##

"I see what you meant, Sano...."

It wasn't much of a stretch to find their runaway Fox, the panicking crowds and the damage that Silk caused was clues enough for Sano and Jubei. They had reached her just in time to see Silk chase Megumi into that ratty looking building....sneaking around the back in order to hopefully find her first....

And was equally shocked to find it was a whorehouse.

Sano facefaulted with a groan. *Knew this would'nt be easy....*

"Now what?" Jubei snarled out the corner of his mouth. "How do we find Megumi in house full of women before that gorilla does?"

"You're asking me?" Sano shot back. "Look, just act causal until we spot her and stay out of Silk's way, how hard can that be?"

Elsewhere on the floor, Silk glanced around, cursing the horrible atmosphere for interfering with Megumi's scent. *Damn...Clever girl....Not that it's gonna help you any....*

Upstairs, Sano dashed out of the women's dressing room, ducking the various objects they threw at him. Definitely not in there. He glanced at Jubei downstairs, who was practically fending of the hordes of women with such a helpless expression Sano was tempted to laugh. "Where the heck are ya, Fox...."

He felt someone grab and squeeze his right buttock in the same way one would test a melon, Sano going red as a sultry voice whispered in Japanese.

"Enjoying yourself, sir or would you like me to help?"

Sano turned and stared at the woman. She wore an off the shoulder, racy

Kimono even too daring for Yumi, her inky black hair and the open fan she held hiding most of her geisha style painted face below her eyes, which looked teasing and desperate all at once.

Then again, he could spot Megumi anywhere despite whatever...'costume' she was wearing at the time.

"Actually," Sano remarked. "I was looking for something different tonight...Blonde or maybe redheaded-ouch!"

Megumi kicked him hard in the shin. "This isn't funny!" She whispered fiercely. "Get me out of here!"

"I dunno...." He sneered, looking her up and down....Megumi not knowing if she wanted to strangle him or die from embarrassment. "You seemed to have blended in so well here I doubt Silk could find ya, so why shouldn't I just leave you here to sweat the night out?"

"You wouldn't...." Sano grinned wider.

"Try me. You look so comfortable here and there's lot of guys to flirt with...." Megumi grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him eye to eye, her eyes glinting dangerously and her voice a hiss. "Sano, I've been through hell tonight and I'm not in the mood for your bull.." Her eyes widened as she looked past him and she suddenly pushed him into one of the room and onto the bed.

"Take off your shirt and lay face down!"

"Nani?!!!"

The stairs squeaked in protest and seemed to bend slightly as Silk stalked upstairs, eyes gleaming with predatory hunger. *I bet you're tucked into one of these rooms like a rat....* She sniffed the air, catching a small trace of her scent.....opening the door it led to....

And stared at the couple on the bed, the woman sitting astride him with her back turned and Kimono open as she massaged the moaning man's back. Silk immediately ducked out, flushing red and going on to check the other rooms.

*Could've sworn....*

Back in the room, Megumi listened for Silk's footsteps to fade, rolling off Sano's back and closing her Kimono as she did. "Kami-sama, that was close."

She peeked out the door to make sure the coast was clear, then turned to still lying Sano. "Come on, idiot! Before she comes back!"

Sano rolled over to look at her, smiling irresistibly at her and making her heart lurch.

"You know...." He said in that same sultry tone she used before, patting the bed. "Sometimes the best way to hide is in plain sight, ya know...." Megumi's eyes widened. "And you should really finish what you start...."

"This....This...." Megumi stuttered. "This really isn't the time...." She flattened herself against the door as Sano got way too close for comfort. "......For this....."

"Oh, really?" He tickled her chin. "Sure you wanna give up the opportunity?"

Megumi flushed and before she exploded Sano shrugged. "Ok, then." He stepped back and shrugged on his shirt. "Your loss."

Megumi recovered quickly and glared at him. "I hate you."

Sano only gave her the biggest grin he could manage as he went for the door....Just as Silk's hand smashed through to grab him by the throat and yanked him through it to toss him against the railing hard enough to crack it. Megumi screaming....

"Couldn't smell ya, Sensei...." Silk sneered. "But I sure as hell ain't deaf...."

Downstairs, Jubei looked up in time to see Silk throw Sano into the rail, drawing his sword. "Sano! Jump!"

Silk turned at Jubei's voice. "Nani....?"

Just as Jubei cut the stairs supports.... Sano dashing in-between her legs and pausing long enough to kick backward into Silk's stomach as the entire stairway gave way....Silk too off balance to lunge at Sano as the street fighter rolled into the open doorway.....Jubei hopping off the falling Silk like a stepping stone and grabbing on to the doorframe as Silk hit the floorhard enough to shake the entire place....the women and men running out in a panic as the debris nearly buried them....Jubei climbing in as Sano hopped on the bed like a nine year old and punched the ceiling in. "Let's go, people!"

Downstairs, Silk hopped to her feet with a snarl....

Jubei was the last to climb onto the roof, the three fugitives running across the roof. "See what thinking with your pants gets you....." Megumi started....

And screamed as Silk's hand smashed through the roof to grab her leg, Megumi falling partway through and clawing the broken ledge for dear life as she slid....Silk dangling by her grip on Megumi's ankle and dragging her down...Sano swearing and grabbing her hands just before she slid off.

"Jubei!"

"Shit!" Jubei slid to a stop, hand on his sword. "Pull!"

"What the hell..."Sano wasn't sure what Jubei did because it was so fast, but he saw the effects....A streaking trail of energy shooting across the rooftop before the whole thing exploded into splinters, the sheer force of it catapulting all four airborne....Sano kicking the surprised Silk in the face as he yanked Megumi free....landing with Jubei in the trash heap outside the building as Silk landed back inside again, this time bringing the whole building on top of her in a heap. And by the short time it took for the pissed off Silk dig herself out, her prey were nowhere to be found....the musclewoman chuckling to herself.

"This round's yours, boys....Till next time...."

She cut loose another howl.

##

Moments later, the tired threesome walked up to their inn. At least, two of them were walking.

Jubei glanced over at Sano and his squirming and very pissed off 'cargo' he had slung over his shoulder, thankful that Sano had gagged her with his Bandana because the curses Megumi was raining on them both would probably sear the skin from their bones.

"Demon, Ne, Sano?" Sano grinned.

"So heavy for such a skinny one, But she's cute when she's angry...."

Megumi finally managed to work the bandana off, Sano wincing as she yelled in his ear.

"I am not a damn sack of rice! Put me down this instant!" Sano did as he was told.

Right on her rump in the mud. Jubei coughed to hide his chuckle.

"You....You...." Megumi was incoherent with rage, itching to beat Sano within an inch of his life....

"SHUT UP!!" Sano roared at her, Megumi so stunned that he yelled at her she just looked at him, Sano's fists clenching and unclenching to keep himself in check. He'd never been so angry in his life at her, not even when she almost committed suicide.

"BAKAYAROU! WHAT THE HELL WAS YOU THINKING?!! GOING OFF PLAYING ONNIWABASHU AND ALMOST GETTING YOURSELF KILLED! YOU KNOW BETTER THAN THAT!"

"Sano...." Jubei warned.

"No, he's right...." Megumi interrupted her voice almost a whisper, her shoulders shaking. "That was stupid of me....I just wanted to....." She started crying...."I wanted to show you I can pull my own weight and I totally blow it....." All the fear and helplessness she'd been holding back all night finally broke and took her with it, Megumi breaking down in tears.

"Gods...." Sano felt like an idiot, scooping her up into his arms as he patted her back. "Gomensai, Megumi...I didn't mean to make you cry...You just scared the shit out of me and....." He wiped her tears away with his shirt, "Just promise not to do that to us anymore, OK?"

She got herself under control with an effort, and smiled. "Hai...." She tried to get up, immediately falling back down and wincing as she nursed her ankle. "I must of hurt it when Silk grabbed me...."

"You mind taking her up to her room, Jubei?" Sano asked, startling both of them. "I want to make sure that freak didn't follow us back."

"Ah, Sure...." Jubei cradled her in his arms, looking skeptically at Sano.

"And keep her in her room this time, even if you have to tie her down."

Sano added much to Megumi's dismay, Jubei not missing the subtle warning in those eyes that he better not go too far.

"I'll be back in a sec."

A moment later....

"Thank you, Jubei...." Megumi said as he lowered her onto the bed. "I can handle it from here...."

"Sure you can...." He replied, kneeling down to rub her ankle. She jerked away at first, Jubei smiling. "Relax....You can trust me, y'know. I just want to make sure it isn't sprained."

*It's not you that I don't trust.* Megumi thought, trying to ignore the sensations that ran up her spine at his touch. *Get a grip, Megumi!* She yelled at herself. * This is Jubei! Even if he is cute and has a nice bod....DON'T GO THERE!*

Too late.

"Megumi? Dajoube?"

"I'm fine, really...." Megumi said with an effort. "Um, Why you ask?" Jubei smiled at her. (God I wish he wouldn't do that....)

"You're as red as a boiled shrimp, that's all."

"I'm.....just peacy. You can stop that now."

"Nani? You mean this?" He tickled her foot, Megumi shuddering despite herself.

"Hai." She squeaked. "It's fine now so why don't you go rest, it's gonna be a long day tomorrow...." *I'm babbling! Mou! Get a grip Takani!!!*

"I've pulled all nighters before...."

*I bet you have.....EEP!* Megumi darkened about three shades further down the red spectrum. *Megumi no hentai! Stop that!*

"....And what better way to keep an eye on you?" There was definitely a teasing tone in his voice. "You don't really want me to go anyway, do you?"

*Smug bastard....Even if he is right, unfortunately. Time to get back in control.....*

"Aren't we bold, Kimagami san...." She purred. "If I didn't know any better I'd think you were flirting with me...."

"I think ...." His fingers slowly traveled up and down her leg, Megumi's eyes widening. "We are far past flirting, Miss Takani....." He purred exactly as she had. "Don't you?"

*So much for that.*

"I think you should go to your room, Kimagami-san." Megumi bolted to the door and opened it. "Now. Before things....get complicated."

Jubei's response was to get up, squeeze her shoulder gently and close the door quietly, so close that all Megumi could see or smell was him.

"You're lying, doctor." The teasing tone almost sang. "And we both know it...."

Megumi gulped, trapped.

*Whooo, Boy...*

"Be careful, Jubei...." She made one last effort to save herself, with just enough ice in her tone to hopefully cool him off. "Play with candles and you get burned." Jubei's grin widened, and now was so close that their lips were almost touching...Megumi swearing she felt electric sparks crisscrossing between the little space left between them.

"Light me." He said as he leaned in to kiss her.....

Megumi did the only thing she could do.

She overreacted.....Karou style. Sano's eyebrows quirked up at the sounds coming from Megumi's room as he walked by, something that suspiciously sounded like someone getting slapped.....Repeatedly and painfully. He grinned, retreating back down the hall so it would look like he was just getting back.

Baka....

Sure enough, Jubei staggered out of Megumi's room, Sano walking toward him.

"Oi, Jubei! Demon's sleeping now?"

"Like a dragon, Sano." Jubei pretended everything was fine and that his face didn't look like someone had put red paint on his or her hands and slapped the shit out of him on both cheeks. Man, was he gonna bruise in the morning. "Good night."

"You okay, Jubei?" *God it's so hard not to laugh!* "Your face is all red and weird lookin'...."

"I think....I caught something in that place that gave me a rash."Sano raised an eyebrow. "Oddest rash I've ever seen, looks like a chick's hand....."

"I said I'm fine...." Jubei growled. "Night."

"Night." Sano watched him go in his room, grinning like a madman. Two birds with one stone.....I'm so evil.....He went in his own room to laugh his ass off into his pillow.