybe a c-section?"

"I don't need the scars," she said grimly.  "Fortunately I haven't gained that much weight."

"Feel free to steal t-shirts from my closet, they should fit you."  Fujiko grimaced so she chuckled.  "I know, but it'll be something to wear that won't flash the kids."  Fujiko adjusted her nightgown to cover her bare crotch.  "Thanks."  She looked down at her son.  "You hungry?"  He yawned and made sucking faces.  "Okay, we'll try to eat some more."  She let him latch onto the side he was laying against, making him a happy baby.  "There, you nibble, we'll work everything out later."

Jigen walked in, smiling at the motherly thing she was doing.   He kissed her on the top of the head.  "Wow."

"I heard there are drugs that can make you lactate," Fujiko said dryly.

He grinned at her.  "Go away."

"Pfft.  Not having a mood swing?"

"No.  I was going to cuddle my wife and son.  Lupin's looking for you anyway. He said something about shopping?"  She got off the bed and headed downstairs, while he lysoled the spot on the bedspread, making his wife chuckle.  "Sorry, bad habit," he said, laying down next to her.   He tried laying underneath the baby but he wasn't quite thick enough to hold him in place so he got behind her, giving her arms a rest while he held this little begging monster.  The baby pulled off, still making sucky faces.  "No more on that side?"

"I can't hold him in the right position on the other side so I've got to lay down," she said, getting free and doing that, letting the son latch on that way.  He quite happily went back to his dinner.  Jigen laid down behind her.  "You're going to spoil him."

"Too late," Jigen said dryly.  "Or hadn't you noticed the big box of baby clothes?"

"Cat got those for her first son and since they're sure this one's a girl they sent it over," she told him.  "I sent back most of Jissan's stuff."

"Huh.  I hadn't even considered that.  I guess that works and it saves clothes."  He shrugged and hugged her tighter.  "I keep thinking he's something like a miracle.  I helped create that.  Even though my part only lasted for a few hours," he said when she opened her mouth.

She patted him on the hand. "Ray complained about the same thing.  That's why Cat got pregnant so quickly."

He chuckled.  "I'm not doing that to you," he promised.  "I made an appointment to get fixed next month.  Would you go with me?"

"Sure.  I hear it's just a little opening now and you'll only have two stitches max."

"Good.  I hated to see the old scars."  He nuzzled the back of her neck.  "You're amazing, woman."

"Thank you.  For my next trick I might even try to get out of bed today."

"Ha!"

"Jigen, I can't stay in bed."

"Why not?  I bet my mother did for weeks."

"Yeah, well, that was a different time.  Women were softer back then.  After Mal I was up and in a gunbattle two weeks later.  I was back in shape by the end of my first month.  You interrupted my weight loss from Jissan, and I want my body back."

"Are you sure it's safe?  It won't make you bleed worse?"

"I'm sure," she agreed.  "We'll be fine."  She patted his hand and let her son fall off her nipple.  "Done?"   He blew a spit bubble but he looked contented.  "Good, then the daddy can burp you."  She handed him back, watching Jigen do the nasty stuff.  The baby spit up on him but not too badly, even though he made a gross face at it.

"Here we are," Lupin said from the doorway, coming in to steal the baby.  "Time for more lessons with the uncle, yes it is," he cooed, rubbing noses with the baby.  "Let's go teach me to change diapers today."  He carried him out, shooting the mother a grin.  "Thanks, Kathy."

"Have fun.  One less I have to change."   She snuggled back into Jigen's arms, getting comfortable.  "Ah, better."

 He chuckled.  "The amazing body that created him can have cuddles whenever I'm home," he promised.

"Sure.  I'll let you rub my back after I get done in the gym."  She let him cuddle for a bit longer, then went to change clothes and went to the gym to start getting back in shape.  "I'm pitiful," she said, looking at herself in the mirror.  She walked over and locked the door when she heard footsteps, doing the chain and deadbolt as well.   Then she turned on the aerobics tape and picked up her small handweights, following along until she cramped up.  When she couldn't do it anymore, she sat down to work on her arms.  By the time she was too tired to do more than crawl back to bed, someone had gotten the door open and was ordering her to remove the chain before he got Goemon to cut it.  So she let him in and walked past him, heading up for a shower and a nap.  She was joined in the shower by Lupin.  "Last I knew, I wasn't sleeping with you."

"Jigen's outside."  He helped her onto the bench seat, looking down at her.  "What are you doing?"

"Getting back in shape."

"Obviously, because wearing your tired body out isn't hurting it further?"

"I'm not that tired!"

"Bullshit," he snorted, handing her the shower attachment.  "Clean yourself up, I'll be drying off and I'll be waiting to tuck you back into bed before I go tell Jigen."

"I told him I was getting back into shape."

"I doubt he thought you'd be taking an hour and a half in the gym," he said dryly.

"Yes, but in six weeks I'm going to ask Interpol to go over their training course and I'm going to make it in regulation time," she said smartly, standing back up and only wobbling a little.  "If you don't like it, tough.  I'm getting back in shape."

He kissed her.  "If you want, we can help you.  If not, we're going to tie you to your bed and feed you chocolate ice cream and bon bons."  He left, heading out to dry off.  Jigen gave him a look.  "An hour and a half in the gym.  She walked out shaking."

Jigen shrugged.  "She'll set her own limits soon enough."  Lupin stared at him.  "Being in shape is important to her.  The same as it is for us."

"Jigen, she just carried your son for nine months and a week, then had to push him out of her body.  Her body should be tired!"

"It might be, but shouldn't she decide that?"  Lupin threw up his hands and left to get changed.  Jigen headed into the bathroom.  "No overdoing it," he ordered, giving her a kiss as she soaped her front.  "Need help?"

"Sure.  Get my back?"

"I've always got your back."  He picked up the soap, doing it for her.  Slow, gentle circles, creating and destroying bubbles and soap trails.  Slowly over her slick skin until he was hard and needy.  "Mm."  He moved closer, stealing the hand attachment to rinse off her back.  "Sorry."

She looked back at him. "It's been two days.  I've barely undilated."  He nodded, looking resigned.  "I guess you're just going to have to figure out ways around that.  Aren't you?" she asked with a grin.

He pushed her against the wall, kissing her.  "Touch me and I'll be happy for a few days."

She stroked him slowly, making him moan.  "Like that?" she teased, using a fingernail up the ridge.  He shivered and kissed her harder, making her grab on and work him harder.  The rhythm of his tongue set her pace and he quickly came, leaning against her until he could stand on his own.  "I'd ask for some of my own but I don't think I could."

"As soon as you can, I'm bathing you fully and then taking you to new heights," he promised, kissing her gently.  "Let's nap."

"Sure, Jigen."  She let him help her out of the shower and back into a nightgown, then they went back to the bed together.  She had to get up and put on some protection but he didn't really mind all that much.  He definitely didn't move away from her because of it.  She snuggled in, ready for a nap now.

Lupin looked in a few minutes after they had gotten out, finding them asleep.  He looked down at the baby.  "Looks like I get you for an extra long time today," he said happily, taking him down to the kitchen to make himself a snack.  "What does the world look like to you?"

"Like he's looking through a fishbowl according to the books," Fujiko said from the small table next to the wall of windows.  "Everything's supposedly fuzzy and out of proportion.  Babies rely on smell and sound more than sight."  She ate another chip.  "You can join me," she said when she saw his hesitation.  He brought his own snack over, sitting down with the baby.  She watched him play and talk to the little beast.  "You're good at that," she said quietly.  "You look adorable."

"Thank you," he said, smiling at her.  "Jigen's kids seem to like me a lot.  They're pretty calm."  He looked up as Kit came in, surrendering the baby to her. "I could do it."

"I'm sure, but it's time for him to take a nap just like the mommy."  She walked him off, talking quietly to him about his nap and his brother, who was making sure none of the cats came up to help him nap.  It was getting Mal to nap as well.

Lupin looked at her.  "How are you?"

"I'm fine," she said quietly.  "No major pains.  Kathy's OB got my records, I called to check."  She ate another chip.  "He said I was pretty normal for my age."  She shrugged.   "He also had the gall to say I could probably have another one if I wanted.  I told him I was surrogating."  She noticed his momentary hurt look and sighed.  "I'm not mother material," she said, getting up and heading outside.

"That's because you never give yourself a chance to give a damn," he called after her, slumping down to pout at his snack.  He ate another fry half-heartedly, then pushed the plate away.  He got up, going to talk to someone else.  Goemon was in the gym with Kit and she was giggling over something he was trying to do.  So Lupin decided to take a short trip.  He ran up the stairs, leaving a note for Jigen beside him on the bed, then he headed out, calling in a plane reservation on his way to the airport.

***

Ray Vecchio opened his door and stopped, looking confused.  "Aren't you in the wrong country?"

"Yeah, but I'm escaping a mood swing," Lupin admitted, slinking inside. "My girl's a bitch."  He sat down, looking at him.  "I offered her anything and everything she could ever want, and she said she's surrogating because she's not motherhood material."

Ray checked for cats, then closed the door, looking at him.  "You could get me in a lot of trouble."

Lupin snorted.  "If I'm the worst thing that IA is looking at your for, then I envy your life, Ray.  I have no idea what to do about my bitch.  I want my bitch.  I want her, the baby, all of it.  I want her so much I ache, but she's determined that all I'm getting is the baby."

Ray sat across from him.  "You couldn't have gotten her and had an accident?"  He shook his head with a grimace.  "Then you probably couldn't have had her anyway."

"I ache for her, Ray.  She's my entire worldview sometimes."

"Yeah, I've had that," Ray admitted, looking toward the bedroom, where his wife was napping.  "I could wake Cat up.  Maybe she could help you with an idea to get Fujiko to your side."

"Maybe," he said quietly, holding his head.  "I don't know what to do about her.  I said I was coming to get her some special chocolates as a treat.  She yelled at me for being nice."

"The answer to that problem was she wanted you there."

"She didn't want me there.  She doesn't want to even be in the same room as me," Lupin told the woman walking into the kitchen.  "She made it very clear that I'm scum to her now."

"Yeah, well, some women are like that," Ray noted.  "Frannie's that way too.  The single life is exciting, you get to do things and meet people, plus you get to have more fun.  Being in a relationship takes work, compromise, and understanding."

"What are you paying her to have the baby for you?" Cat asked, coming out to sit in Ray's lap.

"Six-point-seven in clean diamonds plus the hideout in Germany if she wants it," he said quietly, looking down again. "I know she'd set a high price so I set the top limit.  I would have given her more if she had pushed it."  He shrugged and looked up at her.  "I want her."

"I know you do.  Half the world knows you do, Lupin.  She knows you do too.  She's ignoring it.  You watch, when you get back, she'll be really upset, but if you press her a tiny bit she might let you get closer again.  Especially if you come bearing something nice for her," Ray told him.  "I can't tell you what to get her, but make it something she's wanted, something spectacular."

"An outfit for after the birth?"

"No, that would remind her of what she's giving up," Cat told him.  "Something stunning.  Something that she would never expect from you but that shows your thoughtfulness and your love for her."

Lupin suddenly got hit by an idea, then he nodded.  "Thanks.  Thank you for helping me.  Chad's fine now.  The thing with his lungs cleared up within a few days.  He's got me wrapped around his finger and Jigen never lets the baby out of his sight."  He gave them a smile as he stood up.  "Thanks, guys.  Write her, she's doing an hour and a half in the gym each day to get back in shape.  She wants to be able to run the Interpol course in six weeks."

"Then she's a better person than I am," Cat told him.  "I never would have lived through mine without my pain killers and I took a good month to relax before I even *thought* of getting back in shape."

Ray pinched her on the rear.  "She had drugs this time."

"Good!  Every woman deserves drugs, and if she doesn't want them, she should be educated in the beauty of them. If you don't have a choice it's one thing.  If you do it because you're stubborn then I think you need mental help."

Ray kissed her gently.  "You can have all the drugs you want when it's time."  He looked over but Lupin had snuck out.  "Count the cats and I'll show you what a real husband is good for," he teased, stroking her chin.

She got up, going to check on her beasties and the kid.  When she found them all playing together she walked into their bedroom and laid down.  "Ray, you're running behind," she called.

He chuckled as he walked in, locking the door so their beloved firstborn couldn't interrupt again.  "Am I?"

"You are," she said, pouncing him.

***

Lupin walked back into the house a day later, smiling and handing over the big box of candy and the smaller velvet box.  "I found that for you when I went for the chocolates."  She glared at him.  "I'm sorry, but you did say you wanted some and they wouldn't ship."

"I could have done with Godiva."  She sat down, opening the box of chocolates to have a piece while opening the other one.  She gasped and looked up at him in shock.  "For me?"

"For you," he agreed, putting it around her neck.  "It's a royal piece that was on show in Chicago."  He kissed her gently.  "I thought you'd look better than some older woman in a hat."  She sniffled.  "Hey, none of that.  I like treating you good."  He sat down beside her, letting her curl up against his side if she wanted.  "If it's too tight, I can have a few stones added," he offered.

"No, it's not tight," she said quietly, slowly leaning against him.  "Chocolate?"  He took one, nibbling on it while she had her second.  "Thank you, Lupin."

"You're welcome, Fujiko.  You deserve every pretty thing in the world."  He stroked her bared neck, making her shiver and move closer.  He mentally cheered.  "Would you like a massage?  I'll even let you wear only your pretty present."  She looked up and he grinned.  "Sue me, I want to touch you.  You're soft, you're warm, and you're the one I set the measuring stick of other women against."

"Other women?"

"The ones who tried to hit on me," he assured her gently.  "Some nice older woman at the airport thought I was so sweet to be bringing you candy.  She said that if you didn't want me, she had a daughter who would love to have me."  He smirked.  "I had to be nice but I'd never go near her daughter.  She was fairly young.  Only twenty."

"I remember that age."

"You and me both," he sighed, stroking her neck again.  "Want that massage?"

"You only want to play with my tits."

"No, but I wouldn't mind the chance," he admitted with a small leer.  "They were beautiful before but now they're softer, rounder, and much more sensitive."  She pinched him, eating another chocolate.  "Not that I'd ever touch if you didn't want me to."

"You're pushing it."

"Sorry, I want to make sure that you know I'm here for whatever you need."  He kissed her gently.  "Right now, I believe you and little Absinthe need a long, hard massage to make you both relax and sleep tonight."  He held out a hand and she let him pull her up.  "Bring the candy if you want.  I don't mind."  She took the large box with her, leaving on the necklace while he worked on her body.  "I had an odd dream on the plane," he announced while working on her shoulders.

"What odd dream?"

"I dreamed you were wearing the outfit from I Dream of Jeanie. I caught an old rerun while I was getting the candy."  He moved down, working gently on her lower back.  He felt the baby shift and laid a hand there.  "It's all right, Absinthe, it's daddy."

"I'd fall out of it," she snorted, ignoring his name choice again.

He looked up at her, getting back to work on her thighs.  "You don't like Absinthe?"

"Not really.  It sounds like a dumb name."

"Sorry, but I want her to be my girl.  Our girl will be beautiful, intoxicating, and deadly."

She looked back at him.  "It's still not a name your grandfather would approve of."

"Considering I bear his and only a male heir could bear mine, I don't think he'd mind too much," he shared.

"Are you going to try and have a fourth with someone?"

"I don't know yet.  Let me get Absinthe through the first few years and then we'll see."  Jigen walked in with a phone, whispering in his ear.  "Hold on, Fujiko, it's from Kyoto.  Something happened to Isabel."  He walked away, talking quietly.  Then he hung up and looked at Jigen.  "How?  When I used a condom and it didn't break."

"IVF probably," Jigen offered.  He shrugged.  "I don't know, Lupin."

"Thanks.  She okay?"

"Just fine."  He winked.  "Apparently she's running scared right now."

"I heard.  Thank you."  Jigen nodded, leaving them alone.  He looked at Fujiko, who was scowling.  "I used a condom."

"Yeah, but most female thieves are smart enough to make plans for that.  A bit of dry ice and she could have had it implanted during her next fertile time."  She sat up, not bothering to cover herself.  "Are you bringing her here?"

"Hell no.  Moving to have her put into protective custody, definitely.  Think Pops would like her?"

"She does run the city's whores," Fujiko agreed.  "Let me guess, she wanted to marry you?"  He nodded, looking grim.  "Maybe you should."

"I'd never be with someone who cheated me that way.  No real woman would do that to a man she wanted," he told her.   He grabbed her face and kissed her.  "Give me ten minutes?"

"Go.  I'm going to shower and then take a nap anyway," she said softly.  He nodded and gave her another kiss, then went to the study by the way his footsteps were heading.  "That was my mistake, I didn't try to play him," she said dryly, taking her chocolates with her.

Jigen stopped her in the hallway.  "Do that to him and have that child go to him without any paperwork.  It's viable right now."  He went to get his wife some milk.   He took the back steps up to his room, handing over the milk.  "Here you go.  That bitch who Lupin broke in during that trip to Kyoto is claiming a miraculous pregnancy."

"Wonderful."  She sipped her milk, giving him a look.  "Is she coming back?"

"No, he'll have someone over there watch over her and take care of her until the baby's born and we know for sure it's his."  She nodded, scrunching back down in the bed.  "No workout today?"

"I have an hour.  You could cuddle."

"Sure."  He crawled in next to her, stroking her stomach.  "Three more weeks until my appointment."

"By then I might not even be sore," she quipped.

He chuckled, nuzzling her ear until Lupin came in to curl up on her other side.  "This is an invitation only bed," he said dryly.

"Sorry.  She's having a boy."

"What?" Kathy asked.  "How?"

"Sperm selection.  I talked to the person hunting her.  He wanted the baby but he's been *convinced* that he'll be taking care of Isabel until she has the baby and then he'll be handing him over.  Or else he's going to get a visit."

"What about her?"

"Those two make a cute couple.  He runs the male whores, she runs the females."  He curled up around Kathy.  "He's older by a month."

"He can't be.  Fujiko was pregnant when we were over there," Kathy pointed out.

"The doctor thinks she's further along than she is."  He shrugged.  "I don't know.  I know there's someone over there working on an aging drug to use as a poison.  It'd be like the loony bitch to try some."  Jigen snickered.  "She is."

"Sorry, I was imagining Bugs dealing with her," Jigen admitted.

"He'd create a hole and bury her, hole up so the baby could come out."  Lupin looked at Kathy.  "I know this is a severe imposition, but can I bring him back?"

She stroked his cheek. "Only if you let go of my tit."  He let her go. "Thank you.  Of course you can.  Mal will be very happy to have more boys in the household."  He relaxed, curling up on her shoulder.  "Let me guess, Fujiko won't comfort you?"

"I didn't even ask."

"She made a smart comment about that being what she did wrong," Jigen said quietly.  Goemon walked in and he nodded.  "Isabel's pregnant."

"I heard."  He whispered in Lupin's ear, getting a nod.  "Are you sure?"

"Very.  Once my son is born, she's fair game and can find her own protector.  First she uses others to get to me, then she tries to use me?  Not playing that game."

"Fine.  If we must, I'll travel to check on her."

"I'm bringing the baby back, not her," Lupin said firmly.

"I understand," Goemon agreed, smiling down at Kathy.  "Your daughter is brilliant.  She said sword today and pointed at mine."

"She can't learn to use one until she's old enough to do a kata on her own," Jigen told him.

Goemon looked startled.  "Of course not.  I didn't learn to use it until my voice started to change."  He shook his head.  "I would never think otherwise."

"Thanks, man," Jigen said with a grin.  "Did you want to curl up too?"

"No," Goemon said, backing away.  "I believe I'll help Kit with something."  He hurried off, heading into the nursery to find his friend.  "Lupin has just had a bombshell dropped on him.  Isabel is pregnant as well."

She looked at him.  "Who's she?"

"The woman in Kyoto."

"Oh."  She blinked a few times.  "Fujiko won't like that."

 "She did it without his permission.  It was said she hired a doctor to make the baby come to be."

"Ah."  She nodded. "IVF.  Fertilized in a dish and then implanted."

"Sounds horribly wrong.  Children should be created the natural way if possible," he said firmly.

She kissed him on the cheek.  "They should be," she agreed lightly.  She blushed and looked down at the baby she was changing.  "Ooh, did you get messy again," she said, frowning at him.  "Poor thing, I wasn't paying attention to you at all, was I?"  She cleaned Chad up again and got him into a clean diaper, then laid him down.  "There you go, you nap, Chad."  They stood there watching him as he fell asleep, letting him put his arm around her shoulder. "Sometimes I feel like they're mine," she said quietly.  "Kathy and Jigen are always in here with them, so I don't know why."

"It's a desire you have in your heart," he said gently.  He led her away, going to sit with her outside with the baby monitor.  They watched the sun set, comfortably silent with each other.

***

Zenigata looked up as someone drug a woman kicking and screaming into his office.  "What?" he asked.

"Compliments of Lupin, Inspector.  She took a condom off him and used it to impregnate herself.  Lupin is quite pissed and asked that you show her the error of her ways since the person he gave her to didn't want her."

Zenigata leaned back, smirking at the woman.  "What made you do this?"

"He will be mine," she spat, her eyes wide and wild.

"Gee," the Inspector said, looking at the person he knew was a minor thief.  "She doesn't know that Fujiko is inches from snatching him?"

"She'd never have him.  She said so," she said triumphantly.  "I'm giving him a *son*.  He'll come to save me from you."

"He sent you to me," he said smugly, suddenly understanding the email Jigen had sent him.  "Leave her with me.  You've got ten minutes to get out of here before I look for a warrant."  The crook nodded and left.  He gave the woman a smug look, pushing the button under his desk to lock the door.  "Let's see.  You fucked over Lupin, got pregnant without his permission or cooperation, you're trying to get him to keep you."  He laughed.  "Oh, you are such a stupid woman."

She glared at him, stroking her stomach.  "You can't do anything to me, I don't have any warrants."

"No, but you managed to piss off Jigen, who, as a new father, doesn't think things like this are worthy of anyone but slimebags."  He pulled over the printed email, putting it in front of her.  "I believe that's your life history?"

She went pale.  "Jigen set me up?"  He nodded.  "Why!" she wailed, sitting down to cry.

"Because his woman would never do anything like this and he thinks Fujiko is the better choice.  She won't stop him from his whoring lifestyle."

"I'd let him try out all my new girls!" she said pathetically.

He laughed.  "Oh, so you are a madam.  How interesting."  He tapped a button on his phone. "I need a female officer in here pronto."  He let it go.  "We'll just see what else you want to give me.  Perhaps something on Lupin?"

She looked up.  "I took your wife and daughter hostage.  You want to deal with me?"

"No, but I want Lupin more."

"Hmm.  My son?" she asked, stroking her stomach.

"If it proves to be his, he'll probably get custody, but I'm sure some better family could be found.  Maybe a nice, legal adoption?"

She shook her head.  "They won't take him.  My occupation is not something they want.  I thought of that when he gave me to that whoremonger."

Zenigata raised an eyebrow and switched to soothing, something he was used to with his own wife and Kathy.  "Why don't you tell me all about the mean man he gave you too?" he suggested kindly.  "I can make him very sorry for ever daring to sneer at you."  She nodded, grabbing a tissue to blow her nose.  He unlocked the door when a female officer rapped on it, letting her come in to help him.  "She took Lupin's sperm to get pregnant without telling him.  She wanted him for herself.  Lupin gave her to someone very bad."

The girl nodded.  "The one who runs all the boys in town," she sobbed.  "At least I only run girls!  He gave me to a gay man!"  She sobbed on the female officer's shoulder as she was led to a nice room with a tape recorder.

Zenigata picked up the email, bringing it with him.  Perhaps she would slip up some more.  In any case, it was a feather in his cap.   No one else had to know where the email had come from.

***

Fujiko walked out onto the back porch, putting a hand on Lupin's arm when he stiffened.  "You okay?"  He shook his head. "Why not?"

"Isabel tried to have the baby adopted."  He looked at her, seeing the shock.  "I'd never let my kids go to anyone I hadn't specifically chosen and checked out.  None of them.  Even if I die."  She nodded, relaxing again.  "Are you okay?  Should you be standing?"

"A little bit of standing is fine," she said, giving him a small smile.  He stroked her stomach, making her hum in pleasure.  "You do that very well."

"It runs in the family.  Grandfather always had the softest touch with his wives. Father apparently liked to date pregnant women because it was easier on him not to find birth control.  In me, I found that it's a soft touch for my own kids.  I couldn't calm Kathy's down at all."  He continued to stroke her.  "Would you like to take a walk?"

"Slowly," she admitted.

He nodded, taking her arm.  "Of course.  Got on shoes?"  She showed off her sandals.  "They'll do.  To the river or just around the gardens?" he asked, moving her off the porch.

"Toward the river would be fine.  Kit said there was a beautiful spot where they had a picnic."

"And more," he said smugly.  "Goemon really likes her."  He walked her that way.  "He threw a fit at me."

"Really?  Goemon?"

"Really, Goemon," he agreed.  "He was feeling some confusion about what he wanted.  I'm guessing they're moving slowly but he likes her a lot.  He helps her stand and pulls out her chair for her.  All that nice stuff."

"The same as you did for me," she said quietly.

"I will as long as you want me to," he reminded her gently.

"Why don't you get demanding?  I could handle you being a slimebag, or even being gropey, but this sensitive you is scar...throwing me off balance."

He smiled at her.  "Because I meant what I said, Fujiko.  If you want me, I come with the baby.  I might even want more some day.  I don't want you if you can't be with me.  If you can't appreciate the same things then I'll gladly keep you in mind if you want.  If not, then you have the right to move on.  I guess I'm growing up."

"Yeah," she said bitterly.  "Into Kathy."  She pinched him.  "The real you wouldn't do this."

"The real me would have done this a while ago if I had any sense," he said quietly, watching where they were walking.  "I shouldn't have pushed you."

"Is she feeding you lines?"

"No, but watching her has made me see that a gentleman never chases a woman.  He lets her make her decisions and come to him of her own free will.  I shouldn't have to chase.  There are a lot of women in the world.  Many of them like me enough to sleep with me.  I can get sex from a lot of people, but love is something different."

She stopped. "Did you just say you loved me?"

"I have for a while now or else I wouldn't have kept coming back for more," he said bitterly.  "Goemon made me see that."  He started to walk again but she didn't follow, letting her hand fall.  "You all right?"

"Yeah."  She blinked at him.  "You really want me.  You want what Jigen and Kathy have."

"Actually, I *really* want what Cat and Ray have.  That sense of each other and the ability to fit together so tightly that they're instinctive when they cover each other during a fight."

She shook her head.  "Almost no one gets that.  You and Jigen have it."

"Jigen and I are best friends.  Nothing more than stress relief.  It's enjoyable and a break from being nice and sweet to have each other.  Besides, he gives me some great ideas," he said with a malicious grin.  "Jigen and I couldn't stay together.  He's got a woman who wants to take care of him and he wants to protect.  I have one of those myself and we agreed long ago that whatever we have or do won't get in the way of our friendship.  So far it's worked for us."  He shrugged.  "Continue our walk?"

"You seriously want the whole relationship?  The marriage, the sharing a house, the working together, all of that?" she asked flatly.  He nodded.  "Why?"

"Because deep down I crave love."  He grimaced.  "I've had to face some hard facts watching Jigen figure out how to be a husband.  One of them is that I'd kill to be in his place.  With Kathy, Cat, or you.  Even with Kit, though I'd have to make her more aggressive to suit my tastes," he admitted with a sly grin.  "That homey feeling that there's always somewhere Jigen can run to destress, be taken care of, have someone at his back, and someone to rescue him.  Even if we do just as much rescuing.  I want that sort of relationship.  Not necessarily one where you become 'mom' and 'dad' to each other, but a really deep partnership.  Someone I can tell things to in the middle of the night."

"You saw me there?"

"Well, no," he admitted. "I'd love to have you there.  I had to realize long ago that it'd never suit you.  You could never live in one place, be tied to one man - no matter how willing to serve in your pleasure, and be happy with a quieter retirement.  I don't want to die during a job.  I will if I have to, but I've figured out that dying from a gunshot wound to the back or from a cop's gun isn't the way I want to go.  I want to retire, play, teach, move on and find other things I can do.  I still want to do jobs.  I won't ever *fully* retire, but I want to go have fun without feeling the *need* to prove myself."

"And your daughter?"

"Is part of that.  How better to prove that I know my shit than to teach her?  How better to relax than to guide someone else's development as a thief?  I couldn't do it for just anyone but I want a kid.  I want our kids to be honest."

"Kids?"

"Huh?"

"You said kids."

"No, I said kid.  I'd never presume."  He shrugged again.  "Come on, walk with me.  I want to see this magical place."

"If Goemon had sex there, I'm not sure I want to intrude on his private spot.  Kit's a lot tougher than she looks."

"She's have to be.  Her mother is Siren's Bane."

"What!"

He smirked and nodded. "I finally figured out who she reminded me of and went looking.  Kitsune Reynolds is the daughter of Siren's Bane, aka Kenetai Koishi and Derek Reynolds, aka nothing special."

"No wonder she can shoot!"

"Yeah.  Her mother retired by the way.  I sent her a nice letter saying hi and that I had met her daughter, and that I adored her daughter as a nanny for my best friend's kids.  She sent back an email through my list address that said I was not to hit on her daughter.  I assured her that it was the farthest thing from my mind.  She's got a half-sister.  Ghost."

"Wow."  Fujiko took his held-out hand, walking on with him to the river.  "Is this the place?"

"No, that's that way," he said, nodding in that direction.  "I agree, I'm not intruding on Goemon's special place.  He wouldn't do it to me and I've learned to respect that."

"Wow.  You have grown up."

"Yeah, watching Jigen behave like an adult has been a good example.  Now if only I could get rid of this itch for women," he said with a frown.  "I guess I'll have to eventually settle for one who's very inventive.  Maybe if something happens to Jigen or Ray, I'll take their woman."

She gave him a long look, then shook her head.  "Cat would kill you.  She'll the sort who will be Mrs. so-and-so until the day of her death.  She probably won't even go back to women.  I can see you with Kathy however.  You two managed to make yourselves friends and she'd stick by you."

"I'd hope so.  She's like my little sister, but I could see us having sex."  He pushed down the memories that cropped up at that sentence.

"You have?"

"What?  No!  A few fantasies before Jigen firmly became fixated."  He grinned.  "She's one hot chick.  Hot, aggressive, sexually creative, tireless, and easy to spoil."

"Whereas I'm not?"

"Easy to spoil?  Not really.  You pout if I don't get you the best.  She'd have considered a smaller treat worth having me back.  Besides, you're fussy about sex and what you'll do."

"You know this how?"

"I was using a new camera setup on her cats and ended up watching them by accident.  She's the sort who'll try it if Jigen suggests it and really wants to try."

"Wow.  Icky, but wow.  I always thought women like that had low self esteem."

"No, they're looking for creative outlets that also make them feel good.  The same as I am.  That's why Jigen and I have our thing."  He grinned at her.  "Want to rest your feet in the water?  There's only a few small fish in the river."

"No thanks."  She wrapped her arm around his again.  "Let's get back up to the house.  I want another leg rub."

"Need carried?"

"No, I'm fine," she admitted.  "I just want a leg rub."

"Anything you want," he promised, looking down at her. She looked up and he saw the indecision in her eyes.  "The present's yours even if you stay, Fujiko.  Even if you come back," he said quietly.  "It was so you could make any and all decisions without having to screw anyone for something."  She nodded, watching the ground as they walked slowly back to the house.  He got her into bed, using lotion to massage her calves this time.

"Did you notice you've never cuddled me?"

"You never let me.  I've wanted to.  Half the times I tried to get you into my bed was to cuddle.  Afterwards, but I'd take a cuddle if you wanted one."

"You're being too nice and trying too hard."

"You'd rather I tried to nurse off you?" he asked with a small smirk.

"That'd be what you normally would be trying for.  Either that or going up my skirt."

"I don't want to scare you off and I don't want to pressure you.  If you and I stay together, I want you to come to me.  No matter how delectable I think the bigger, darker, more sensitive nipples you have now are."

"Darker?"  She looked down her shirt, then grimaced.  "They are."

"They are, and they show through that shirt wonderfully."  He leaned down, kissing her gently.  "Like I said, you'll have to come to me.  I'm a patient man, sometimes."

"I wouldn't mind a cuddle," she admitted.  He let her leg go and crawled up to lay next to her, letting her have his chest.  She settled herself and sighed.  She fit against his body so well.  "You're still really thin."

"I hopefully always will be.  I don't want to end up like Dolune did before he died.  I don't think I could handle having man-tits."

"Mm, me either," she agreed, closing her eyes.  "No groping."

"Only a thought of it," he promised, reaching down slowly to stroke her back.  She moaned so he worked on that spot.  "Like I said, whenever you're ready, you can come to me."

She looked up at him. "Is this some sort of reverse psychology experiment?"

"No, I'm tired of the chase.  I'm forty-one in another six days."  She looked stunned.  "Yeah, me."  He gave his body a small glare.  "It's already starting to ache.  I thought it was about time to grow up."

"You'd still have a harem at eighty."

"I might, but I only want one queen of my harem, Fujiko."  She misted up and he patted her on the back.  "I'm not pushing, just making my feelings known.  If you want me, you'll have to chase me."  He continued to pet her, making her relax again.  "I've been thinking about asking Kathy to pump some for Absinthe.  What do you think?"

"I hate that name."

"I can't think of another one without stepping on some woman's toes."

She looked up, then shook her head. "That's what you get for sleeping around so much."  She put her head back down on his chest.  "This is so much more comfortable than the body pillow."

He smirked down at her.  "I try."  He smoothed it away before she could look up at him.  "What?  I try to be very comforting. That's why I got so many women.  That and my skills."  He cackled a bit and she rolled her eyes.  "You don't think so?"

"No, you've got good technique but you're not the biggest ever."

"Who'd want to be?  I could never find pants that fit if I was a foot or more long and as wide as my wrist."

"Who was that big?"

"A porn star I watched one time," he shared.  "He was really impressive.  He had to wear a harness around the thing for when he got hard."

"Okay then.  I don't think I want to meet him."

"He died a few years back.  AIDS."

"Sorry."

"It's okay, he wasn't mine.  I'd never let that take me.  It's too damn big."

She snorted.  "I'm sure."  She sniffed him.  "You changed your aftershave?"

"I ran out two days ago.  Sorry."

"No, I don't mind. You smell musky, like all the sex is running out your pores."  She took another sniff.  He did smell exactly like that time she had let him take her in the shower.  "You smell good," she said quietly, stroking his stomach.

He caught her hand. "Don't do that unless you mean it, Fujiko. I can't take the tease."  She looked stunned.  "I can't.  I've still got the control I did when I was twenty.  Nearly none."  She nodded, not petting him anymore.  "Thanks."  He got comfortable, letting her fall asleep on him, then he slipped out and went up to his room to blow himself off.  This new plan was working so much better.  He came out of the bathroom and laid down naked on his bed, waiting on her.  It only took four hours for her to come up and crawl in with him, and she did whatever he could think of.  She even pleased him first, then expected her own.  Maybe Kathy had been right after all.  After they were done, he curled up against her, licking over a limp nipple.  She moaned and pushed him away.  "Making sure you were still alive."  He put an arm around her waist and got comfortable.

"I'm alive, barely.  Do you have anything to drink?"

"Water from the faucet or I can get you something," he offered softly.

"Please?  And something to nibble?  Some microwave popcorn?"

"Sure," he promised, slipping out of the bed to put on a robe, making sure she got a good look at his body.  "Be right back.  Do you want soda or juice?"

"Soda.  For some reason I'm craving it."

"Okay."  He padded downstairs to get food for his baby and future wife.  Even if she wouldn't admit it yet.

***
Kathy woke up, cuddled and on her stomach.  She could feel Jigen on top of her, arms around her chest.  He was holding her down, tightly pressing them together.  She could also feel that his control had snapped.  That's what had woken her, he was trying to enter her nether passage.  "Jigen," she said quietly, but her arms were pinned so she couldn't pinch him.  He moaned and pushed in a bit more.  "Jigen, some lubricant would be appreciated!" she said more loudly, urgent since he was trying to get in deeper.  "Jigen!"  He started and pushed in deeper, making her wince.  "Jigen!"

He woke up and noticed where he was. "Shit!"  He started to pull back but she clutched at him.  "Are you all right?  Did I hurt you?"  He looked down her back, slowly pulling back.  He grimaced.  "No lube but no blood."

"Thankfully.  Damn it, how far in were you?"

"About half," he admitted.  He kissed the back of her neck since she wouldn't move.  "I'm sorry, Kathy.  I don't know what that was.  I should go jump Lupin or something."

"No, I'm good for that idea, but could you maybe use some lube?  It wouldn't be the first time but it's still only about the fourth."

He kissed her again, getting the lube for her pleasure.  "Of course I can. Are you sure?"  She nodded, relaxing underneath him.  "Can I have my hands back?"

"I want to cuddle."

"We will, just let me do this part first and then we'll curl up together."  She nodded, shifting so he could have both hands back.  He was always very careful with her preparation because she was still damn tight back there.   "It's our fifth time," he corrected as he worked on getting her looser.

"Hmm.  Only if you count the time you only got a bit in before the phone rang."

"I do."  He slicked himself up once she was as prepared as he could make her.  "Deep breath," he instructed, pushing in slowly. She winced but stayed still to let him do whatever he wanted.  When he was all the way in, he pulled her onto her side, curling his legs around hers.  "There, cuddles and all," he said in her ear, moving back a short distance and pushing in.  "Relax, princess."

"I'm trying, but I still say you grow an extra few inches each time we do this."

"It's the extra desire," he whispered, moving again.  She clutched his arms, letting him do it.  "If you want, I'll stop."

"No, I'm good," she admitted, holding on for dear life as he pleasured her.  "You can go harder."

"I want to be gentle."

"I don't want gentle."

He chuckled and kissed her neck, moving faster and harder, as hard as he dared.  She was still fragile.  She eventually got off him and turned to look at him, sliding down him again. He groaned, letting her silence him with a kiss. "Damn, woman."

"Yours," she agreed, kissing him again.  "We should have finished with this part, not started with it."  He looked shocked.  "I want more, Jigen."

"I haven't been fixed yet."

"So?  I want to touch you again."  She ran her hands across his chest, making him hum in pleasure.  "Like that.  I want to touch and look and grope."

"Grope away," he promised, stealing a kiss before moving to play with her breasts.  "As soon as you've finished bleeding, you're mine there too."  She smiled and moved a bit faster, making him hold on for dear life.   "You sure you want to do that?"

"Stirring up the beast in men is a specialty of mine," she panted, moving faster and harder.  He helped her, then he suddenly pulled her off and put her underneath him again, taking her that way.  "I think you like this position."

"Sue me, I'm an old-fashioned guy, I like my women underneath me."  He worked her as hard as he ever had dared, but she was begging and pleading with her body for more.  "Absolutely sure?" he panted.

"Hurry up!" she said frantically.  He sped up, making her scream in pleasure and scratch his back to get him closer.  He smirked down at her and moved to tease her neck and nipples, making her thrash on the bed until he finally got her to go over the edge.  She screamed again, deafening him briefly, but it was beautiful and made him follow her over the edge.  He collapsed on top of her, panting for breath.  "Air," she pleaded, pushing at him.

Lupin pushed open the door, then put up his gun and moved Jigen off her.  "You scared us," he chided, kissing her gently.  "You okay?"  She gave him a long look, then swallowed.  "What?"  He looked down at himself, then blushed and went to grab a towel.  "Sorry, we reacted to the screaming.  Goemon went to check on the kids, thankfully."  He came out with a towel and a wet washcloth for them.  "Here, you'll probably need it.  I'll bring up some juice," he said smugly.

"I can do that," Jigen said weakly.

"Sure you can, geezer."  Lupin smirked at him.  "Keep it up, I told Fujiko I'd be taking her as my bitch if something happened to you."  She looked stunned.  "Just to protect you of course," he said with a wink, heading to calm everyone else down.  "They're fine.  Jigen decided to celebrate Chad's birth finally.  It was way too long."  Goemon looked startled.  "They're fine.  They could us some juice and cookies, but otherwise they're fine."

"Good," Kit said, shaking her head.  "That was loud."

"Yeah, Jigen was really trying this time," he agreed smugly, heading for the kitchen.  Fujiko handed over a pitcher of juice on a tray with glasses and a few pieces of toast.  "Thanks, babe."  He took it back up the stairs, handing it to Jigen since he was sitting up.  "Fujiko made the toast."

"I'll taste it first," Jigen said dryly.  "Shoo.  You're not getting her."

"Remember, if you fuck up too badly, she's my bitch."  He headed back to his room, discarding the towel and climbing back into bed naked.  Fujiko wandered in and climbed in with him, getting comfortable.  "You okay?"

"They were really loud.  Did I hear Jigen yelling too?"

"Oh, yeah.  He really lets go with her."

"This soon after the birth?"

"There are other entrances," he said dryly.

"Eww!"

"Sorry.  It's rare from what I've heard, but it's an occasional thing."  Someone knocked on the door.  "Yeah, Kathy?"

She stuck her head in.  "I know, I'm the only one other than Kit who knocks and she'd do it much more hesitantly.  Who said I'm going to be your bitch?"

"I did.  That way you and the kids are taken care of like Jigen would have wanted.  No strings attached, but you'd be mine.  If I wasn't married, I'd even take you that way to protect you to the fullest extent.  That bother you?" he asked.

She walked in, sitting carefully on the end of his bed.  Then she shook her head.  "Not really.  I'm sure your woman of the moment would mind, but I think it's a big brotherly thing for you to say."

"And more.  Let's face it, if Jigen hadn't made himself plain, I might have," he said casually.

She grinned at him.  "You would have been a pushy asshole of a boyfriend, Lupin."

"Well, yeah," he grinned, "but you could use one of those now and then.  That okay with you as a long-term, just in case plan?"

She nodded.  "I can accept that, but only if you're not married."

"Deal," he agreed, sitting up to kiss her gently.  "Now go back to your man and make him have a heart attack so Mal becomes my son for real."

She snorted.  "Fat chance.  Mal is all *my* son, thieving ways and all.  Or didn't you read that section?"  She winked and padded back to her room to climb back in with Jigen.  "He said he'd only steal me if something happened to you and you died.  Pending the status of his thing with Fujiko."

"He'd die.  I'd come back from the dead if he touched you," he said firmly, watching her.  "I'm not man enough for you?"

She frowned at him.  "And then some, thank you.  Have I shown any inclination in that direction?"  He shook his head.  "Then you can put that stupid, jealous thought back from whatever mental asshole you pulled it from."  He looked stunned.  "He was thinking of protecting us from the same people who would probably have killed you.  You know, to watch out for the kids?"

"Bull.  He's wanted you for a while now."

"Yeah, and I'm not the one he really wants.  The same as he could never be you."  She laid down, back facing him.  "Go to sleep, Jigen."

He laid there, staring at the ceiling.  "Fine, I'm jealous," he admitted finally.  "I'm sorry. It was irrational."  He glanced at her but she was asleep.  "I'll tell her tomorrow."

"Leaving again already?"

"No, I was going to admit to being jealous.  Lupin's a much smoother guy than I am."

"Yay?  Your sharp corners aren't poking me yet."

"Thanks."  He rolled to hold her.  "I'm sorry."

"You will be if you *ever* accuse me of that again," she warned coldly.

He stroked her arm.  "I understand."  She relaxed and let him pat and stroke her back into sleep.  Then he curled up behind her, watching her sleep.  That little doubt in his mind really needed to go away.  Whoever had sent that email had found just the perfect moment to snap the picture of her and Lupin together at the cafe in town.  They had been leaning close to each other and smiling.  He'd have to show her tomorrow, ask if she knew who had taken it.

***

Lupin looked up as Jigen walked out onto the back porch to join him for coffee.  "You feel better now that you've been an ass?"

"She told you?"

"I could hear her yelling at you."  He handed over the extra cup of coffee.  Jigen handed over the papers he had been carrying.  He looked at them, then snorted.  "We were working on your next birthday party," he said, handing them back.  "We were working on the gag gift part."

"I don't need a party."

"If we don't throw you one, we can't throw her one.  Her rules," Lupin said smugly.

"Hell."  Jigen sat down, nodding at the email. "You might want to read that."

Lupin read it, then sat up, facing him. "Jigen, we both know exactly where my affections for her lie.  I can't take her from you and I like you two together.  Why would I even try to hurt you that way?"

"It's a doubt, Lupin."

"Especially after last night."

"Yeah, you tasted good on her lips."

"It was the same thing you've seen me give her tens of thousands of times, even before Paris," he said quietly, glancing around.  "And we both know it."

Jigen sipped his coffee, nodding slowly.  "I do, but I'm still jealous."

"It's that whole kid thing," Fujiko said as she joined them. "You can't really think Lupin would take her from you, do you?  He's a slick guy but he doesn't want to poach from you."

"No, I'd never take her from you, unless she came to me because you were hurting her greatly."

"I'd never...."

"Then we never have to worry about it, huh?" Lupin said firmly, staring Jigen down.  "If something happened and you were killed, I'd take her and the kids immediately and you knew that a long time ago too."

"I did," Jigen admitted bitterly.  "It's still raising my hackles."

"You're feeling more overprotective since Chad's birth," Fujiko pointed out again. "Before she was the woman who gave you kids, which you didn't know about beforehand.  This time you got to touch, cradle, and love the baby and her from the beginning.  It makes men insanely jealous all the time."

"I'm not like that," Lupin pointed out to ease her disgusted look.

"I know, because that means you'd have to settle on one woman."

"I can do that," he promised.  "I'd have to have one who would want to be with me the way I needed, and be there all the time.  No going off on her own for months on end and expecting me to be saintly."

She gave him a long look.  "That would get boring very fast, Lupin."

"It might, but no one said we'd have to retire fully."

She shrugged. "It's still academic."

"I said you get to make that decision," he agreed gently, looking at Jigen.  "I mean it," he said quietly.  "If you *ever* hurt her, physically or emotionally to the point where she leaves, she's not yours.  She'll become mine until you find some damn sense and come groveling."  Jigen nodded, staring back at him.  "Including continuing this shit.  She doesn't need it."

"No, she doesn't, and it was irrational," Jigen agreed.  "Thanks, Lupin."

"Hey, I'm good at kicking people in the ass," Lupin pointed out.  "I got Pops a consulting job when they had been wanting to force him into retirement."  He sat back, finishing his coffee.  "Fujiko, I'm going for more coffee, want some?"

"No thanks," she said, waving one hand.  "It's been turning my stomach sour."

"Maybe you should try to eat something," Jigen suggested.  "Kathy never eats for a few days before and she's always restless."

"I haven't even had the false pains in a few days," she protested.  "I'll eat later."

"As long as you do.  I don't want you to get sick," Lupin said, giving her a smile.  He went into the kitchen to get some more coffee.  He found Kathy and Chad sitting in there.  "You could come out with us."

"I thought you two should talk first," she admitted lightly, looking down at her nursing son.  "You're really hungry today.  Didn't I give you a bottle last night?"

"I did," Lupin told her, coming over to help her up.  "Sit on Jigen, let him help hold the baby."  She grimaced but went outside, sitting across from Fujiko.  Lupin got his coffee and nodded at Goemon as he came out of his room.  "Have a good sunrise on the roof?"

"An excellent one," he admitted, taking the hot water for his tea.  "Where are we all?"

"Kathy's feeding the baby on the porch with the rest of us but Kit and the other kids."

"I'll check on them then join you," he said, blushing faintly as he walked away, stirring his tea to make it steep faster.

Lupin walked out, handing Kathy a glass of water.  "Here."  He went back to his chair, getting comfortable again.

Fujiko watched her feed her son, grimacing. "Doesn't that hurt?"

"No more than when others suck on them.  They're tender and sensitive but nothing else."

"Oh."  She looked down at her own set.  "Mine are horribly bloated."

"They've probably got milk in them already.  You could try squeezing some out, see if that relieves it," Kathy offered.  "I know Cat started to lactate in her sixth month for some reason."

"Wow.  Did her husband try to taste?"  She nodded. "Why?"

"Curiosity.  Desire for his wife."  She shrugged.  "I don't know.  I haven't been asked for any of mine."

"I used part of a bottle in my coffee yesterday," Jigen admitted.

"Me too, about three days ago," Lupin offered.

"It probably tastes different from the udder," Fujiko noted.  Kathy snickered and swatted at her. "Hey!"

"I'm not a cow.  No matter how much I may look like one, I'm not a cow."

"Hey, Kathy, have you been back on your meds for your thyroid?" Jigen asked casually.  She stiffened and looked at him, making him nod.  "It might help you lose some of that."

"I hadn't had a trouble for the year before Mal was born so I haven't taken them since then."  She shrugged.  "I'll call my doc and ask if he can send me in for tests."

"Good idea," Lupin agreed.  "We should probably go into town today anyway, that way Fujiko can find a cute outfit for after the birth."

"Really?" Fujiko asked.  "How much should I lose?"

"Most of the weight.  You'll lose the baby and water weight.  Not *all* of it and you'll have some expanded skin but it'll go back in a few weeks," Kathy told her.  "I lost about thirty pounds after having Chad, just from having Chad."

Fujiko looked down at her modest stomach.  "I could handle that."  She looked at Lupin.  "We might need to find me a good plastic surgeon."

"I've thought about that too," Kathy told her.  "Just to remove the expanded skin.  If I do, I'll hand over my recommendations or I'll take yours."

Fujiko smiled.  "Thanks."  She watched the baby as he kicked happily.  "He really likes that."

"It's comforting. He can hear my heartbeat like he did inside.  The womb is like a big eardrum.  She's underwater, surrounded by a conductive membrane.  Trust me, she hears your heartbeat very well.  She'll miss it for at least a week after she's born if you're not holding her."

Fujiko looked depressed. "She'll miss me?"  Kathy nodded.  "Wow."

"The baby always knows the mommy.  Each baby can pick out their mommy from among other women according to some really good research studies."  Fujiko looked even more depressed.  "You know," she said quietly, "you don't have to go once you give birth."

"It'll only be harder."

"Yeah, but you'll be sore, tired, and in need of some attention," Kathy shared.  "Trust me, I had a lot of attention.  I did not want to get out of bed for that first few days.  You won't either."

"I know," she agreed.  "I'll hire a nurse or something."  She sipped the glass of water Lupin had brought out.  "He's eating a lot."

"Right now he's lost the nipple and is nuzzling to find it again."  She looked down and guided it back into his mouth, which is when Goemon came out and made it very clear he wasn't looking at her.  He sat down on Lupin's other side. "It's perfectly normal."

"Yes, but it is disrespectful to watch," Goemon told her firmly.  "I do not want to disrespect you that way."  He glanced up at Lupin.  "The children drenched Kit in their baths.  They're heading this way."

"Thanks.  Does that mean I get to fix breakfast?"

"Doesn't the housekeeper do that?" Kathy asked.

"Not really.  The occasional dinner," Lupin admitted.

Kathy stood up and put back the breastguard and hitched back up her bra as she handed the baby off.  "Here, get puked on again."  She washed her hands and started cooking breakfast.

"I can do that," Lupin called.

"I'm not helpless."

"Okay.  Yell when you want help."

Mal ran in first, staring at his mother in shock.  "You cook?"

"Yes, I do cook.  Who do you think fed you before we got here, Mal?"

"Yous."  He hugged her thigh.  "Morning, Mommy."

"Morning, Mal.  Everyone else is outside."  He let her go and headed out to cuddle with his father.   She mixed up the eggs to make scrambled eggs until her daughter came toddling in, cooing at her bear.  "Morning, Jissan."  Her daughter danced her bear and cooed at her.  "Your brothers, father, and uncles are outside."  She toddled that way, staying very happy as she climbed into her uncle's lap to hug him.  She shook her head, working on the toast as the eggs cooked.  She looked inside the fridge and started to sniffle, but firmly pushed away the mood swing.  A lack of orange juice was not a reason to cry.  Kit walked in and she pointed outside.  "He's out there ignoring the fact that I was breastfeeding."

Kit patted her on the back.  "A few more weeks and no more mood swings," she reminded.

"Good!"  She pulled down bowls for the food, having to take half of them out of the dishwasher.  She looked in the sink, then sighed, running water to start on dishes.  It was at that point that Lupin came in and gently pushed her back outside at Jigen so he could fix this.  "I can do it."

"So?  I'm being nice, don't get used to it.  As soon as you stop bleeding, I'm taking Jigen and Goemon and we're going to do a bank job so you can afford a cook too."  She glared at him, hands on her hips.  "You'll be happier once you have one," he told her smugly.  "Trust me."

"I like my own cooking."

"You never cook," Jigen told her.

"She does when it's just us," Kit told him, grinning at Goemon and Jissan.  "She does look quite comfortable."

"I'm sure she is," he agreed, watching his niece play with her bear against his chest.  "What is she doing?"

"Dancing with him," Jigen said. "What does it look like?"

"We read the Teddybear's Tea Party last night," Kit shared.

"Okay, so she's having a dancing tea party," Jigen agreed with a grin and a hug for his sons.  "Hi, sons."  Mal kissed him loudly and wetly on the cheek.  "Thanks, Mal."

"You leave again?" he asked, his eyes impossibly big and wet.

Jigen groaned.  "I'll always come back, son," he promised.  "If I can, I'll be back."

Mal stuck out his bottom lip.  "I like you.  You no go."

"It's a business trip, Mal.  He'd be back within a month," Kit told him.  "Don't worry, the rest of us are staying."

He pouted harder, crossing his arms over his chest too.  "Want daddy to stay!"

Kathy looked at her son.  "If he stays, he can't go away and bring you back presents."  That cured up the pout very quickly as Mal babbled about the things he wanted.

"Okay, I'll try to find that," Jigen agreed to stop the list of toys his son thought he wanted.  Why he wanted a deck of cards he wasn't sure but Lupin was blushing, he could barely see him.  There were very few things that could make Lupin blush, including some sex toys.  "I thought you locked those damn things up," he called.

"I did, they were in my sock drawer."

"They're not now, I went looking for a pair of socks last night," Fujiko said helpfully.  "What cards?"

"It's part of a sex game," Kathy told her.  "I've seen similar decks.  It's like love dice."

"Love dice?"

Kathy shook her head and went upstairs to find her set, handing them over.  "Here, have fun."

Fujiko looked at each of them, then at her.  "You take turns?"

"It's a game, Fujiko.  You know, for fun?" Kathy prompted.

"Whatever."  She handed them to Kit, who blushed and handed them back to their owner.

"They were given to me by Cat, they're not mine," she announced.

Lupin came out and took them, putting them into his pocket as he went back to breakfast.  She had a good start but it wasn't enough food for just the kids.  "We need to do some grocery shopping today or lunch is going to have to be creative," he called.

"How much is that going to cost?" Kathy called back.

"We'll know when we're done and have found a cook," he said firmly.  She walked in.  "I know you have money.  You can pay her off the interest of the stuff Jigen and I set up for you," he said firmly.  "That way my godson won't starve."

"He won't starve anyway."

"Fine, so you won't starve," he admitted, frowning at her.  "You're hiring a cook.  You need a cook.  Kit's a student, not a cook."

"I cook!"

"I noticed.  You also weren't making enough for more than the kids."  They shared a look and he started to cave, but she frowned at him, so he set his resolve.  "Jigen, you need to find her a cook," he called.  "That way I don't have to be the cook and financial manager."

"No one asked you to be either!  I can handle it!"  She stomped off.

Lupin watched her back recede down the hallway, then looked over as Jigen walked in.  "Mood swing."

"I thought those were over," he muttered as he headed after her.  "Kathy?"  He didn't hear her so he headed into the armory to check the escape hatch, which was open.  He headed down it to the garage, and through there to the small house on the other side of the property.  It was a nice, small, quaint house with most of the same amenities from what he could see.  "Kathy!"  He heard a door slam and headed that way with a defeated sigh.  At least he knew where she went to hide now.  He glanced out the front windows, finding a large wall of vines.  "The inside of the wall," he said, trying to figure out where they were.  He heard a lock be thrown and pulled out an old library card, heading up to get her out of whatever room.  "Hey," he said as soon as he walked in.  He ducked the pillow.  "Don't start that, I'll have to retaliate."  He sat beside her.  "What's this place?"

"The servant's house."

"Let me guess, he only showed you this part?"  She nodded.  "Well, I like it," he admitted, looking around at the white plaster walls.  "It's a bit...bland, but I like it."

"I had my heart set on something about this size."

"And then you found out that you were getting the whole estate and he tricked you," he finished.  She nodded.  "Well, like I said, it's a nice house.  Do you want to sell it?"  She shook her head.  "No?  Even though it upsets you?"

"I promised I wouldn't until I found someone worthy and Ray would never move this far."

"Yeah, but Pops would be in heaven and he might," he pointed out.  She gave him a dirty look.  "You could sell it for however much you wanted."

"When we came to the front gate, the old guy said he was leaving me the house as well, and he looked so confused," she shared.  "Then he handed me the keys and told Zenny that I had bought all of it because I would watch over his people for him.  I'm a total failure as a landlord."

"You're not," he soothed, patting her on the butt.  "You're a good landlord.  Everyone liked you at the picnic.  You and the mayor came to a quick understanding about those poorer homes and how they needed to be fixed.  How you would let the local builder's union use them as training if he wouldn't let the locals do it. I thought that was really nice."

She sniffled.  "You did?" she asked, sounding hopeful.

"I did," he pointed out.  He looked around.  "I wouldn't have minded a house this size."

"The bathroom's bigger."

"I suspect it'd have to be," he agreed, walking into the bathroom.  He came out and looked at the doorway.  "Holy shit, it's like those Pern bathing caverns."

She giggled.  "Cat said the same thing and Ray shook his head in defeat because now he had to read that series too."

"Yeah, I saw one of those books open on their couch the last time I checked the bug Lupin planted."  He came back, sitting next to her again.  "If you want, we can move down here.  That way you wouldn't have to do anything about a housekeeper, a cook, or anything."

"I'm not used to this."

"Me either," he shared, patting her gently on the butt.  "Now, let's head back to the house before Lupin gets curious and does his impersonation of a monkey."  She chuckled, letting him haul her up.  "Come on."  He walked her back to the garage, looking at the sports car.  "That's old, yet very handy to have hidden."  He walked her back up to the house, shooing Jissan ahead of them since she had come looking.  "We're coming.  You don't need to come down this way."  He closed the door, watching as she turned the gunrest that locked it.  Someone pounded so she sighed and opened it, letting out Kit and Mal.  "Come on."  She locked it again and he shooed them in front of him.  He pulled on his wife's arm, letting her stop.  "Give that to Goemon and Kit," he whispered.  She looked stunned.  "Seriously."

"But her studies," she hissed back.

"She's getting plenty done.  Don't worry, let him ask, but offer them the house."  She nodded, heading down to talk to Goemon while he got Kit.  "Hey," he said, putting an arm around her shoulders.  "You know there's a smaller house on the grounds?"

"Three," she corrected.

"Your mother liked it?"  She gave him a horrified look.  "Lupin figured it out and told me.  I haven't told anyone and I doubt it'd matter to him."

"It would, she hates him. They're enemies!"

"So?"  He gave her a gentle squeeze.  "If you and Goemon get together, we'd give you that house.  It's kinda small but it's got an amazing bathroom setup."  She blushed and he grinned.  "See, I knew you'd like it.  This afternoon, I want a real tour of the grounds and the estate.  She doesn't have a clue."

"Of course not.  She's not born to this sort of thing."

"I love my girl, but sometimes she is pretty clueless," he said quietly, glancing around.

"Including about how he set up a million of the price to pay for any necessary repairs, updates to the poor housing, or for servants like the cook we need," she shared, getting free of his arm.  "Don't tell her."

"I'm not."  He smirked at her.  "But we are going to take a tour of the lands and we will be finding a cook.  We can tell her about that trust, right?"  She nodded, grimacing.  "Good."  He walked her down to the kitchen, where Lupin was making up plates.  He took his and a fork from his boss's hands.  "Did you know that the former owner set up a trust out of the purchase price to pay for the lawn guys, the housekeeper, the cook, and for any necessary fixing on the poor quarters?"

Lupin nodded.  "Robert was always thoughtful that way."  He handed Kit a plate, weathering her frown.  "Now, come on.  We like *you*."  She relaxed.  "You'll have to tell him sometime."

"Tell me what?" Goemon asked.

"Who my mother is," she sighed.

"You look quite a lot like her.  I also had a visit from her with a threat to treat you right.  I had no idea Ghost was that old."

"Ghost is my sister, Goemon," she said quietly, staring at him. His mouth fell open.  "Yeah.  I'll understand if you don't want to talk to me again."  She walked past him, going to eat out on the grass with the kids.  "Hey, can I eat with you?"

Jigen looked at Goemon.  "This is when a man chases his woman," he pointed out.

"She's...."  He shook his head.  "Impossible."

"No, it's not.  Reynolds was the idiot Siren's Bane married to hide herself for a bit."  Lupin looked at him.  "She thinks you hate her because of who her mother is."

"We're mortal enemies."

"This is the perfect way to alleviate that," Lupin told him.  "Go chase after her before she decides you hate her too."  Goemon hurried out to talk to her.  "Men," he said, rolling his eyes.  "I was never that clueless."

"I was," Jigen admitted.

"Yes, I did explain her to you a few times, didn't I?" he asked dryly, waving outside.  "Go eat with your woman."

"Thanks, Lupin.  Good as usual," Jigen said, eating as he walked.

Goemon sat down beside Kit and kissed the hand he picked up.  "I do not hold your birth against you," he said carefully.  "Our argument had nothing to do with you."  She withdrew her hand.  "I would talk to her if you wanted."  She looked up, looking shocked.  "I am more than man enough to put that argument behind me.  She was the one who called me names and said I was an anachronism. It was her disgust that caused this feud.  If I had known, I would not have assumed your sister was your mother, even though she called you such."

"Ghost is a few years younger than me.  I took care of her a lot," she admitted.  "Mother had migraines.  She's always called me Little Mother and it confuses a lot of people."

Goemon nodded.  "I was aware of that and it shows that your caring nature is from your grandmother, who was a teacher of my mother's."  He smiled at her, prompting a small one from her. "I will settle with your mother if you wish."

"I think I'd better talk to her first.  I doubt she *sent* Ghost to bother you."  He shook his head.  "Then I wonder if Mother knows."

"Probably.  Ghost is younger?"

She nodded.  "She's barely seventeen this year.  Why?"

"She's been working since fourteen?"

"Her teacher's decision, not Mother's.  Mother went to behead her teacher."

"Ah, I had wondered who had done that," he said with a small smile.  "Thank you for telling me."

"I'm sorry, but I didn't want you to look at me badly."

"I don't.  It does explain your studies."  He took her hand again.  "Your Mistress just offered me the small house near the fence."

"Which one?"

"The one she went to hide in.  Jigen said the bathing features are quite stunning."

"It's basically a big bathing pool."  She grimaced. "There's a better house.  Unless you like the only view being trees and vines."  He shrugged.  "Then there's a better house.  Come on the tour with Jigen and I."  He nodded, settling next to her.  "Not hungry?"  He got up and went to get his plate from Lupin, then came back to sit with her.

***

Jigen looked at the security cameras, pointing at one.  "That one looks like it's in the bunker."

"It's another house that's mostly underground," she said, flipping that view to out the main windows.  "Kathy was mainly concerned with the ways up to the house.  We traced over those, we got them all set up where he didn't.  Most people don't know about these other ones.  Except for the local cops."  She grimaced, zooming into a view on the front lawn.  "And whoever that blanket belongs to."  She shrugged and zoomed back out.  "We can find out soon enough.  Anyway, there are three accessory houses besides the main one.  This one is partially underground.  There's the one by the wall, commonly called the Carriage House. Then there's the one I want Goemon to have."  She flipped the view to that one, finding the people who had probably been camping in the underground house.  "Well, they're probably in the Burrow."  She shrugged.  "We'll figure that out."

She made the camera turn, finding the other house barely in view.  "This is the only external one.  It's got a very nice roof, Robert used to stargaze from there.  I found his diaries from finishing the building after his mentor died."  She looked at Jigen, who nodded.  "It's spacious but not horribly big. It's got a view and river access, but it's not quite against the wall.  This one the cops know about but they'd have to trek a long way to get to it.  It's about a half-mile through the woods to it.  It's closer to the neighbors than not and you have to cross the river to get to it in one spot.  There's a small bridge."  She flipped to an internal view.  "It's always been a much more peaceful house and I like this one.  He may not, Robert let a visitor decorate it.  Apparently they were in the Chinese Secret Police until they ran and hid."  She grimaced.  "Also showing signs of living in."  She sighed.  "There're some houses open in the poor quarters."  She flipped the view again.  "River Front Place.  Robert's good deed and way to pay the land taxes."  She zoomed in on one house's yard.  "Tell me that kid isn't locked out," she said angrily.

"We'll check it out this afternoon," Lupin assured her.  "Let's go down and check on that family first.  Maybe she can be a housekeeper."

"I've never seen her," Kit admitted.

"That's fine, we'll figure that out," Jigen told her.  He patted her on the back too.  "Now for the tour?"

"Sure."  She smiled and turned off the surveillance system, putting it back onto automatic scan, which would flip the channels on the tv downstairs and automatically turn up the volume if something odd was caught.  It had caught an escaping cat the other day.  She let them follow her out of the house, even allowing her to gather Goemon and his sword since he was working out while the children watched in awe.  "We're going to tour the grounds.  Want to come see?"  He nodded, taking her arm to walk with her.  "Where do we want to start?"

"Farthest out and work out way in," Jigen told her.  "That way we can rest at each place and not have the long hike back."  She nodded, that made sense.  She led them off the more established path, through a path between the trees.  "This is cleverly camouflaged."

"He never really used the other houses, but Robert wanted them in case his son needed a place of his own or someone he was helping needed a place to stay for a longer term than a few days."  They walked out of the path and found the small footbridge, which Goemon went over first to make sure it was sturdy.  "This may need replaced soon.  We flooded last year."  She took his hand again, letting him put her arm around his as they walked.  "We have some visitors out there now," she told him. "I don't know who they are."

"I thought I had heard children laughing," he admitted.  They came to another clearing but she walked in.  "Not this one?"

"They're staying here but they were out by the farthest one when the camera caught sight of them."  She smiled as they came upon the mother and three children.  "Hi," she said, brushing some hair back.  The woman blanched, then straightened up.  "We're not here to kick you off the land, we're here to talk and see what's going on.  We're not using the underground house right now."  She relaxed.

Jigen walked over and shook her hand, leading her off to the side to talk to her.  "Hey, Lupin, pull the River Front place's leases so we can see if there's any open places," he called.

"Sure, Jigen, as soon as we get back," Lupin agreed.  He continued on with Kit and Goemon.  "Kathy suggested that you could have the closest house but Kit thought you might want to redecorate this one," he offered as they came in sight.  The big windows were gleaming in the light.  The door was open. "I'm guessing there's someone in there."

"Quite possibly."  Kit opened the door.  "Hello.  Checking over the house."  Someone screamed.  "I'm not that scary, but there are men with me."  A young woman stepped out of the kitchen area.  "Hey, we're working on it with your mom right now."

"She's my wife," she said stiffly.

"Even better.  The landlord here knows what's going on in that life," Kit told her gently.  "She lived that way until she finally found a man she liked.  He's the one talking to your wife."  The girl looked stunned.  "Why don't you join them."

"We like this house."

"Yes, but this one's not for rent," Lupin told her.  She grimaced.  "There are ones and we're looking into it now.  We'll have an answer for you by tomorrow."

"I can't stay in that other one, it's underground and it creeps me out."

"Then camp on the lawn.  It shouldn't rain tonight," Goemon offered.  The girl nodded, gathering her things and leaving.  He looked around the house.  "Who decorated?" he asked, looking amused.

"Robert, the former owner, had a friend who ran from the Chinese Secret Police.  He decorated it," Kit told him.  "After ten years he couldn't take it anymore and ran."

"Defecting is the politically correct term," Lupin corrected gently.

"It's still running and hiding, no matter what you call it," she said.  "I tend to say what I mean.  He ran to Robert and got hidden because of what he knew."  She looked at Goemon.  "I thought this one might suit you better.  It has a better view, a better roof, and Robert used to stargaze from here."

He looked down at her and smiled. "It is charming."  He walked around the small three- bedroom house, admiring the fixtures.  "Whoever this defector was, he had good taste in fake artifacts."

"I believe the phrase is 'close enough for government work'," Kit said, mimicking Lupin exactly.  Lupin snickered and gave her a light shove on the arm.  "It isn't?' she asked innocently.

Goemon nodded that he did like this house.  He walked up the stairs, chuckling at the large loft bedroom that took up the whole top floor.  "Come look," he called.  They jogged up the stairs, finding Kathy and the kids staring at the horses the neighbors raised.  Lupin grinned and took a picture with a small digital camera he carried with him, zooming in for a better shot.  "This is quite a house," he said in admiration.  "Not much needs fixed or changed."  Kit grinned at him.  "I would like to look at the others but I think I could be quite happy in here.  These floor-to-ceiling windows are wonderful."

"Aren't they?  I snuck down here to watch the last really good storm," Kit agreed, leaning against his side.  He put an arm around her and she blushed but didn't move.  She heard the click of the camera and frowned at Lupin.  "I'll make you eat that."

"Only if you want the pictures spread around," he said smugly.  "It automatically downloads into my home computer."

"Damn," Goemon muttered, glaring at him.  "No more tricks."

"It's not a trick, simply a picture of you and Kit."  He grinned and headed downstairs to meet up with Jigen again.  He had seen him walking their way.  "They're upstairs and you can see Kathy and the kids watching the horses."  He hurried up to look, not interrupting anything.  When they came back out, Lupin was watching the river.  "We have bass."

"In France?" Jigen asked.

"Must be from a private stock," Goemon offered.  "What of that family?"

"She said she couldn't find out who to talk to about the River Front places.  I told her we'd be setting that up as well."  He shrugged.  "We'll look into that today when we head into town to buy Fujiko that outfit you promised.  For now, they're in that underground burrow place.  It's a pretty spacious house."

"Yes, but it's mostly underground," Goemon said, shuddering slightly.  "It would be safe, but it would be so dark."

"Then take that one," Jigen told him, giving him a long look.  "Someday you'll want a house of your own."  Goemon blushed and Jigen patted him on the arm.  "Good man."  He noticed Kit blushed and grinned at her.  "You too."

"I liked that one best, that's why I suggested it.  I'm willing to do without the Carriage House's bathing rooms."  They headed for that one, taking a cursory look at the outside of the underground house, then headed off down a nearly non-existent path to the Carriage House.  "This one was renovated and Robert let the guy have his head on the matter."  She opened the door, letting them inside.

"Hey, the outer wall," Lupin said, staring at the vines in front of him.  "Where are we in relation to that hidden garage?"

"About sixty feet down a ramp," she said, pointing at the doorway.  He went down to check then came back with a spark plug.  "Don't do that to her cars, she'll whine.  If it had been here when she went into labor, she would have used it instead of the motorcycle."

"It wasn't here?"

"No, it was having a dent pulled out," Kit admitted.  "It came with it and she's been slowly fixing it."  Lupin sighed and went to put back the spark plug, coming back to look in the bathing rooms.  "This is the only thing I want at the other house."

"It is very warm," Goemon said, running his hand through it.  "Thermal spring?"

"River water but it's heated by a nearby thermal spring," she admitted. "The real thermal spring is mineral laden and not good to bathe in.  Kathy was told it'd turn her orange or green."  She led them on a tour of this house, then back to the main house by the paths.  They met Kathy in the kitchen with the kids. "I was showing them around the property."

"I saw the map you made me finally.  We have more than one house?"

Goemon nodded. "There is one out there that I would not mind living in," he offered. She beamed at him.  "Out by the river."

"I've never seen that one."

"It's got floor-to-ceiling windows," Kit told her.  Kathy shuddered.  "I know, but they can be easily cleaned from the inside by the ladder next to it.  They take up the entire front of the house."

"Wow.  Good job, Goemon.  Have fun cleaning the windows."  He smiled and nodded.  "What else was out there?"

"We need to look at the poor people property," Jigen told her.  "There's a family of squatters out there who couldn't find out who to talk to about those places."  She frowned and nodded.  "We were going to head into town anyway for groceries, a cook, and some new clothes for Fujiko."

"We don't need...."

Kit covered her mouth.  "In the stuff where I found out about the houses, I found out Robert set some of the money aside to pay for the housekeeper, the lawn guys, and a cook, plus to fix the poor housing, which you also own."  She looked horrified behind the hand. "Their rent pays the taxes.  I'll show it to you later."

"Yes, you will," she said firmly. "When did you find this?"

"Last month," she lied.  Robert had talked to her when he found out she was working there, a long phone call late one night.  "Let's get ready, children.  We're going to storm the town and go grocery shopping after Auntie Fujiko finds something pretty to wear after she has her daughter."  They squealed and ran for the stairs, while she took Chad to dress him up too.  "We'll go over it after dinner, Kathy."

"Fine," she agreed weakly.  She looked at Jigen.  "I'm a landlord?"

"You're a landlord, and from what little we saw, you need to do some fixing down there," Jigen said, giving her a gentle hug.  "Come on, let's change."  She nodded, leading the way up to the bedroom.

Lupin went to the office to find those files.  He found them in that box of stuff behind the hidden panel in the office so he sat down to read them over, nodding at the fair terms.  It was income based on rent.  It was the tenant's responsibility to fix the minor things.  He sighed and put them aside.  The leases didn't say anything about parents who locked their children out of the house all day and left them to play in the yard.

***

Kathy looked around the houses, frowning at the ill-painted exteriors.  She smiled at one kid who was dancing around her front yard.  "Little one, where can I find the oldest tenant here?" she asked in badly accented French.

"There," she said, pointing at a house two down from hers.  "The landlord is there."

Kathy smiled. "Then he's got a rude awakening because I'm the actual landlord."  She headed that way at a casual stroll, interrupting the argument about the old woman moving.  "Why would she?" she asked calmly.  "Did she breach her lease?"

"Stay out of it," the older man spat.

"Keep it up, I can fire you," she said simply.  He stiffened and took a longer look at her.  She wiggled her fingers and smiled. "Now that I know that I own this too, I believe we need to have a talk.  Inside.  Now."  She smiled and bowed to the older woman.  "If we may hear your views as the tenant's representative as well?"  The old woman nodded, ushering them inside to the comfy living room.  She got them some water.  "Thank you."  She sat there, looking at the portly man.  "I had someone check, the rent's not been going into the account.  I couldn't find a single piece of paper on having hired you.  Nor can I find out who you were from the mayor, the police, or anyone else."  He went very pale.  "You stay there," she suggested.  "If you step foot outside this house, I will cut you down and talk down to your bleeding body."  He nodded, sipping his water.  She looked at the woman.  "What needs fixed?  Your rent was to go into an account to pay for repairs and the land taxes."

"What about that rent that disappeared?" she asked calmly.

"You're not liable for it," she told her.  "The rent will go back to what it was under Robert if I can.  If not, I might have to push it up to three-fifty a month tops."

"He raised it to six hundred!" she said, pointing at the asshole.

Kathy nodded, pulling out a notepad.  "Let's start a long list then, shall we?" she suggested happily.  "Six hundred for all tenants?"  She nodded.  "Good.  Has any work been done?  I noticed the crappy paint job."

"One of the men did that.  It was more a bad paint than the man's work," she said stiffly.

"Then I'd like to look at his real work to see if he qualifies to do this and earn part of his rent off," she told her.  She wrote that down as well.  The man moved.  "I used to be a cop in Chicago.  I'm a marksman and my husband, Jigen, is outside with his boss, Lupin," she said without looking.  He quit moving.  She looked up again.  "How about the flooding?  I heard we had some last year."

"We did.  All our basements.  We like the river access too much to wall it off."

"How about a small wall?  Say waist height?  It'd give us something to build a floodbreak against.  In the US we do that with lots of sandbags."  The woman nodded.  "Good. I'll need a list of the most critical repairs.  Do we have anyone who lives down here who does that sort of work?"

"His brother-in-law is the zoning person," she said bitterly.

"I'd rather have an independent review," Kathy told her.  "I don't play those games.  I used to deal with the mafia's construction guys, I know that one very well."  The old woman smiled and held out a hand, which Kathy shook.  "My name's Kathy.  I live in the big house.  If I come back in a week, can you have the list of what needs fixed and can we have a discussion some night?"

"We can.  We used to hold yearly meetings," she told her.

"Good.  I'd like to start that every six months if possible.  If not me, then with my husband, his boss, or someone I trust to come help you guys.  I did undercover long enough to remember what it was like being poor and having to work hellish jobs to pay the bills."  The man snorted so she looked at him.  "Know anything about the underworld?"  He nodded.  "I was known as Helen of Troy when I was undercover."  He went pale and passed out.  "Good."  She looked at the woman again, seeing the smile. "I had to strip while I was undercover to make the bills."  The woman shuddered and made the sign of the cross.  "There is another thing.  I noticed a little girl locked out of her house.  Is that normal?"

The old woman nodded.  "Very.  Her mother works and thinks she'll come play at someone else's house.  She doesn't like people mostly."

"I see.  What would be the choice you would make?  The local priest? The local cops?  Setting up a daycare?"

"The priest tried, the cops warned her.  Social workers shake their heads."

"Shouldn't she be in school?"

"Yes, but none will take her.  She's not learned enough yet."

"Then let me talk to the local priest.  That is something he can do in his off-hours."  She stood up and shook the woman's hand again.  "Send a message up to me at the big house, I'll be up there whenever you're ready for the meeting.  Try to rank them by priority. A leaking toilet is bad but bare wires are worse, especially with pets and kids."

"Pets?" she asked hopefully.

"I have cats."

"Thank you."  She hugged her.  "There's three strays.  He made them so when he saw them."

"Then give those poor creatures a home," she ordered.  "I don't have a problem with pets as long as you take care of them.  You clean the literboxes, you scoop up after them so your yard isn't a manure stockpile.  Things like that."  The woman nodded, smiling at her.  "Let me drag this guy outside so he doesn't dirty up your air."  She picked up one of his arms and drug him outside, dumping him on the lawn.  She saw a cop stopped to talk to her husband.  "Hey," she called, nodding him over.  "He was not hired by Robert.  He hasn't been putting their rent into the account he was supposed to.  Plus, he raised the rent to six hundred for everyone."  The man looked horrified.  "I haven't seen a penny of where it went.  She said it's been going on now for two years."

The cop nodded, dragging the man with Goemon's help to his car.  "We will figure this out for you.  Will you be naming a custodian?"

"I will but I'm going to make sure he's an honest guy, and hopefully he'll be someone who lives down here."  The cop beamed at that.  "Do you live nearby?"  He nodded, pointing at the house at the end of the row.  "Good.  We'll be having a meeting soon.  I'll want recommendations.  You guys have been living here longer than I have."  She looked at the young girl, then at the cop.  "Can't we do something about that?  It's dangerous.  Even here there's people who will kidnap and hurt her."

"We have tried."

"She's abandoned over the day," she pleaded.

"Take it up with the local priest.  He has a lot of power and the newest one is a meddler."

"Good.  I'll do that.  I told the old woman what I wanted at the meeting so expect one soon among yourselves.  Call me up at the big house whenever you're ready.  Who would you get to do a review?"

"Pieter Domasavich.  He's an architect who just moved into the town.  He's a bit high, but he'd do it very well and his wife is a contractor.  Their office is above the bakery."

"Thank you."  She gave him a smile and headed for the car.  "We've got to head for the church and the main village again.  There is shit that has to stop again," she announced.  She got into the back, letting Lupin get in to drive.  "Church first."  She watched as a car drove up the road but didn't stop or slow down once it came within view of where the cruiser was parked.

"Sure."  He waited until Goemon and Jigen got in.  "We left the women shopping."   He headed up the road slowly, glancing at the kid.  "Where is her parent?"

"I have no idea but I'm about to sic a priest onto her.  She's old enough to be in school, can't read, and her mother is depending on others to care for her without telling them."  She got out once they got to the local church, walking inside.  She nodded at the old man behind the altar.  "Are you the local priest?"

"I am, but I'm not the only one," he said, smiling at her.  "I have heard you went down to look at the River Front.  Did you enjoy it?"

"Hell no.  Things are getting fixed, that so-called landlord is heading for jail, and I just caught a young girl outside, alone, and able to be kidnaped and killed."  He looked stunned.  "She's more than old enough to be in school.  I'd like your help with at least two of those, if not all three."

He nodded, coming down to put away his polishing clothes.  "Of course.  Come to my office."  He led the way, smiling at Goemon.  "Not a man of my faith?"

"No.  I respect them all."

"That is always good."  He walked in and sat behind his desk.  "I know the child you speak of.  Her mother thinks there's no alternative."

"Isn't there?"

"School would, but the local school won't take her because she can't read."

"She can't go into a younger grade?"

"She's nearly nine."

"She looked seven."

"I know."  He steepled his fingers, resting his chin on them.  "There are many things that need fixed down there.  She is only one of the most critical. The buildings are frankly falling in."

"I saw that.  I'm having someone do a review of the situation."  He smiled at her.  "Let me make myself perfectly clear, Father.  I'm not of your faith either.  Nominally christian but otherwise not."  He nodded.  "I'm also a former US cop.  I did a hell of a long time undercover surrounded by people just as poor and had to live on whatever means I could make."  He nodded again.  "I had to strip for a while to make my rent."  He slumped.  "So I know.  I understand.  I want to help them fix it.  I'm doing things like putting that dirtbag into jail because he stole their money and raised the rent on them."  He smiled at her.  "To do that, I'm going to need some cooperation to fix *all* the problems.  Is there not some sort of remedial teaching that child can be given?"

"There is but her mother is not Catholic."

"What is she?"

"Pagan."

"Then she's already abridged the first rule.  First do no harm means to your child as well."  He looked stunned.  "My best friend is pagan.  I adore the hell out of her.  I learned a lot from her.  Cat would find that mother and kick her ass."  The priest burst out laughing.  "I see you've heard of Cat?"

"I heard of what happened while she was up for your wedding, young lady."  He smiled at Jigen.  "Very interesting."

"Very," he agreed.  "Can't we do something about that kid?"

"I can suggest."

"I can enforce," she suggested.

"Which would jeopardize the child even more if she were homeless."

"She's got to do something.  I saw someone cruising," Jigen told him.  The priest groaned and shook his head.  "He was watching her.  It's not going to be too much longer before something happens."

"I will talk to her tonight."

"That's all I ask.  If you want me to, I'll talk to her High Priestess.  She should have some sort of a clue."

"She would, but I do not know of her.  We do not associate, for the obvious reasons."

"I do," she said simply.  "Who?"

"One of the officers know hers.  She is against meddling."

"Yay.  I'm a champion meddler."  She stood up.  "You'll help?"  He nodded.  "Then we've got to get someone down there to do a building review."  He shook her hand.  "Expect to be called for a meeting soon.  We may need you to help with volunteers or however we do this."

"The local union offers classes.  They would be the best people to ask," he suggested.

"Yeah, back in the US, we have vocational schools that do the same things."  She smiled.  "You're very helpful. I hope we can work together.  Where is the new guy?  I was told there was a new one who liked to meddle."

He chuckled.  "He is at the market convincing some pregnant woman to marry."

"I've tried and tried," Lupin sighed as he stood up.  "She keeps saying no."  He shrugged and shook the priest's hand.  "I look forward to helping you help her."  She elbowed him and he winced, making the priest laugh.  "She really is a tough old woman in disguise."

"So I can tell.  It takes strong women to make a difference in the world."  He showed them out then went to spread the news.

Kathy popped into the local police station first.  "Okay, who knows the local HP?"  One guy raised his hand. "I need to talk to her. While we were down by the river we caught someone cruising for that kid who's always left out and the local priest said to talk to her."  He looked at her.  "Cat's pagan.  She taught me a lot."

He nodded, smiling.  "Have lunch soon, I'll have my sister come down to talk to you."

"Thank you."  She strolled out, heading for the bakery.  Then she saw the sign and headed up the stairs, knocking on the door.  "Hey."  She smiled. "I apparently own River Front Palace?"  He smiled at her.  "I just found that out today.  I went out there.  Have you seen those places?"  He nodded. "Good, I'd like to fix them.  We need a list to bring to the local union to see if their kids in training can handle it."  He burst out laughing.  "What?" she asked innocently. "I'd like one done relatively shortly.  I heard there was flooding last year.  I suggested to the old woman that maybe a waist-high wall would be a good start and we could build a sandbag wall against it for flood situations?"

His wife came through another door.  "That's going to take a lot of work."

"I know," she sighed. "I was just down there."  She sat down, looking at them.  "I want to have it fixed.  They deserve better and Robert would come back from the dead to kick my ass if I left it that way."  They nodded, smiling at her. "I'd like to hire you to do an estimate of what needs done.  Listed in priority for each house.  Including the painting, which I was told was more the paint than the painter."

"He's the local painter," the wife agreed. "He's usually very good so I'd say that had to be the paint itself.  You want an in-depth look?  Robert didn't get the best contractors to begin with.  There's some structural damage."

"Yes, but aren't there empty buildings?"  She nodded, sitting across from her. "If we have to, we can do them first, move a few families down, work on their houses, then move people back and forth that way."

The husband nodded. "That is a good idea. It could be so pretty with some tending."

"It needs a play area," she agreed.  "That's not a necessity.  I saw a bulb hanging off the wires earlier.  That's a necessity.  I'd like them ranked by priority and by building.  We're having a meeting soon and the oldest tenant down there was the one I talked to.  A nice older woman two down on the left facing them from the house with the locked-out kid."  They nodded.  "How much?"

"Probably a good two thousand," the wife offered.  She pulled out her checkbook and looked in it, then wrote out a check, handing it over.  "Thank you.  We'll get started tomorrow morning, after we talk to a few residents tonight.  Give the news a few hours to travel."

"That's fine.  I expect the old woman knows all the grapevine points.  We're going to try and have a meeting in about a week, if you need longer, let me know."  They nodded.  "Thank you.  They deserve better."  She shook their hands and walked out, heading to the cafe for lunch.  She smiled at the only other woman there.  "Did the nice police officer ask you to meet me?" she asked hesitantly.  The woman gave her a tolerant nod so she sat across from her.  "Excuse my accent, but French is my third language."

"That's fine.  You are meddling?"

Kathy grinned.  "I'm a champion meddler, it comes from working with a few Pagan cops back in Chicago and being a cop myself."  The woman put down her coffee cup as the waitress came out.  "Can I have a turkey sandwich, no dressing or anything?" she asked in better French this time.  Kit had helped her with food words.  The waitress gave her a look.  "Hey, third language.  I can order it in Spanish."  The waitress chuckled and went to tell their cook.  "Okay, back to this.  I just found out I own River Front."

"Robert didn't tell you?"

"No," she sighed. "Or about the other houses on the property, none of it."  She nodded wisely.  "So I went down there to look."

"You saw the child," she said flatly.

"And the person who was cruising looking for a new victim," she said bitterly.  "I'd like to keep the child alive and I'd like to see the kid get an education.  Can we work on this somehow?  I know you, as a High Priestess, have some influence with your members, no matter which version of Nature you use."  The woman nodded, tilting her head slightly.  "That kid's in serious trouble and 'do as you would but cause no harm' applies to your own family the way it was explained to me."

"Your friend is a Wiccan?"

"Borderline.  She's never officially declared which version she practices, but I know she deals with them all."  The woman looked thoughtful.  "I was told the child couldn't read.  That she's nine?  And that small?  That she's out all day.  That no one really watches her, just whichever parent is around."

"All true I'm afraid, but her mother insists that there is nothing to be done for the child, that it is slow."

"Even slow children need an education and protection.  I saw kids with the IQ of a bunny rabbit be taken care of wonderfully by their families.  I also saw some abused for their disability checks.  I'm sure the mother is thinking she's doing good, but I did see someone cruising.  I don't want that child dead."

The High Priestess picked up her cup to sip.  "I have no idea what to do with her."

"How about we work on getting her somewhere to be during the day and teaching her to read?  As a start.  You'd be surprised.  One of the best physicists in the world is presently in a wheelchair and only able to speak with the aid of a computer."

She nodded. "That is true."  She looked over as a car cruised past, noticing that the woman with her got up and pulled a gun, blowing out a tire.  "What was that for!"

"That child was in the back and he didn't look official.  Most of them wear suits."  She walked over, opening the driver's door and yanking him out.  "I want identification and to know why you have this child," she demanded.  The man looked horrified. "You have twenty seconds or I turn you over to the cops."  He babbled something and she shook him.  "Again, in English, French, or Spanish?"  He babbled it in Spanish and she growled, looking at the cops who had come out to check on the gunshot.  "Do you need me to translate she's a sex doll into French?"  They shook their heads, taking the guy and dragging him off.  One of the cops took the little girl and another pushed the car out of the middle of the road, searching it for other children, finding two in the trunk.  Kathy went to get sick in the bushes, heaving hard.  "Oh, God."  She felt someone touch her back and shook her head, waving them away, starting again.

"It's all right, she was saved," the other woman said gently.  "I will talk to the mother if the child stays with her."  She walked on, going to find that one's protectors.  She needed them.  She found them in the dress store and went to the one with the sword, he looked the most protective.  "The woman with you earlier is getting violently ill after stopping a person who had stolen children."  His head popped up.  "She is near the cafe."  He nodded.  "I thank her on the mother's behalf."  She walked out, heading back to call out her people to help that child.  They had thought the mother had solved that.

Goemon looked at Jigen.  "She stopped the pedophile."  Jigen hurried out.  He shook his head.  "I pity that poor man if she goes after him."

"He's in police custody," the salesgirl told him, putting down her phone.  "She is quite impressive with that big gun."

"She's a marksman," Lupin said, continuing his browsing.  "Think we should interfere?"

"No, Jigen can comfort and calm her stomach," Goemon offered.  "Let her do that in peace without having us trying to help."  Lupin nodded so he looked at the salesgirl.  "She is fixing those houses and it was seen that there was someone looking for children."

"He's in custody.  She shot out his back tire and made him crash into a parked car.  He's a sorry man when the father of those other two children find him.  Their father is a cop."  Lupin winced.  Goemon shook his head.  "He has a wife, I wonder where she was."  She went to call someone to check out there just in case.  She hung up and looked at them.  "She's really fixing those old wrecks?"  Lupin nodded. "More power to the woman, it'd probably be cheaper to destroy them and then build new ones."

"We'll figure that out soon enough," Lupin assured her.  "She's been around poor people, she does understand.  She simply didn't know."

"Her first act was to capture that supposed landlord," Goemon told her.

"Oh, good!  The inspector's brother-in-law," she said happily. "Hopefully it'll get that whole racket down soon."

"Oh, it will," Lupin assured her with a small smirk. "Even if we have to intervene."  She laughed and came out to give him a hug.  "Thanks, Jessica."  He held up a blazer. "For Jigen?"  She looked iffy and pulled out the one next to it in the right size.  "Thanks.  We'll take this one.  He'll need to do something soon or he'll turn into the ultimate dad, always with the kids.  He doesn't even let their mother play with them."  She chuckled so he leaned closer.  "He won't even let her feed the children without him helping hold them up."  She burst out in loud giggles, leaning on him.  She let them have it for a nice discount and they went to pick up Kathy and her lunch to go.  The waitress had thoughtfully added some broth and packed the rest to go. "You okay?"  She looked up and shook her head.  "Flashbacks?"

"Horrified.  One of them wasn't much older than Mal."

"He's protected," he pointed out gently.  "No one would *dare* touch those kids.  Not after we made a point of helping destroy the people who did."  She relaxed and nodded.  "Finish your soup, we'll head back to the house if you're done?"  She nodded.  "Good.  I gave Fujiko the other car so they could head home with the groceries and the new cook.  Who, by the way, is a sister to the person who runs the bakery.  Their father started it and didn't like her husband."  He grinned at her weak smile. "Hurry up."

"Sure, Lupin."  She took a few last sips then got up, letting Jigen pay for it without complaint and help her out to their car.  The owner of the car that had been hit gave her a funny look and she sighed.  "Another pain in the ass lawsuit," she complained.
 
"Not even close," Lupin told her.  He strolled over to tell the man, who glared at the car which had hit his.  He came back to drive, letting Jigen hold his girl.  "What other lawsuits have there been?"

"A close call with a brutality charge, which wasn't even my capture.  A person who tried to say I was her girlfriend and therefore was entitled to that non-spouse's alimony, whatever it's called."

"Palimony," Jigen supplied.  "Who?"

"Frensy.  Don't ask, you don't know her."  She shrugged. "Then there was a car crash thing a few years back.  He decided I was driving a Jag that had been seized by the department so therefore I must be rich.  Then he found out I was well off.  It got a bit nasty there for a bit.  At least until my attorney decided to do a recreation.  I was sitting at a red light when he took a corner too sharply.  I got whiplash.  He got a broken nose from his airbag and steering wheel. He decided it was my fault for being in the correct place," she said bitterly.

"No judge would have allowed that."

"He nearly did.  He wanted us to negotiate more.  My guy had to hire a forensics person to determine who caused the crash and the judge still didn't like how the other guy ended up paying."

"I heard you were in a crash," Jigen admitted.  "They said you were okay, you went to the hospital in the ambulance but you were mostly okay."

"More or less.  I couldn't feel my feet and it scared me. I had a pinched nerve for months."

He stroked her hand.  "It's all better now.  We're here to watch over you directly.  Or to have you save us," he admitted when she looked up at him.

"Who knows, maybe he knows others in the local porn ring," Lupin said hopefully.  He knew the local cops scared their suspects with her and offering to bring her in to question them. It seems her reputation was well out of proportion, thankfully helped along by Zenigata.  He was seen as almost as scary as her.  With any luck, they'd get the information out of him, he'd take a deal for a better prison, and then he'd go far, far away where the inmates would kill him.  Otherwise he'd have to sneak into the prison tonight to talk with someone.  He pulled into the driveway and noticed the cop car sitting there.  "They couldn't take a statement in town?"

"I don't think that's why he's here.  That looks an awful lot like a warrant in his hand," Jigen pointed out.   He got out and helped his wife out, nodding at the cop.  "You're here to harass her for shooting out the car's tire and saving three children?"

"She did discharge the weapon in public and we couldn't find a permit on file."

She pulled out her wallet and handed it over.  "I'm under death threats from my former undercover assignment.  Until all of Chicago's mafia families fall and the drug cartels are busted, mine and my children's lives are in danger."

"You couldn't hire a security firm?" he asked, handing back the general permit.

"We are her security," Goemon told him.

"Yeah," Lupin agreed.

"You're a thief," the cop noted.

"Who also happens to be a damn good shot.  Plus, the gunman beside her is her husband, who is also under numerous death threats in their native Chicago.  Plus, Kathy is herself a marksman."

"That's why I got his tire," she told him.  "I wasn't sure about the trunk.  Good thing."  She suddenly clapped a hand over her mouth and went to get sick, missing a plant the cops had missed.  She snapped her fingers and pointed.

Jigen came over, picking up the plant.  "This looks like the one Jissan got sick off of," he said, handing it over.

"Um, thank you, sir," he said, putting it into his trunk.  "You're her security force?"

"Can you think of a better deterrent?" Lupin asked smugly.  The cop nodded.  "Who?"

"Inspector Zenigata, to keep you away as well. A former cop married to a thief?"

"We met while she was undercover," Jigen said dryly, lighting a cigarette now that he was out of the car. "Kathy, you want help inside?"

"No!" she croaked, heaving again. "Not yet."

The cop winced.  "Then I suppose it's all right.  Do we have her weapon listed?"

"She put them all on file when she had them sent to her," Lupin told him.  "If she found any in the house I'm sure she put those down as well."  She nodded.  "See?"

"I'd rather not," the cop said, getting back into his car to call his boss.  "Sir, she has a permit."  He listened. "No, sir, death threats.  It's a National Security one."  He grimaced. "Yes, sir, authentic.  Signed personally, no signs of a stamp."  He grinned.  "Then you come tell her about that, sir.  One of her...bodyguards said her weapon was on file with us.  You might ask the Captain.  He seems to know her."  He let the radio go after a disgruntled comment.  "Our Captain was in with the idiot human and that one was new," he explained.  "The Captain just told him exactly who and what she was.  He said I wasn't to bother you nice people any longer.  Ma'am, the Captain said you did a wonderful thing and the little girl is being looked after now.  Someone went to pull her mother out of her job by her hair and scream at her about what happened.  He said to tell you that someone will be teaching the child until it can go to school.  The slowness was all in the mother's head.  All because the child didn't walk until eight months."

"My kids didn't walk until nine or so and my son's trying to read at three," she complained, spitting on the ground.  "Eww.  I'll bury that later."  She stood up, wiping off her chin.  "Sorry, but the thought... I have an old case with pictures available if you need to prove the point.  I can have Cat Fed Ex it overnight."

"It shouldn't be necessary but I'll keep that in mind," he said with a smile.  "Why don't you rest?  Oh, the Captain wanted to know how you got a grenade launcher through Customs?"

"Robert," she said simply. He chuckled and got into his car, driving away.  "Okay, I want the couch and some soda."

"Come on," Jigen said, walking her inside and up to their room so she could brush her teeth and change clothes.  "Clean up and I'll tuck you in on a couch.  We can give the stranger talk later."

"Yes, we will be," she agreed firmly, walking into the bathroom to brush her teeth.  She came out and Jigen had pulled out some pajamas for her.  "Cat gave me those."

"I heard she was a jammie freak," he said with a small smirk.  "Come on, down to the couch with you, young lady."  He walked her down to the couch by the tv, watching as the security cameras picked up a couple going out for a picnic.  "I'll let Lupin scare them."  He left her alone, telling Lupin on his way to the kitchen, and finding the kids in the kitchen staring at this new person.  "Hey, guys.  Mommy's resting in the tv room if you wanted to cuddle."  They shouted and ran that way, going to get in long cuddles since Mommy couldn't get free of them.  Jigen grinned as Lupin walked out with a paintball rifle, snickering once he was gone.  He looked at the cook.  "Can you please make something soothing tonight?  She had to stop someone from hurting children."

The cook, an older woman with thinning silver hair, scowled at him.  "Of course I can!  Soup, small bread with meat. Dessert?"

"We wouldn't mind but we don't do it every day," he offered.

She nodded.  "Good.  Go away."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, heading out of her new domain.  He didn't argue with women like her, they tried to spank you.

***

Inspector Zenigata opened up his email, frowning at the contents.  "Two messages from the crook, one from the mini-crook, and one from the poor trapped woman."  He opened the one from Mal first, clicking on the audio attachment to play it, turning up his speakers so he could hear the boy talk better.  He laughed at the loud start, and then the boy babbled all about Chad, his sister and her bear, how Mommy had saved some kids and shot out a tire, which was really cool to him, how Daddy was going to go do something and bring him back candy and toys, and also how Kit and Goemon would be getting together.  Then Kit came on and told him that the children were fine, that Kathy had shot out the back tire on a moving car to save three kids from a child molester.  He did grimace at that.  Then she told him that she was going to be dating someone who was living in one of the houses and the audio feed cut off.  He sighed and opened up Jigen's, seeing the rest of the message typed in terse sentences.  He snickered at the message.  Kit and Goemon?  Well, it might make him scowl less.

He clicked on Lupin's first one, frowning at the picture of the clown waving with a hand on Fujiko's belly, then of the one of the latest ultrasound picture.  He looked closer.  "Hey, it's a girl," he said quietly.  He read the actual text and groaned.  "That poor girl."  Absinthe?  Not that it won't fit, but still!  "Kathy and her naming issues infected another poor child."  He shook his head, opening the other message, which wasn't from Lupin, only used his email account.  He snickered at the simple message to him from Kit's mother.  "If he hasn't figured it out yet, then that's his problem," he muttered, forwarding it to Kit's email address.  He opened the one from Kathy, reading it quickly.  Everything was fine, going normally.  Jigen was getting ready to head out on a job just as soon as he had his tubes cut and tied in knots, as she put it.  "Huh?"  He reread the sentence, then the one after that one.  "Oh, he's getting fixed.  Good!  About time.  Maybe he'll take Lupin with him."

His phone rang.  "What?" he demanded.  He scowled at the computer.  "Yes, you, you filthy crook.  That way you can't name any more children funny or embarrassing names."  He hung up and got comfortable in his desk chair, rereading her email before opening Mal's again and listening to the happy little guy babble.   His wife needed to hear this one later, it was make her very happy.

***

Kit snuck out of the house, heading for the tree she liked to sit in, finding her usual perch already occupied.  "Mother," she said, climbing up to join her.  "I thought you might be around since I saw Ghost in town."  She looked at her.  "I love him."

"He's an anachronism."

"Then so am I.  I understand the man.  I love him, mother.  I let him have me fully.  I'm staying with him.  If you can't be happy for me, then we'll not speak of him when you show up like this."  Her mother looked shocked.  "You always said I was the maternal one, and I am.  I found children who adore me since I can't have my own.  I found a man who doesn't mind that fault in me.  I've found a life that I'm happy with.  I even understand that I couldn't have turned Ghost to my life even if I had pushed her whole existence."

Her mother shook her head.  "Daughter, you can do better."

"Why would I want to do better, Mother?  He adores me.  He's gentle, asks my opinion, makes me laugh, makes me think, and genuinely listens to me most of the time. Everything my father wasn't."

"Kitsune, he is not for you," she said firmly, staring her daughter down.

Kit handed over a dagger.  "Then kill me."  Her mother gave her a shocked look.  "That's the only way you're taking me from him, unless he dumps me.  He likes me enough to forget his training to have me, mother.  Out of the blue, tender, gentle, and caring have me.  Protected me and all that."  Her mother looked crestfallen.  "Just because you picked bad men doesn't mean I share that same habit."  She took the dagger back and put it back inside her bra holster.  "Now, you can be happy for me or you can be a miserable bitch about this.  At which time we'll not speak."  She looked over as her sister joined them.  "You weren't very subtle when you threatened him.  He thought you were Mother."

Ghost, one of the top young assassins in Japan, shrugged.  "So?  I wasn't going for subtle.  You can do better."

"No, I can't.  If you don't like him, yay.  I'm not asking you to sleep with him.  Plus, if you try, I'm going to kill you."  Her sister laughed.  "You think I'm kidding?" she said bitterly.  "I may not use my training, but I did take it.  I did much better than you did.  I may not like the sight of blood, but yours will be quite pretty if you *touch* my man."

Her mother patted her gently.  "I know you care for him, but he is a man.  He is not worthy of such respect."

"Even though he's lived an honorable life?" she said, glaring at her mother.  "Even though he's kept his family's traditions alive and well?  Though he's honored his family name each and every day?"  Her mother sighed and shook her head.  "Your choices are yours.  I looked at women, none of them wanted the same things I did.  I was seen as the same sort of anachronism you see him as.  Frankly, Mother, I'm happier this way.  If you don't like it, then we will not speak."  She stood up and moved to climb down.  "It's been a pleasant visit but the children will be wandering soon and I'd rather you not meet them."

"Who's children are they?" Ghost asked.  "Some American's spawn?"

"Diasuke Jigen's children," she snapped.  "Helena Nichol's children.  Already thieves and deadly in their own right.  Touch them, deal with me.  There will be nothing that will stop me from avenging a wrong to those children.  They are as my own would have been."  Her sister looked horrified so she looked behind her.  "Hey, Mal.  Move away from the tree please."  He stepped back and she hopped down the last few feet.  "That's my Mother and Sister.  Say hi."

He looked up and grinned.  "Hi!"  He waved then looked at her.  "Sissy have nightmares 'gain."

"I'm coming, sweetness.  Let's go inside. My family was just leaving before I had to yell at them."  She walked him inside, taking him back to the nursery to help calm down Jissan.  "Hey," she soothed, stroking her forehead. "What's wrong?"

"Bad men, mommy," she sobbed, clinging to her.

"Shh, I would *never* let the bad men hurt your mother," she promised, holding Mal too since he looked unsure.  "I promise, if the bad men come, I will protect your mother and you.  Even if she sends me to only protect you, I will work on getting her someone to help and your father would always come help her.  Plus all the uncles and the auntie as well."   Jissan looked up at her so she smiled.  "Really, princess.  No one would ever come for your mommy."  Jigen walked in, wearing a robe. "She had a nightmare about bad men coming for her mother," she said gently.

Jigen picked up his daughter, holding her tightly.  "It won't happen, munchkin.  I won't let it happen.  The first bad guy who comes near your mother dies.  Got it?"  She nodded, trusting the certainty in his voice, and put her head down on his shoulder.  "That's a good girl."  He sat on the bed, letting Mal climb into his lap too.  "I've got it, Kit. Thanks."

"You're welcome. I was out for a stroll anyway."  She stood up, patting them each on the head.  "You two try to rest so Chad will."  Mal nodded and obediently yawned.  "Good boy."  She headed down to her room, finding Lupin waiting on her. "What?" she asked tiredly.

"Just checking on you," he said lightly, smiling at her.  "Have a good family visit?"

"No.  But you probably know that."  He cackled and nodded.  "Does Goemon?"  He shrugged.  "The truth?"

"He wasn't in his room.  I don't know where he is since he's not up on the roof."

She grabbed her sword out from under her pillow but he got in her way.  "Move."

"Let them talk it out."

"My mother doesn't *talk* to people, Lupin.  She kills them."  She walked around him, heading outside to have a discussion with her mother.  She found Goemon in her place and glared up at her family.  "I said leave him alone, Mother.  You are not to come near him."

Her mother smiled at her.  "Go back to your room, daughter."

"Fat chance."  She slipped something off her back waistband and stuck her sister when she appeared, then drew another dart, tossing it at her mother, getting her on the thigh since she hadn't been watching for it there.  "I said to leave my man alone."  She waited while Goemon came down.  "Go back to bed," she said with a faint smile.  "I believe my mother and I need to finish our discussion."

"I was in no danger," he said calmly.  "She only wanted to know what you saw in me."

"You're sweet, kind, you listen to me, you want to hear my opinions, you like me, you take care of me, you understand me most of the time, and you're the one I dreamed of years ago."  He looked stunned.  "Jissan is showing the same gift.  She'll need the structure your training can impose."  He nodded, leaving her there.  She looked up at her mother, who had taken the antidote already.  "Like I said, Mother, he is my choice.  If you do not like it, leave."  She turned, stomping back to the house.  All the way to the gym to work out and wear out the anger she was feeling.

The mother looked down at her daughter.  "Need the antidote?"  Ghost held up a small vial. "Good.  I believe she's chosen."

"He's a stiff, uncomfortable man who could never live our life."

"Yes, but he is also an assassin in his own right," Siren's Bane said as she climbed down shakily.  "He will take care of her.  If he loved her enough to break his vow of chastity for her, then he loves her enough to take care of her properly."

"She's not like us, Mother," Ghost soothed, putting a hand on her arm.  "She needs that sort of confining lifestyle.  She wants to have children and be a housewife in the fullest meaning."

"Yes, but that was her choice and she made it when she left her training to go to college."

"It's her father's influence," Ghost said, spitting on the ground.  "May he rot."

"Blossom saw to that," the mother said calmly.  "We will have to check up on them, make sure he knows how precious a gift he has."  They snuck off, heading back to the village and their inn rooms.  If she did not like this, she would lose her first daughter.  Odd though she was, she still loved her and wanted to keep her in her life.  She would have to find a medium ground with that man.
 

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