O.K. Next part! Fire away! ^_^

Windlily

******************


	"My sister is pregnant with Tsuzuku's child." She answered flatly as 
she passed him.

	It took a second for that to sink in. *Impossible.* Hajime turned and 
caught up with her with a few long strides. "That's impossible!"

	"Apparently not." Jasmine kept her eyes and head down as he fell into 
step beside her.

	"It can't happen! Can it?" He questioned his own scarce knowledge of 
the reproduction processes of the dragon blood.

	She shrugged. "As far as I know, no. It can't happen. But it has."

	"Maybe she was lying." Hajime just couldn't believe it.

	Jasmine's bitter laugh swirled around them. "No. She wasn't lying, 
Ryudo-san." She knew it for the truth the instant the words had left her 
sisters lips. It was the same instinct that told her when her sisters 
were hurt or upset.

	"Then it must be some other mans."

	Jasmine looked sideways at him. "Tamanji had no time with him alone?"

	He could tell that she wanted him to say no. Yet he couldn't do that. 
There was that missing time when Tsuzuku had been taken from them. "I'm 
not sure."

	"Yeah. Well, I am."

	The more he thought about it, the more he suspected she might be right. 
At least about what had happened between Tsuzuku and her sister. It 
would explain his brothers tight-lipped fury whenever he tried to find 
out what had happened.

	"I thought it was physically impossible. Tsuzuku should not have been 
able to," Hajime cast around for a delicate way to put it, "finish with 
out you."

	"She had my scarf, Ryudo-san. My scent is a part of it now. And my 
sister can be very determined when she chooses to be."

	"Well, however it happened, if it happened, I doubt Tsuzuku was a 
willing participant, Jasmine." He spoke up in his brother's defense and 
with the hope of reassuring the young woman he walked beside.

	"I could debate the semantics of that with you Ryudo-san." She said 
with a sigh. She was still angry but the initial fury had died down into 
something she could deal with. Now she was just tired. And concerned. 
She would never, ever forgive Tamanji for what she had done, but she was 
still her sister and very sick.

	Hajime looked at her with surprise. "I mean it Jasmine-san! Tsuzuku 
is...shy about things like that. I have no idea how your sister could 
have managed it."

	Jasmine slowed as the lights from the house became visible. "It doesn't 
matter, Ryudo-san. I'm not angry with him," she stopped at the edge of 
the tree-line and looked at the three figures waiting on the porch. "I 
know my sister and what she is capable of. But it was stupid! She should 
know better!"

	Something in her voice alerted him. "Is your sister all right?"

	"No. She's not. Ryudo-san, I just can't...face your brother right now. 
If you would? I'll be in a few minutes."

	Hajime could understand that. He nodded, put his hand on her shoulder 
then headed for the house. He and Tsuzuku were going to have a long 
overdue talk about that missing time. Tsuzuku met him half-way across 
the lawn.

	"Hajime?" His eyes searched the shadowed area his brother had just come 
from.

	"She's all right. Just upset. Let her be for the moment." He took his 
brothers elbow and steered him back towards the house.

	"What happened, Hajime?" Tsuzuku asked as he still looked over his 
shoulder trying to pick Jasmine's shape out of the darkness.

	"We have to have a talk, Tsuzuku." Hajime informed him sternly.

	*Gods! What happened?* He controlled his flutter of panic as they 
climbed the steps for the porch.

	"Everything's fine, Tita-san." He said to her and smiled at the hostile 
Elenora who stood before her aunt, still restrained by Tita's hands. 
Tita let go and Elenora rushed past them, heading for the trees and her 
sister.

	Hajime hedged the facts a bit as the group gathered around them as they 
entered the house. He told them that Jasmine had suffered a terrible 
nightmare and that was what had set her off. He could tell that Matsuri 
didn't believe him but she didn't challenge him and the others accepted 
it. They scattered with a friendly verbal combat starting for the two 
remaining bathrooms as they all agreed that they were awake now and 
might as well get up. Tita captured Matsuri and took her into the 
kitchen to help with getting coffee and breakfast started.

	"Was it a nightmare, Elder Brother?" Tsuzuku asked as they ended up 
alone in the hall way.

	Hajime closed his eyes and sighed. "In a manner of speaking, yes. Come 
on. We need some privacy."

	Tsuzuku followed him docilely into the den as he worried over that. He 
had a sinking suspicion that he knew what was coming.

	"Sit, Tsuzuku-kun." Hajime commanded as he turned his back on his 
brother for a moment to shut the door and gather his thoughts as Tsuzuku 
settled in the straight backed chair once more. He wasn't sure how to 
broach this subject without having Tsuzuku totally withdraw from him. 
But he had to know. He turned and walked to the center of the room as he 
put on his best 'no nonsense' expression and just asked.

	Tsuzuku studied his brother as he advanced on him, his features stern 
and his hands going to his hips like they did when he was getting ready 
to scold Owaru or Amaru. Hajime was annoyed and he was the focus of that 
displeasure. But was it for the reason he feared?

	"What happened between you and Tanaka Tamanji?"

	Tsuzuku paled as he felt his heart drop. He put both elbows on his 
knees and buried his face in his hands. She knew. Somehow she had found 
out. Gods! She must be furious with him!

	"Tsuzuku-kun?" Hajime's tone was a mixture of coaxing and demand.

	Tsuzuku swallowed hard as he considered his reply. Hajime wouldn't let 
him be now until he had ferreted it out of him.

	"I thought it was a dream, Elder Brother." He had intended it to follow 
that up with a simple, 'she seduced me' but once he started, the words 
just tumbled out. "It was a dream, until the very end. Then it was a 
nightmare! I don't know how she did it! But I swore it was nothing more 
than a dream of Jasmine!" The tangled knot of his emotions caused his 
voice to quaver. He rubbed at his face then dropped his hands to let 
them dangle between his knees, kept his gaze on the abstract jeweled 
pattern of the carpet.

	Hajime's features soften as his brother colored in a mixture of 
embarrassment and fury. Well, that answered that question. But was that 
what had made him change?

	"Is that it?" He asked gently.

	Tsuzuku shook his head violently, squeezed his eyes shut tight against 
the memory with no effect. "She bit me!" Horror and terror were in his 
voice. "Just like no Gozen! Only there was no brother to come to my 
rescue! And I couldn't Change! We tried so hard but I couldn't..."

	Hajime's heart ached for his brother as he crossed to Tsuzuku. He 
paused for a moment, uncertain, then went to one knee and took his 
brother into a tentative hug.

	"I'm sorry, Tsuzuku-kun." He  whispered, his own guilt rising as 
Tsuzuku responded with a fierce hug and shook against him with silent 
tears. "I tried but wasn't fast enough. You had already Changed by the 
time I got us out of the cell." He held his brother until Tsuzuku let 
him go.

	Hajime rose and went to pull some tissues out of the box on the little 
end table by the huge wing-backed reading chair in the corner. He 
brought them back and hovered at his side while Tsuzuku pulled himself 
back together. Should he tell Tsuzuku that Jasmine believed Tamanji was 
carrying his baby?

	Tsuzuku gave a little sigh as he took the tissues. He felt physically 
and emotionally drained but better now that it was out in the open. He 
saw Hajime's frown and tense expression out of the corner of his eye and 
his fingers go through is hair. Gods. His brother wasn't done with him 
yet. What else could there be?

	"What is it, Elder Brother?"

	"I don't know if I should tell you this or not."

	Gods. It must be bad. "You might as well. I'd prefer to get whatever it 
is over with now." Tsuzuku steeled himself as he watched Hajime take a 
deep breath.

	"Jasmine believes that Tamanji is pregnant with your child. Is that 
possible, Tsuzuku?" There was apology in his voice as he asked.

	"Pregnant?" He got out after a moment of stunned and mind-numbed 
silence.

	"Hai. Is it possible?"

	"Hai. It is possible." Tsuzuku whispered. *Gods! She must hate me! No 
matter how it happened, I had sex with her sister and got her pregnant.* 
He closed his eyes and fervently wished he had died when Tamanji had 
attempted to kill him.

	"Tsuzuku, don't believe it." Hajime commanded and was afraid for a 
moment that his brother might faint. "I don't and won't until we have 
proof. Tamanji did not strike me as the most trustworthy person and she 
and Jasmine do not get along. Tamanji probably told her this to hurt 
her."

	Tsuzuku grabbed this explanation like a life-line. Surely that was what 
it was. *Please, let that be what it is!* He prayed it with all his 
soul.

	"Hai, Elder Brother." He started shaky but his voice got firmer as he 
continued. "It sounds like something that 'person' would do. You said 
that Jasmine believes it? I need to talk to her! To explain!" *and hope 
she will forgive me...*

	Hajime relaxed as Tsuzuku accepted his explanation and his color come 
back to normal.

	"Perhaps it would be wise to give her some time, Tsuzuku-kun," he 
suggested. "She was very upset."

	Tsuzuku's shoulders sagged and he dropped his head once more. "Of 
course. Elder Brother, do you think she will forgive me?"

	"Yes. I know she will, Tsuzuku-kun." Hajime's certainty showed in his 
voice and expression.

	"Hajime-san! Tsuzuku-kun, breakfast!" Matsuri's voice accompanied the 
knock at the door.

						*****

	Tsuzuku leaned against the rail of the back porch in the rapidly 
lengthening shadows of the early summer evening. Owaru and Amaru's happy 
voices floated to him on the light breeze as they played in the pool and 
beyond them he could see the top of Hajime and the other adult male 
heads as they lounged in the heated spa. He crossed his arms against his 
chest and sighed. Jasmine should be back soon. Tita had sent the girls 
into town on a shopping expedition after breakfast with the command to 
spare no expense and return with suitable clothing for their guests. And 
to make a day of it. They seem to have taken that order to heart.

	He hadn't gotten a chance to talk with her before they left. He had 
seen her hurry past the dining room doorway as they were eating. She had 
ensconced herself behind the den door with the computer and a phone for 
almost two hours, the only persons allowed egress being Elenora and 
Tita. She had finally emerged and come into the living room to collect 
Elenora and Matsuri for their outing with a curt 'good-morning' to the 
room in general. It had...hurt him that she kept her eyes averted and 
seemed to refuse to acknowledge his presence.

	He had found things to keep himself occupied and Jasmine out of his 
thoughts through the day. The morning had been taken up with the 
English class that they had all attended. That was going to be a morning 
routine for quite some time. He smiled at the memory of Mizuchi's 
frustration and Hajime's fast improvisation as he turned the lesson into 
a series of 'real life' conversations. He set Mizuchi to asking a girl 
out and played the female part himself. It had been...amusing to say the 
least. But he had gotten four complete English sentences out of the 
Lieutenant.

	Then after lunch, Ralph the caretaker had shown up with a truckload of 
lumber and tools. They had all pitched in to help fix the wall and the 
bathroom that Jasmine had demolished. That had taken all of the 
afternoon. Now, dinner over and dishes done he was unoccupied and his 
thoughts kept turning to Jasmine and her displeasure. He heard the 
screen open and close behind him. Tita came and stood beside him, 
offered a mug of coffee with an understanding smile.

	"Tsuzuku-san, don't worry so much. Jasmine is not angry with you." She 
emphasized that last word.

	"How can she not be?" Tsuzuku answered as he took the mug from her.

	Tita shook her head and snorted lightly. "Trust me. She is angry at 
Tamanji and what she did to you. And terribly embarrassed. In fact, she 
thinks that you are furious with her." Tita offered as she took a sip 
from her mug.

	Tsuzuku flashed her a startled look. "Why would she think that?"

	Tita smiled and shrugged. "You need to ask her that, not me."

	"What is the trouble between Jasmine and Tamanji?" He asked to shift 
the subject a bit.

	Tita tapped on long nailed finger against her mug. "Tammi has a need to 
be the first and the best in all things. It is the 'Middle Child 
Syndrome' with a vengeance. In Tamanji's mind, as long as Jasmine exists 
she will never be either of those things."

	"But she wouldn't really kill her, would she?" He gazed at his 
brothers. 

	"Oh, yes. Tamanji will not rest until one of them is dead." Tita said 
with a hard frown.

	Tsuzuku shook his head. He just couldn't understand that. If any of his 
brothers were to die he knew he would have a hole in his soul forever. 
Well, he was on his guard against Tamanji now and he would never let her 
hurt Jasmine again. Never.

	"Is Tamanji pregnant?" He asked it bluntly and knew he had surprised 
her a little.

	"Yes." Tita answered with the same bluntness.

	"Is it mine?"

	"I don't know. Is it?" Tita tried to side-step the question.

	"You are the one who can see into future. You tell me." Tsuzuku 
challenged her glib answer.

	Tita kept her voice light as she saw the ghost image of flames flicker 
in his eyes. "I truly don't know, Ryudo Tsuzuku. I have seen no future 
for this child."

	The young dragon blinked and the flames were gone. Still, they had left 
her with goose bumps. She almost felt sorry for her errant grand-niece. 
Almost. She knew some of the things that Tamanji had done in her short 
life. Things she would never tell Jasmine or Catherine.

	"Hey! We're back! Where is everyone!" Elenora's voice called from 
inside. "We could use some help, you know!"

	Tsuzuku gave her a little bow and went to answer Elenora's plea for 
assistance.


						*****

	Tsuzuku was at the far end of the back patio watching the last deep 
colors touch the clouds as the sun gave way to the night. He had been 
astounded at the amount of things that had been stuffed into the Bronco 
that belonged to the Summer Cottage. Those girls must have spent a small 
fortune! Hajime had been as shocked, especially after he saw the labels. 
He had promised to pay for them but Tita had shrugged that off and 
insisted he was to consider this as a gift and if he said one more thing 
about it she would be offended.

	So now they each had enough clothes to get them through a whole week 
and a good sized gym-type duffle to put them in against the time they 
had to move. He leaned his elbows on the rail and sighed. At least 
Jasmine had been civil though she still remained distant. He was pleased 
to see her smile as Owaru all but crowed as he pulled the 
top-of-the-line sneakers out of their box. And his exuberant hug of 
thanks had made her laugh. Gods, he wished she'd do that more often!

	The delicate scent let him know she was coming even as he heard the 
screen open farther down the house. He took a few deep breaths to get 
his nervousness under control as she came up next to him and copied his 
stance. He noticed that she had unbraided her hair and had it tied down 
toward the bottom with a red ribbon in a very Japanese fashion. He 
wondered where her scarf was as they stood in silence for a few minutes 
as the final glow faded and left the jagged mountains in silhouette. She 
took a deep breath and stepped back as she turned to him and bowed 
formally.

	"Ryudo Tsuzuku, I humbly apologize for the actions of my sister. She is 
an embarrassment to my family and myself. I hope you won't let her 
actions taint your feelings towards myself or the other members of my 
family." Jasmine winced internally. She had been working on this apology 
all day and it still had come out stilted and awkward.

	"Jasmine," he put his hands on her shoulders and brought her upright, 
then took her hands, "you have nothing to apologize for. But if it will 
please you, I accept it without reservation. And it is I who should be 
apologizing. What I did was unforgivable and I would understand if 
you..." he swallowed hard, "chose not to be alone with me any more. I 
want to tell you what happened, if you will hear me out?"

	She studied his face and then nodded. "But not here. Come on!" She let 
go of his hands and headed for the stairs.

	They walked side-by-side down the path toward the swing in silence. He 
wanted to put his arm around her waist and support her limp. He 
suspected that she had been on her feet too long again today from the 
way she favored it but he didn't think she would allow it yet. Hopefully 
once she had heard him out that would change.

	He sat in the swing first and steadied it for her. She turned towards 
him and tilted her head, her expression expectant.

	His whole body tensed even though he willed it to relax. "Tamanji came 
to me as a dream. At least I thought it was a dream. A dream of you. It 
wasn't until...after that I realized it wasn't you." He felt his cheeks 
burn with his blush.

	She closed her eyes and took a deep breath then let it out slowly. 
"O.K. It's O.K."

	She smiled as she opened her eyes and he knew it was. Some how it was 
all right.

	"Come on." She held out her hand as she scooted carefully off the 
swing.

	He took it and rose. "Where are we going?" He asked as she led him down 
and around a curve of the river bank.

	"Here." She let go of his hand and ducked under a low hanging limb. 
"Careful, there's a step down."

	He followed her through to stand on a wide sandy area screened on all 
three sides by trees and shrubs. And fireflies. There were fireflies 
everywhere! It was like standing in a miniature swirling cosmos!

	"I love fireflies!" She whispered as if she was afraid her voice might 
disturb the glowing dance.

	"They are very beautiful." He whispered back.

	He tentatively put his arm around her waist and was pleased when she 
leaned against him slightly. Then she was moving and pulling her belt 
through the loops of her cut offs. Then he realized it was her scarf as 
she shook it out and open to settle on the ground and sat on it.

	"Come on." She patted the fabric beside her.

	He settled next to her.

	"Turn." She guided him around by his shoulder with her hands so he had 
his back to her. Then she started to knead.

	"So, what did you do today?" She asked.

	He told her as her hands soothed the tension out of his back. It felt 
wonderful and for some reason not at all erotic, just relaxing. She 
laughed as he mimicked Hajime's high pitched responses to Mizuchi's 
faltering flattery attempts and offered small comments to let him know 
she was paying attention as he outlined the events of the day. Suddenly 
her touch turned light and electric and he shuddered as it sent an 
erotic shock through his whole frame. He pulled away from her hands. Her 
hands followed after a moment and the caress made him gasp.

	"Jasmine...I..." What was he trying to say? Stop? He didn't want her 
to. But he wasn't sure if he could contain what those touches were 
stirring.

	Her hands stilled but remained against his back. "Do you want me to 
stop, Tsuzuku-kun?" She asked quietly.

	"No. But if you don't, this might go somewhere you aren't ready for it 
to go to yet." *Oh, that sounded very intelligent!* He groaned to 
himself.

	The caress resumed. She leaned forwards and her breath tickled his neck 
as she whispered, "I'm ready to go there, my Dragon-sama, if you are 
ready to take me."

						*****