Rurouni Kenshin 1. Default Chapter

            Within the Shadows- Sanosuke's Adventure in London

**Disclaimer**:  I do not own the characters of Rurouni Kenshin- remember, Arashi owns them. *grins*

I decided to answer Arashi's challenge of writing about Sanosuke's adventures before, "Run to You- Tales of Meiji 16", with a fic about Sano in London. I know it may not sound very exciting so to make it a little interesting I decided to have the Rooster meet the notorious criminal, Jack the Ripper. 

I'm not quite sure of how to progress with this so C+C will be most helpful and greatly appreciated by this writer.  Arigato gozaimasu!  

Note- 3/3/2002:  I revised a couple of the parts to the chapter for the purposes of making it a little more realistic. Special thanks to Arashi, for carefully pinpointing my blunders, and giving me some great ideas on how to fix 'em.  (*smiles*) 

Chapter One

            The West Indian Docks were open at the crack of dawn, but all of the workers were there before hand, readying the port for the huge shipment that was due from the United States at a quarter past six in the morning. Men lifted, boys hauled, and all pushed themselves to get the cargo off of the ship before the rain came. It was a particularly dreary morning for the folks of White Chapel, dreary in the sense that they had not yet gotten over the shock of the events that had occurred in the past few weeks. 

Murder was what made the residents fear the streets at night, for there were awful killings committed that made one wish the victims died mercifully before a sharp knife was plunged into their bellies to savagely rip them open. The dreariness of White Chapel floated over the district like the poisonous vapors of a dark corner in hell, and with no witnesses or clues to put an anxious mind at ease, the residents could do nothing but be afraid.

When the ship finally arrived at the dock, the first one to get off was not the captain, or any of the crew. A tall, lanky form made his way quietly to the remote part of the ship, near the end of the dock. He ever so carefully lowered himself into the water and swam the short distance to see which city the sea had taken him to. He had traveled across the ocean once, to get away from his homeland. Now he seemed to be addicted to seeing new places (whether he was forced to leave his current location or not), and heeding the advise of a fellow in New York he decided that his next stop would be the land of England.

Once he reached the dock he pulled himself up one of the wooden poles and hoisted himself over the edge onto the dry wooden planks. He immediately spotted the workers taking the cargo off of the ship, and among those items, he spotted his sack.

As easily as he sneaked off the boat, he pulled his sack away from the other pieces and sauntered away from the dock, taking in the sight of the dreary city. It looked as if he was the only one out in the streets at that hour. He walked slowly, breathing in the musty air and splashing into one puddle after another, walking with an uncertainty that made him question his choice of destination. Damp walls surrounded the city blocks, rails dripped with rainwater, and puddles reflected the bleak visage of the town. In walking just a few blocks he felt the eerie pull of fanatical fear, and it made his breath catch in his throat. 

            What the hell is it about this place that gives me the creeps? That damned jerk in New York told me this would be paradise. Baka yarou lied to me! This isn't paradise! I feel like I just stepped into the threshold of a nightmare. 

            He quickly scanned the area and decided that it would be best to head West since he figured that would take him deeper into the city, yet what he hoped to do was put as much distance between this area and himself as possible. He was in London for only a few minutes and he already had enough of the sights. He didn't need to meet any of the people, and he sure as hell didn't want to find out what it was that made everything in this town feel as if it were on the verge of sinking into an abyss. 

            _Shit, all I want to do now is get to France. This is supposed to be a pleasant detour of my European trip. Someone told me about the beauty of the English countryside, but where would I go to find any of that? Farther West? Up North?_ He was already agitated at the prospects of being lost in a strange country when another thought came into his head to make him feel absolutely helpless-

_ Damn…which way is France…?  _

            If he stopped it meant he had to stay in this city for a few seconds longer, but if he continued he risked getting himself lost. He wished he had a better sense of direction- and he wished he hadn't listened to his rotten friend back in America. But then he remembered one time when getting lost actually helped him. _If I get lost, then that may not be such a bad thing. Getting lost was how I got to meet the Fallen Monk Anji, which led me to learn the Futae No Kiwami. If I get lost again maybe something good will come out of that. I'll leave it all up to fate and see where the direction of the wind will take me._

            He paused a moment and felt a breeze pass over him, and slip into his wet clothes. Then just as he had told himself, he turned to see where the wind blew and headed in that very direction. If the breeze changed direction then so did he for he had put his faith so strongly into the element that he believed it would guide him to the destination he had hoped for. He walked for blocks before he abruptly turned a corner and when he came around to the other side the wind stopped dead-and so did he.

            He was not alone in this early morning hour after all for at the end of the block he spotted a young woman. She stumbled slowly down the street, her body hunched over and her hand reaching out periodically to grab hold of the next window ledge or lamppost to steady her. He studied her for a moment and saw that she was drunk. She was so drunk that she did not notice that the bodice of her dress was not completely tied, and this made her bosom dangerously close to being exposed. As she continued to walk she stepped on the hem of her dress, tearing the seam apart and digging holes into the fabric with her heels. He worried that she would inadvertently strip out of her clothes before she reached the corner, but he was relieved to see that she finally stopped at a bench a few yards away from him and let her body collapse onto it. 

            The light of dusk drifted over the city, causing the shadows to disappear and make way for the coming day. In this light he saw the paleness of her face from beneath the mass of tangled blonde hair that hung loosely around her head. One sleepy eye revealed a hint of blue, which caught his attention for he noticed that the blue eye was focused right on him. There was something about that gaze that moved him.

            Boy, is she trashed! I've seen Jo-chan drunk but never like this! I didn't think this kind of drunkenness was possible. What would make her want to drink herself into such a state?

            He wasn't sure if it was the light that reflected off of her eye, or if it was the breeze that returned to lead the way again, but he felt himself move toward her just as she slumped forward and tipped over the edge of the bench. When he caught her he held her steady, and lifted her so that she sat up with him kneeling in front of her. He was surprised that she was still conscious, and up close he saw just how alert she actually was. Her eyes were wide as they stared down at him, and her soft fingers reached out to trace lines across his face. 

            "Blimey…I must be dead," she mumbled and reached out with her other hand and patted both of his cheeks. "Ah, you feel real enough. You must be my guardian angel. Are you here to take me to heaven?"

            His eyes grew wide. In his experience with the English-speaking folks of America he had been called many nasty, loathsome, vulgar things, which he preferred not to remember, but an angel? He wasn't familiar with the term yet something about the flow of the word and its speaker convinced him that it was indeed a compliment. Her eyes beckoned him for a response, and it was her vulnerability that finally wove its way into his stubborn heart.

            When he spoke the English words came forth wrapped among layers of his Japanese accent resulting in a soft purr that had become much more apparent as his grasp of the language improved. Whether he complimented someone or swore at them the sound of his voice had been all it took to melt the hearts of many American ladies.

"No. I'm Sagara Sanosuke. I'm not an angel, but I can be your guard if you'd like. It looks like you need one now because you madam, are totally wasted."

            She giggled, girlish and sweet. It was nothing like the mischievous giggle he knew and loved so much and for that he was grateful. Painful memories- he wanted to forget what he left behind and why he felt he had to run away in the first place. 

            Get her out of your mind! What you did was for the best now get over it. You'll see her again, maybe…someday.

He felt a slight push against his shoulder and realized that the woman had playfully shoved him. "Sagara Sanosuke, huh? Now why would I need a guard? I can take care of myself just fine. Those blokes behind you will wish they never messed with me."

            _Behind me? What the hell..?_ Sano looked over his shoulder and immediately wanted to beat the hell out of _himself. _He had been so taken with the past that he wasn't aware that a group of men had come around the corner and stopped dead when they saw that the woman had her hands on him. One of the men took exception to that and stormed at Sanosuke. 

            "Hey freak, get away from her! She's supposed to be with me tonight!" When the guy got close enough he found himself flying over the bench to the other side of the street, landing in a heap just before a shop window. The others looked at their friend flying, awestricken by the power that propelled him such a long distance. Then they all looked at Sanosuke who now stood in front of the woman, and they were all ready to condemn him. One man dared to step into his face.

            "Who in bloody hell do you think you are? Do you know who you're messing with? Where the hell did you come from, and why does Mary have her hands all over _you_!" His finger rose to poke Sano in the chest, but the man reconsidered when he saw the glare in Sano's eyes. Then he looked toward his fallen comrade and grew brave again. "You had better hope that my friend is still alive, and you better get away from Mary. She's our girl."

            Sano was unmoved and it took all of his will power to keep himself from tearing into the guy right then and there. He hated guys who talked tough when they had twenty friends to back them up, and he hated guys who bullied helpless people even more. He had seen too much of that happen in his homeland, and quite a bit in America as well. He began to think that it was a common practice around the world and wondered if there would be a change in that practice some time in the future. He hated to think that there were helpless people falling victim to the kind of terror that a group of angry young men could form, and he didn't want to believe that the woman standing behind him had anything to do these men. He dared a glance over his shoulder to see if she was okay and to advise her to stay out of the way, but before he could fully turn his head she was up on her feet and out of the corner of his eye he could see that she was no longer dazed from the liquor-she was burning with anger. 

            "I am no one's girl." 

            Her frosty voice chilled Sano down to his bandages. He was afraid to fully look at her, but she had already stepped around him to confront the one who had laid his claim on her. She looked up into the man's face, and he looked down at her with a lecherous grin spreading across his lips. He reached out and twirled a lock of her hair. "Oh, but you are our girl. We have the money right here that says-." 

For the moment Sano did nothing but watch the woman closely for it seemed as if she suffered from a particular ailment whenever she drank too much booze-much like a close friend of his back in Tokyo. When she pulled her fist back and knocked the man in the teeth, Sano was truly convinced. 

_Yep, she's a mean drunk, just like Jo-chan._

The man went down with a few less teeth than he woke up with this morning, and the rest of them were ready to gang up on her. Sano knew that he had to take over now. He knew that this would get ugly and he was prepared to take them all down. Being stranded in a miserable town already had him pissed him off, but seeing a group of men attack one woman was more than he could stand. His fists were itching to break some bones. He would have put half of the gang down were it not for the presence of a strange individual who lurked behind them, just a few yards away. Sano stopped short of his strike and just shoved away the man who tried to lunge for the woman. When he looked toward the presence he saw that the man had come closer. There was something about him that made Sano's chest grow tight, something dark and sinister that made it hard for him to breathe. His inner spirit emitted something foul, and it bore right through to surround Sano's ki.

"You are attacking the wrong person," he said, his firm voice commanding everyone's attention. 

The members of the gang turned towards the voice and looked the man over. A dark overcoat over pressed shirt and slacks, and perfectly shined shoes- he looked too distinguished to be wandering around at such an early hour in what was undoubtedly, a bad part of the neighborhood. The group of men figured as much and immediately dismissed him. 

"Push off, you posh bastard. This fight ain't any of your business. Unless of course, you want to join in and get your ass beaten like them," said one man who jerked his head toward Sano and the drunken woman. The gentleman held his hands up and took a few paces back.

"I don't want to fight with any of you. I am merely pointing out that your anger is directed at the wrong person. Obviously, that poor woman has no idea that you all just saved her from certain death. You all arrived just in time before _that_ man could do his damage." He pointed his finger directly at Sanosuke. 

_Nani? What the hell is this son of a bitch talking about? _

Sano felt the group become agitated as their gazes shifted to concentrate on him. He sighed heavily, knowing that their fight was going to resume; only this time the gang was going to attack him instead of the woman. That was fine with him. Sano looked over at her to see how she was. To his amazement she was poised and ready for the next man who dared to put any kind of moves on her, and Sano had to admit that he was really starting to admire this woman. 

_If we get out of this in one piece I'm definitely sticking with this girl. _

 He put her out of his mind for the time being, and turned back to the gang to match penetrating stares with them. It didn't take much probing to look deep down into all of them, for whatever it was that drove them was mirrored in the gaze of each of these thugs. It gushed forth and momentarily took over the ex-gangsters senses, feeding him feelings of hopelessness and dread, for an impending doom that they all felt they were fated for. Sanosuke felt his own emotions churn and the fear that these men felt now flowing within him. 

_What the hell is going on? Why am I afraid all of a sudden? These guys are no match for me, and I know that. I can easily fight them off and protect the lady at the same time. Why am I holding back?_

Sanosuke felt the strength of his whole being run down to concentrate in his legs, for something within told him to run. 

_Run?! Sagara Sanosuke has had enough of running! I ran from Japan; I ran from America; and now less than half an hour in England and my spirit is telling me to run again. _

He looked over at the gentleman who now extended his hand, offering Sano to the gang. A wicked smile contorted his features, and a gleam in his eye made the fighter grow cold all over. The voice matched every bit of the evil gleam, and Sano knew that he could not listen to his spirit this time. 

"We've finally caught you. You have eluded the police for much too long, but now these men can finally put an end to your spree, and you won't be able to kill anyone ever again."

One man from the group pulled out a large knife, and took a step forward. "You committed all of those murders? And you were trying to go after our Mary so you could kill her too? You're going to regret you ever came to this city." With that said the gang approached Sanosuke, some cracking their knuckles, others picking up stray pieces of broken glass, sticks, and old pipes. The fear was still inside of Sanosuke and he hated the fact that he couldn't shake it off. It wove a big, tight ball of uncertainty in his spirit, and for just one moment he doubted that he could handle the gang at all. He looked up and saw them advance.

_Why am I afraid? Why am I so fucking afraid! If I let them hurt me, I won't be able to live with myself. If they kill me, then I'll deserve every bit of hell that is due to me afterwards. _

He saw the flicker of a blade approach his throat- and his powerful arm knocked it out of range allowing his fist to crack into the man's jaw. As the body fell to the ground he saw the rest of them charge at him. He clashed his fists together, and the shock of that brought the fighter in him back with a vengeance. All at once, he broke noses, jaws, ribs, and limbs, his fists and legs swinging expertly to knock them all down with one blow. The woman had moved out of the way, now completely sobered to witness the rain of bodies that Sanosuke pummeled. She said nothing when the last one fell at her feet, and she merely watched with quiet anticipation as Sano lunged for the one who caused him so much trouble. 

The finely dressed man had backed away when the bodies had begun to fall and when he saw Sano's intense gaze fixed on him, he began to shake. He barely ducked out of the way when he saw the fist fly at him, and he felt a violent force throw him back among a spray of brick and concrete. 

Sanosuke cursed under his breath when the man dodged him, and seeing that a brick wall was going to be his target now his fist connected with the side of a building and caused the wall to explode into a choking cloud of dust. If he couldn't knock the jackass down like the others then he would let the blast from his Futae No Kiwami do it for him. He peered through the blinding cloud and saw that his victim had rolled away toward the corner of the street. The man was dusty, and shaken but to the fighter's disappointment still conscious. There was something about this man, something that urged Sano not to let him get away, so he stalked forward, his fists ready for another round. He couldn't remember how long it had been since he had been in such a fight, but he knew that the man, who now took to crawling away from him, had no desire within him to fight. But Sano couldn't forget how he had been made to feel earlier. The helplessness that had taken over his mind to raise doubts about himself still burned in his memory and he never wanted to feel that way again. The man stopped at a light post and Sano was right behind him. He grabbed the man by the collar and pulled him forward so that they were face to face. It was Sano's turn to grant the wicked smirk. 

"You know you've been very rude to this visitor. I don't want to have my tour of London ruined by some stuffy jerk who can't even be brave enough to finish a fight he started. You seem to have a problem with me mister, and I think that we should settle it right now." Sano thrust the man forward and stood purposely at a distance, his hands now inside the pockets of his gi. His menacing presence made the man visibly shudder. 

"You are the killer! Only someone as evil as you can kill all of these men at once." 

Sano shook his head slowly. "I'm no killer, and these men aren't dead. I don't kill people." His expression grew darker as he moved closer, "But after I'm done you're going to wish that I did kill you." 

The man's face turned pale. His lower lip quivered, and he stumbled as he tried to back away. He looked around erratically and spotted a group of policemen who were heading in their direction. A sigh escaped him as the police arrived and after taking in the scene of unconscious men, they immediately seized Sanosuke. The fighter had been too focused to notice that his wrists were being shackled together, but when he finally came to realize what was going on he let the desire to fight drift away.

A drunk woman, a litter of beaten bodies, and now a brick wall that had been destroyed to put him in even more trouble- Sano knew that it looked bad and from his experience in America he knew that the best thing to do was cooperate with the law. He allowed them to lead him toward the local police station but before he stepped away from the scene he glanced around to face his accuser. He looked upon pieces of brick, and dusty piles of cement but the man was nowhere to be seen. Sano gritted his teeth in aggravation, a low growl escaping his lips- the man who had appeared out of nowhere to cause him trouble, had easily dodged the mess and just disappeared. The wind began to blow again and it pointed Sanosuke to the direction of the police station.

End of Chapter 1

So what do you think? I had this crazy idea in mind that placed Sanosuke during the time when Jack the Ripper existed in East London. The Jack the Ripper murders occurred in the fall of 1888. In my research I learned that the events in Rurouni Kenshin happened between the years of 1863 and 1878, which means that Arashi's fic, "Run to You- Tales of Meiji 16" takes place in the year 1883. I realize that I'm more than five years shy of putting Jack the Ripper into the same time and place as Sanosuke during the five years he wandered around the world, but this idea WOULDN'T go away. So I took Arashi's advise and wrote it anyway. (*smiles* Thanks Arashi-sama!) Think of it as a, "What would have happened if Sano made his way to England during the time that the most notorious serial killer hunted and terrorized the residents of White Chapel, London?" fic. Part of my inspiration stemmed from the release of that Jack the Ripper flick, "From Hell" and part of it came after reading Chapter 14 of "Run to You- Tales of Meiji 16".  

I've had a lot of fun writing this and I'm sure that there are hundreds of other cool stories that can be written about Sano's travels through the world. Where do you think Sano went after he fled Japan? What did he do during those five years? Take the challenge and find out where YOU see Sano during his five-year absence. If you need some inspiration then I recommend a visit to, kenkaya.com, so that you can read the epic story that started it all! 


	2. Chapter 2

Within the Shadows- Sanosuke's Adventure in England

**Discaimer:** The RK characters aren't mine, but that won't stop me from putting them through whatever kind of torture comes through my mind. Bwaaahahahaha!!!

Chapter Two

The cell was cramped and the cot was filthy. Sanosuke turned his nose up at the cot and decided that he would avoid potential diseases if he just remained standing. The rain had now begun to fall yet it did nothing to soothe his nerves. He leaned against the bars and peered out at the group of policemen who were congregated by the main table of White Chapel's local station. They spoke in excited whispers obviously about him, for they occasionally turned their heads to sneak a glance at him. Jails weren't new to Sano. He had been in his share back in Japan, and even a couple in America, but he had to admit that he never caused this much of a stir.. 

He thought back to what had happened this morning, and it all came back to him like a burden; the fear on the faces of those people, the nervous words that came from their lips, and the tenseness of their souls. He had felt all of that when he struck them down, felt the confusion of earlier incidents that had obviously shook them up and had them looking for any kind of justice. Sano lowered his head and banged it gently against the bars. He felt sorry for having been too eager to beat them up. He could have escaped the situation without hurting anyone, and as he pondered what other options he could have taken, the head of the local station, Detective Inspector Edmond Reid, approached the cell. Sano lifted his head when he heard the footsteps approach and he pushed himself away from the bars so that he could stand up straight. The detective studied Sano with quiet admonition.

"So, it was you who caused all of that trouble this morning? People are saying that you are some sort of killer, perhaps the one committed four grisly murders within the past month and a half." He paused a moment and lowered his voice to a whisper. "People are saying that you're Jack the Ripper." 

_Jack the Ripper._

The detective moved forward to have a closer look at Sano. He started from the bottom and let his eyes trail upward over the shoes, the bandages, and the gi. The inspection stopped abruptly when he gazed coldly into Sano's eyes. The detective lifted a hand to lightly rub his chin. "Your clothes are wet, and you smell like seawater. Based on this I can confidently tell my superiors that you did not commit those murders. However," he leaned closer to the bars and gestured for Sano to come closer. Sano cocked an eyebrow and remained where he was. 

Reid grinned at the quiet refusal and stood straight again. "That doesn't mean that we have you in this jail for no particular reason. You have made quite a mess in the street- and you were not a legal passenger on that American ship." Sano narrowed his eyes and then looked away, refusing to say a word. The detective chuckled.  "That ship, my boy is a cargo ship, which adds Stowaway to your list of misbehavior. You have been in England for less than an hour and you managed to frighten the citizens, assault twenty men, and severely damage public property- all by yourself," he added with a hint of awe in his voice. He shook his head when Sano remained silent. "You know boy, it may be safe for you to stay quiet in America, but in England, especially in my area of East London, the less you say the more trouble we blame on you. I highly suggest that you join this conversation before I change my mind and decide that I indeed have a killer in my jail." He stopped to consider something. "Could it be that you don't understand one word that I have said?"

Sano turned to face the policeman. He wasn't sure what the laws were in this country, but his plan wasn't to stay in jail for his entire visit. Although these prison walls couldn't keep him confined since his Futae No Kiwami could get him out of anything, that wasn't the kind of impression he wanted to leave on these people. He already regretted what he had done that morning, since part of his original plan was to pass through England without getting into trouble.

_Kuso! That idea went straight to hell! _

But he knew he had to get out of this jail, and playing games with this cop wasn't going to be much help for him. He also knew that giving away too much information would be worse than all of his London crimes combined. So he chose his words carefully.

"I understand you just fine. I'm just passing through. I'm not here to cause any trouble if that's what you're worried about." When the policeman raised his eyebrows Sano immediately added, "THAT wasn't my fault."

Inspector Reid snorted, looking doubtful. "That's what Mary says. Then again, she is raving drunk right now so I can't take much of her statement seriously. You must have been in London for less than ten minutes before you picked up Mary. She's one of the favorites around these parts you know. You have quite an eye for picking up prostitutes."

That last bit of information was news to Sano. _Nani? A prostitute? She's one of THOSE women? _

The look on Sano's face piqued the policeman's interest. "My, do you look surprised. Don't tell me that you had no idea about Mary. She was very close to falling out of her dress. That should have been a tip-off for you. Unless of course it was your doing," he said in a suggestive tone that annoyed the fighter. 

"Oi! What the hell are you trying to say? I didn't do anything with that woman. The way you saw her is the way that I found her!"

The policeman raised an eyebrow. "Drunk, nearly undressed, and with bruises on her knuckles? Her hand was bandaged because she came close to fracturing her bones. Now I know Mary is very bad-tempered when she is drunk, but I've never known her to strike anyone under the influence, especially with the kind of force she had behind that blow."

Sano knew where this was going. "The guy she hit was asking for it. If she hadn't hit him, then I would have. If you don't believe me then feel free to check me for bruises. I don't mind at all."

Reid was impressed with the fighter.  He marveled at his fearlessness and for the mere fact that he was able to beat up that many men at once without suffering any injuries. Reid knew that this man was no killer. The determination in his eyes and the confidence in his stance made the detective realize that he had more than just a street punk in his jail cell. He dismissed Sanosuke's suggestion with a wave of his hand.  

"That won't be necessary. I think that I understand what happened and why. None of it was your fault, however what you did to stop it is what I am concerned about. Your mere presence caused that particular stir and it may very well cause future incidents, so it would be irresponsible of me to set you out into the streets of White Chapel." He paused and unhooked a ring of keys from his belt. "But I am turning against all of that, and regardless of what happened this morning, I am going to follow my intuition which tells me that you are not a bad fellow at all." He picked a key, slipped it into the lock and turned it. The loud click of Sano's freedom resonated throughout the entire station. Sano looked up and saw that the police officers were gawking at them, expressions of shock, apprehension, and worry coloring their faces. Sano couldn't help smiling. 

"Your cops have a problem with that. Are you sure this is a good idea?" 

Inspector Reid eyed Sano as he opened the cellar door, and kept his gazed fixed on the gangster as he stepped inside and slammed the door shut behind him. When Sano's smile faded, Reid pulled a folder from his jacket. "It is a good idea, IF I can get some answers to my questions. If not then you will be the special guest of White Chapel's local police after all. Is that understood?"

_Yarou, you tricked me! I hate it when cops play around with me like this! _

Sano was suddenly struck with the feeling that this policeman reminded him of someone. His shoulders sagged as his mind filled itself with the unwelcome memory of a certain hateful, law-enforcing wolf- and then he shook his head violently to get the image of the arrogant bastard out.

_This world is full of them! No matter where I go shit-eating cops who think that they're smarter than me always FIND me. Chikusho, that goddamned Saitoh is everywhere!!_

Sano heard the sound of someone clearing his throat and looked up to see that the policeman eyed him cautiously. "Young man, are you alright?"

Sano glared at the policeman eager to get this over with. "I'm fine. What is it that you want to know?"

Reid did nothing to hold back the smirk that came forth. It was more than what Sano needed to convince himself that he hated the hell out of this guy. "Well, for starters, and for the record I need to know your name."

"Sagara Sanosuke. Kenkaya Zanza. Roosterhead. If you want to look up anything on me those are the names you would use." If he volunteered too much information he would remember to kick himself later. 

Reid raised his eyebrow again. "I see. Mr. Sanosuke, was it? I'm not interested in where you are originally from, or how you ended up in America, but I do want to know why you decided to come to London."

Sano's face went blank and he shrugged his shoulders. "This is where the boat was going."

The policeman looked thoughtfully at the gangster. "Any reason why you left America? From what I hear, it's the land of opportunities. Why would you leave such a place?"

"There were lots of opportunities for me and once I found them all, it was time to move on. England seemed like the obvious choice with the new language that I learned and all. I don't plan to stay that long in case you're wondering." Sano's expression darkened as he remembered how he felt when he walked the dark alleys, and encountered the drab countenance of its citizens. "In fact, I don't _want_ to stay here very long. No offense detective but there's something here that bothers the hell out of me. Those people talked about a killer, and to let you know a little of my past I've been in contact with lots of killers where I come from. They killed for their beliefs, they killed to change the government, or they killed because they took so many lives that it was all they knew how to do. From all of the killers I've encountered I can't tell you where your criminal falls under. I don't know much about what he's done, but I know that the people here are scared, and they want answers.  Your cops want answers too, because it's hard to let the public believe that you have no idea in which direction to go with this case. Your cops have no idea where this killer falls either."

Maybe it was the fact that the early morning air crept into the folds of his wet gi, but he felt a chill pass over and wrap itself around him. The cop said nothing after Sano fell silent, and he went stiff as if he felt the chill as well. None of this seemed to comfort the ex-gangster and for a moment he began to wish he had not come to London.

_I had some hard times back in America, and my life in Japan was one fight after another, but it seems as if there is something really serious going on here. What the hell did I stumble into?_

Detective Reid shook off the chill and quickly composed himself as if he had not been affected at all. "I heard that there was one man who was able to get away before you could hurt him. He was the one who apparently had the gang attack you. He caused you so much trouble and yet managed to get away from you," Reid offered pointedly. "With that hanging over your head, I am sure that you would have no problems spotting him again. Do you remember what he looks like?"

Sano peered at the officer suspiciously. _You're asking me about some prick who caused a public disturbance? THIS is the information you're holding me in jail for? Is that guy dangerous at all?_ Sano wondered as he thought back to that morning. He remembered the man vividly- the long dark over coat, dark pants, and the wicked eyes that glared out from under his bushy eyebrows. None of it had moved him until he remembered the vibe. Sano felt his chest grow tight again as he remembered the feeling of uneasiness that seemed to surround that man. He had exuded some of the most negative energies he had ever felt since the confrontation he and Kenshin had with that psycho Yukishiro Enishi. With his nerves so on edge now, Sano concluded that the man indeed had to be dangerous. 

_But why would a guy like that make me nervous? I was ready to beat him senseless, so obviously I'm not scared of him. But he's got something weird about him, and with all this talk of a killer on the loose I'm starting to get more and more suspicious of him. _

Sano nodded his head and finally revealed what he knew about the man's features. It was as simple as that. Once Detective Reid had all the information he wanted, Sano had his freedom. The policeman handed Sano his sack and escorted the ex-gangster outside where it had stopped raining and they stood together in the midst of the gloomy aura of White Chapel. Sano looked around and felt the chill again. He wished he had changed into some dry clothes, but he assumed that even if he had done that the chill would still bother him. It had nothing to do with the crispness of the air or the present state of his attire. It had more to do with the anticipation that something horrible was soon going to happen. 

The detective clapped Sano on the shoulder before he turned to head back into the police station. At the doorframe he stopped and turned to look over his shoulder at Sano.

"Stay out of trouble, for I won't be so lenient on you next time. Oh, and try to get some trousers and a shirt of some sort. It would be wise for you to try and fit in, unless you enjoy the public disorder that your appearance will undoubtedly cause. The shop three blocks west takes American currency. Good luck to you, and I hope that I do not see you again." And with that the policeman entered the building and left Sano to contemplate his next step. 

The wind began to pick up again but this time Sano hesitated to follow it. He had gotten arrested because of where it led him last time. It had led him to a fight over _her_. 

_I said that I would stick to her once we got out of this. I came out all right and I know that she's okay. This is a big city. Where would I even begin to find her?_

A moist gust came at him and blew his jacket open. He welcomed the cool air for it relieved him of the suffocation of the tiny cell, and he took in a deep breath. As grim as this city was he couldn't help appreciate how great the morning air always made him feel. He closed his eyes, held his arms into the air and finally stretched the kinks, and cramps out of his tired muscles. The first thing he decided to do was find a place to sleep for his eyes could barely stay open now. 

_Maybe I can stretch out and catch a couple of hours of sleep behind the station. If the cops don't like it then let them try to wake my sleeping ass!_

He managed to peer through slits to find his way to the back of the station, but what his gaze fell on was a pair of wide blue eyes looking up at him. Those eyes were very familiar to him. 

"Good morning, love. I was hoping that Inspector Reid would let you out sooner. He is quite a nuisance but that allows him to do his job well so I put up with it. How are you doing?"

Sano opened his eyes wide. The woman from earlier that morning was not the one who stood before him now. This lady had on a lovely high collared navy dress, and her blonde hair was clipped up into a loose bun that allowed stray hairs to frame her face. She had a slight rosy color on her cheeks and lips, but it was her eyes that cast the spell on him. He remembered the morning's incident and he knew now that this was the woman who he had protected. Her hand came up to grab his and she clasped it tightly within her tiny grip. Her brow knotted with concern as she took a closer look at the one who had saved her.

"Oh my. You look exhausted. That fight must have taken away all of your strength."

Sano smiled weakly. He felt her soft hand press gently against his forehead. "Oh no, you've developed a fever. Your clothes were all wet and the fight only made it worse for you." Her hand gripped his again and she headed away from the station. "You're coming with me," she said and Sano was only too happy to let the woman named Mary pull him down the street. As they walked, he felt the heat burning on his forehead and that confirmed that he definitely had a fever. If she only knew of the many fights he had been in where he never even broken a sweat. That gang had been no challenge at all, but she didn't need to know that. She was as happy to have found him as was he to see her again. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to stay. He could pass the time visiting every corner of the city with his new friend, and maybe get some of the memories of his old friends out. He didn't want to forget the life he had left back home, but he did want to put as many memories as he could between them for then he could forget once and for all, what it was he was running from. 

End of Chapter 2

The reviews that I received for Chapter one were wonderful, which is a relief since I was worried about the reactions I was going to get for this story. Special thanks are in order to you guys because you all made this writer very happy! : 

To **Arashi** for supporting the Sano in England idea from the start and for encouraging me to get to work and write it ; to **Karina Kineshi** for your wonderful comments which always give me the confidence I need to keep writing; to **Omni82** for giving this author another reason to keep writing (and reading- I can't wait to read your Sano in France story!); to **J. Liha**: thanks so much for reviewing. You may get to know more about Jack the Ripper than you cared to learned. Hope I don't scare ya off…*grins wickedly* ; and to **Jason M. Lee**: you read my mind about Sano, Jack and the Futae No Kiwami. Thanks for the insight and for the idea that popped into my head because of it. 

Again, thanks guys and I hope that this installment is just as entertaining for ya! Up next- Sano and Mary get to know each other. That's as much as I'm going to tell ya! *wicked laughter*


	3. Chapter 3

Within the Shadows- Sanosuke's Adventure in London

**Disclaimer**: The characters of Rurouni Kenshin aren't mine. *grumbles* Bummer…

_Author's note_: Hey there! Another installment is up for you guys! Thanks so much for the wonderful reviews. I can't tell you enough how much I _love_ writing this fic. What happens when Sano is dragged off by the lovely Mary? *he-he*  (Arashi-sama your Sano/Mary casual lovin' question made me think of something that made a lot more sense for them. Thanks so much!)  

Special thanks to Lizeth for drawing a gorgeous pic of Sanosuke and Mary! Head on over to Lizeth's Loft,  http://www.angelfire.com/anime2/loft1050/kenshin/sano_mary.jpg., and check it out! 

Hope you all enjoy!

Chapter 3

            The smile on her face made him want to kiss her. Her hand went up to cover her giggles, but he had already caught her. He had taken her hand away from her lips and pressed his own against them, losing himself as he felt her melt against him and fall into his embrace. His arms encircled her and his hands trailed up to cup her face beneath the mass of silky raven hair that flowed down the length of her back. It felt good to hold her close, to run his fingers through her hair and to tell her how much he wanted to be with her. He wished that the image wouldn't end but he felt himself come out of the deep end of his slumber and the image of her vanished when he opened his eyes. 

            Another smiling face looked down on him. "Good evening, Love. My goodness, you've been asleep for the entire day. I was beginning to worry that your sickness was serious." A moist towel was draped over his forehead its coolness giving his warm head immediate comfort. He wished that he could go back to his dream and finish his kiss. It was so unlikely for that to happen in real life, but the dream gave him the opportunity to experience it for a few moments, which was enough under the circumstances. So many countries, and bodies of water separated them. He had put so much distance between them without realizing it and now he wondered if he would ever venture to that part of the world again. 

            I've been gone for more than a year. I left without an explanation and I never said if I'd ever be back. She probably hates me, and never wants to see me again. 

            The towel was lifted from his forehead and it was replaced with a soft hand that draped over him to feel if his fever had gone down. The expression of relief on her face told him that he had indeed survived it. 

            "How are you feeling?" she asked. His eyes were glazed over from the remnants of the fever but he was able to blink it away and grant her a weak smile. 

            "I'm better. I'd like to sleep some more but I think that I better be going now," he said and threw the covers off so that he could swing his legs over the side of the bed. He stopped when he noticed the unmistakable feeling of a draft creeping over him. He looked down at himself and immediately pulled the blanket back over his lower half. When he looked at his caregiver he was embarrassed to see that she seemed pleased with what she saw. She smiled at him with much appreciation.

            "That was quite a show you just gave me."

            Sano felt his cheeks burn. "Where are my clothes?"

            "Are you getting shy with me now? Really, it's nothing that I haven't seen before. I did have to take your clothes off in order to put those cold towels on your body. Those bandages that you were wrapped with gave me much trouble, damn them. I was beginning to think that you were some sort of mummy that escaped from the British Museum!"

            Sano fidgeted uncomfortably under her gaze and she finally relented snatching something off the back of a nearby chair, and tossing him a pair of long black pants. He held them out, looked them over and then turned to her for an explanation of what he was supposed to do with them.

            "They're trousers. You have worn trousers before, haven't you? I overheard you talking with Inspector Reid, and I think that he's right. If you want to try and fit in then you should wear those with a shirt and a waste coat. I have a few items that my friend left behind which you may use, but the trousers I had to pick up from the merchant down the street. You are much too tall to fit into his pants."

            Sano looked the pants over again and decided that they weren't much different from his gi pants. They were longer and didn't look to be as loose fitting but they would be good enough for him to pass through without much trouble. Plus they were black so the color would go great with the black stitching of the "Aku" on his jacket. Forgetting that there was a woman in the room, he stood up dropped the blanket and pulled on the pants. He looked up when he heard a plate crash onto the floor.

            "Oi, are you okay?" he asked and rushed over to pick up the pieces of the plate Mary had dropped. He put the broken pieces aside, and when he stood up again he noticed the flush on her cheeks his embarrassment returned. "Oh, sorry about that. For a second there I forgot that you were in the room. Uh, thanks for taking care of me. I really appreciate it." 

            She shook her head dismissing his words. "Oh, not at all. It was my pleasure… Um, I mean, it was not a problem. It was the least that I could do." She held out her hand. "I'm Mary Kelly, and if I remember it correctly from this morning, your name is Sagara Sanosuke?" 

            Sano took her hand, the carefully bandaged one, and lifted it toward his bowing head to give her a soft kiss. "Call me Sano. I really do appreciate what you've done for me. My fever would have gotten worse if you hadn't found me."

            Mary's mind momentarily concentrated on the kiss that he had just given her hand. She snapped out of that quickly. "I know. I don't think that the police would have cared if you died in the streets or not. But I couldn't let that happen to you. You're such a sweet fellow to help a woman in trouble. Not many men like you exist anymore. I have my pick of ruffians, and laborers who can barely make ends meet. It's nice to see a new face around here," she said and reached up to brush her fingers against Sano's cheek. The shock of her touch startled him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so casual with you. It's just that I haven't met a man as handsome as you in quite a while."

            Her words made Sano's cheeks flush again. Those same words were said to him on numerous occasions in America. He reached up to scratch the back of his head. "Uh, thanks. You foreign ladies sure do say what's on your mind. I never got comments like that where I come from."

            Mary moved farther in so that she was close enough to give Sano a kiss. He wasn't sure if his personal space was being invaded or if she was normally this friendly with strange people who rescued her. "Where exactly _do_ you come from? All I know about you is that you came off a ship that docked early this morning." Her fingertips brushed against his cheek again. "Where has my guardian come from?"

            Sano was surprised that she remembered what she had said the night before. He figured someone that drunk would have blocked it all out.  "The ship came from America, which is where I settled in for a while. I got into some trouble back home and so to keep my friends out of it I thought that it would be best for me to take a trip. They would have helped me out of it, especially my best friend Kenshin but our friendship seems to center on me asking him for help all of the time. He's a guy with a murky past, but he put it all behind him and turned into the best human being I've ever met. He's too good a person to take for granted. I couldn't keep running to him with my problems, so the best way that I could handle it was to take off." He wasn't sure why he told her all of this, but talking to her about his past did not seem wrong at all. He had kept it all a secret from those he came across in America, but with this woman he felt that he didn't have to hide anything from her.

            Mary looked thrilled. "Oh my, I must have an outlaw in my house then. How exciting!" 

            "I didn't do anything major. Just roughed up some guy who ended up being a government official. Now he wants to put me in jail for longer than all the deadly killers combined." That word stopped his train of thought and let another one invade his mind. _Killer. That's right. I had gotten into a fight today because one man accused me of being a killer. A killer named, Jack the Ripper._ Sano gently pushed Mary's hand away and fixed her with a firm gaze. "Tell me, who is Jack the Ripper?"

            The dramatic shift in his mood caused her excitement to fade. That particular topic seemed to have that affect on everyone. "Jack the Ripper is someone who began to murder people at the end of August. As of now he has killed four women, all prostitutes whom I knew very well. They were good women. They were only trying to survive. That killer doesn't realize that no matter how indecent their way of survival was, they did not deserve to die so horribly."

            Sano was afraid to ask how horrible the deaths were, but Mary continued to reveal the details. "That monster mutilated them. He cut their throats from ear to ear, and then he cut them open to remove their insides. The newspapers say that he has a precise hand, as if he knows where his organ of choice is located, and just how deeply he has to cut to remove it. He appears and disappears as if he were a ghost killer because there is no trace left of him once he is gone. The police have no clues about who committed the murders, but they received letters from someone who tells them how much he enjoyed the killings. Those letters were signed, Jack the Ripper and with one of those letters he was brazen enough to include a kidney." Mary wrapped her arms around herself to keep from shaking. "That kidney he sent with the letter belonged to my friend Cathy."

            Sano felt his chest grow tight once again. It was the same feeling he had when that man approach them that morning. _Why does it all seem to connect somehow?_ _Mary was walking the streets by herself this morning. Suppose she was supposed to be killed? Suppose that the gang harbored the Ripper? Or suppose _that_ man…?  _

            Sano thought back to the fight and remembered the sight of the man who had suddenly appeared. _That jackass came out of nowhere, and then he sneaked away when the cops arrived. Dammit, he really gave me the creeps- and he was really interested in Mary. Something about him still bothers me, as if the name Jack the Ripper fits him somehow. If I see him again we're going to continue our chat on hospitality towards tourists- and then maybe my fists can teach him the proper way to treat women. _

            Sano's thoughts were disturbed when he heard the sound of a pot clattering on top of a stove. The aroma of something warm filled the air and it stimulated his senses causing his stomach to growl. When Mary was done working at the stove she turned to him and held out a steaming bowl of stew. "We've been talking too much about morbid things. I thought that we could change the subject and enjoy a nice dinner together. It's not much since I'm not a very good cook, but it will help bring your strength back. You still look pale." The concern in her eyes was back and he smiled down at her incredible kindness. She was the complete opposite of the woman he had met the night before. This lady was gentle, gracious and nurturing toward all life. It hurt to think that she could have been a target for a murder, but it was her profession that put her in that dangerous situation. He wondered what would make her choose such a way of life. Weren't there any other opportunities in London? The food looked inviting, and he momentarily put his thoughts aside. He took the bowl and bowed graciously.

            "Arigato, Mary. It looks delicious," he said and took the spoon she offered to shovel the food into his mouth. He gripped the spoon the way a child did with the handle in his balled up fist, and she couldn't help but giggle at that. She reached over and maneuvered his hand so that he held the utensil correctly. Sano gave her a questioning look but when he figured out what it was she was implying he continued with his meal. After he sent a few pieces of meat flying to the window he began to get the hang of it, and by the time he had his second helping of dinner he handled the spoon like a pro. It felt good to eat a hot meal, and his strength came back to him with every spoonful he consumed. 

            The fighter let out a satisfied sigh when he was finished and patted his stomach. The meal was actually tasty, as opposed to his close friend Jo-chan who made you want to pray for a quick death every time she stepped into her kitchen. A delicious meal prepared by Kaoru would be a nice surprise should he ever find himself back in Japan. While Mary busied herself with cleaning up Sano took this time to check out his surroundings. He looked around the tiny room and noted that it was much smaller than the apartment he had kept in Tokyo. Even though a candle was lit to give them some light the room still remained dim and drab. He imagined that London would have large houses, and streets filled with merchants, tourists, and passersby on their way to and from work. What he saw in just a few hours of being here was a place more cramped than his apartment building, and streets filled with enough troublemakers to keep Saitoh and his Aku Soku Zan philosophy very busy. If a killer like Jack the Ripper existed in Japan, he wouldn't have eluded the police for long. As much as Sano hated to admit it, the bastard Saitoh had a knack for tracking down the nastiest of killers and stopping their murderous sprees usually with one round of his Gatotsu attack. If cops like that existed in London, then maybe this Ripper man wouldn't be so quick to mock them. 

            Sano leaned against the stove caught up in his own world of thoughts when Mary came to him and placed her hand over his. Her soft skin brushed against the roughness of his, and she traced a finger over the veins that stuck out from beneath his flesh. She stopped when she reached his knuckles and as if finding something of interest she leaned forward to inspect them closely. Sano watched her wondering what could be so interesting about hands that have been broken and mended too many times to count. When she looked up at him her eyes were filled with disbelief.

            "There are no marks on it," she stated flatly and then took hold of his other hand to inspect that one as well. "And none on this one. How can that be? You fought twenty men, and you left without a scratch?"

            Sano shrugged his shoulders unmoved by her shock. "It was just twenty guys. They didn't have anything on them that could seriously hurt me. Besides I'm used to fights like that. It's been a while since I've been in one and if you want to know the truth I was kind of psyched about it."

            "But you punched a WALL! You made a brick wall into a pile of dust. Don't tell me that you do things like that everyday."

            Sano shook his head. "Not lately, no. There weren't many chances to practice while I was on the ship and from what I've seen of this city so far, I won't be able to find any kind of forest to practice in. Oh well. I don't think I'll lose my skills if I stick around for a few days. Maybe when I get to France I can find some nice woodland area and get in some good practice time. I want to try those strikes with my legs to see if I can get the same effect. Then once I get that down I want to see if I can get the projection through my shins and forearms to possibly use it to deflect someone's punch." Sano turned to face Mary and found that she stared blankly up at him. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to bombard you with all of that. It's probably really boring."

            Mary shook her head slowly her eyes growing wide. "You're not boring. You are the most interesting young man that I've ever met. You talk so passionately about fighting that I'm starting to believe that it is an important part of your life." 

            Sano nodded impressed with how quickly she caught on. "It is. Rough times in my country forced me to either fight or perish beneath the conflict. Many people died during the time when I was growing up, and I didn't want to be one of those who had no choice. It's not much different than those women who were killed recently. They weren't given a choice. Some evil presence in society has decided to cause an uprising and so it sheds the blood of the innocent to make its point. I hated it then, and I hate it more now because it seems to be something that exists all over. Instead of disappearing, it grows and spreads like a disease. I fight because I want to get rid of the disease and for your kindness towards me, I'll risk getting arrested to protect you from the one that's loose in this city."

            Mary couldn't believe what she had just heard. The boy was mad. "Protect…me? Why would you want to protect me? I'm just a low-class whore. I sleep with men to earn my living. I contribute nothing else to society."

            Normally Sano would have bitten her head off for making such a comment, but something in her voice caused him to hold his tongue and listen to what she was really saying. "So that means that it's okay for you to be murdered?"

            She shrugged her shoulders not wanting to meet his gaze. "What else is there for me? It's not as if I enjoy my life. I would like to do something other than sell favors for a few shillings but in this city there is nothing much for a girl like me. I'm like you. I'm not from these parts. However I didn't come here because the police wanted me. The police didn't want me- and neither did my parents. So here I am."

            Sano shook his head sadly although what he really wanted to do was shake some sense into this woman. "You're in too much of a hurry to end it all. You talk as if you're stuck in this place and doomed to die here. You've got nothing holding you back. There is a world out there that can benefit from your kindness and you're willing to give it up if some psycho decides he wants to kill you next. If you let that happen then your life really would have been a waste."

            Mary felt the shock of that last statement pierce through her mind making more sense than any decision she had ever made since her arrival in London. She looked up at him again and saw that he was indeed very young. How someone so young could have such an immense amount of wisdom was something she could never guess. Perhaps he grew through the events of his rough life, but as far as she knew with her own rough life, he was a lot wiser than she was. She was okay with that. His protection and wisdom would be a welcome change for the few days that he would be here, but Mary found herself growing rather fond of him. Perhaps it was his insistence on helping her when no one else would give her a second glance. His imposing presence made her feel safe, but him standing half-naked in her room did something else to her as well. 

Mary smiled shyly up at him and shifted her hand so that she gripped his tightly. Sano felt the firmness of her hold, and wondered if his words had gotten through but he wasn't prepared for what she had in mind. One moment he was gazing down at her sharing small talk-the next he was yanked forward into her arms. Her hand slipped to the back of his neck to steady him and she kissed him so deeply he thought he would never be able to breathe again. His knees grew weak and his mind threatened to blank out all of the memories of the one whom he had just dreamt of. She let go of his hand and slid them up to his naked shoulders to pull him close. He had no control over his own movements and he mirrored her actions, kissing her in return and crushing her against him so that he could feel the quickening beat of her heart. It had been a while since he held a woman, and it had been even longer since he had fully given himself over to a kiss. The one who he wanted to kiss like this was so far away. He had never kissed her, had never held her, but he couldn't stop thinking about her. Mary's hands were on his chest now, pushing him back inch by inch until they reached the bed, and without a second thought he laid down with her on top of him. He was afraid that his memories would have faded but bits of his dream began to filter into his mind. Her lips on his, her skin against his, things that they had never done before that consumed his mind for the year that he had been away from her. He wondered why he thought about her constantly with such intensity, but at that moment it was the thought of wanting her so badly that made him push Mary away from him. He sat up and slid over to kneel at the foot of the bed.

            Why does she keep coming into my thoughts? I can't do anything about getting her out of my mind. 

            It was definitely time for him to go before things became more confusing. With Megumi invading his mind at that moment it was hard to concentrate on the pretty woman who offered something he hadn't experienced since he was traveling cross-country toward the East coast of America. Now that the opportunity was in front of him he felt as if he couldn't go through with it. 

_Kuso, I've never had a problem before._ _That damned fox is ruining my sex life!_

            When he felt a hand on his shoulder he cursed the day he ever met the beautiful doctor and wished that her face didn't haunt his memories at the most inopportune times. His shoulders sagged and he turned to face Mary. "I'm sorry."

            She smiled knowingly and reached out to muss his wild hair. "It's all right. You have a lady on your mind, is that it?" 

            Sano marveled at how quickly she picked that up. _Damn, it's true then. Women do have that weird intuition thing. Chikusho, they must all be psychic or possessed or something! _

            When he didn't answer she moved so that she could wrap her arms around his neck. Sano felt her soft body against his back and the side of her face brushed against his. Her body molded itself perfectly against his and for a moment he wished that they could remain that way and do nothing else. But Mary knew what she was doing. She wasn't going to be content with just holding him, and she knew that her closeness would eventually awaken something from within the gangster that would remind him of his love. How right she was- it was all he could do to keep himself from pinning her down on the sheets. 

            "If you're thinking about her so intensely then she must be very special to you. I wonder why you left her if she makes you feel like this. I can make it all real for you just this once. If you want it, I can be her just for you."

            Sano couldn't believe what he had just heard. Be Megumi…so that I can be with Megumi. This woman is very generous to do that for me. None of this has ever happened between the fox and I. Who knows if it ever will? I may never return home again-I may never see my Megumi.  

            Sano wanted to know what loving her would be like. He turned around, pulled Mary to him, and gave her a kiss that brought an image of Megumi into his mind. It was the foxy doctor whom he pushed down onto the bed, and it was her bodice that he worked on to untie. Mary pulled away from their kiss and fixed her delirious gaze at Sano.

            "Are you sure you want to do this?"

            Sano nodded. "Be her for me," was all he said and when he closed his eyes and saw her once again. Her coy smile beckoned to him and in answer to her call he pinned his fox down.

 I know that this installment took me longer to post and I want to thank you guys for bearing with me. I was having a bit of trouble deciding on what was going to happen between Sano and Mary, so I hope you all agree that what ended up happening was inevitable. *bites fingernails*  I hope it lives up to the previous chapters!

P.S. For all of you who have not yet been to kenkaya.com, what are ya waitin' for? Head on over there and read up on "Run to You"! Then if you've got some creativity to share send in those Sano's Travel Stories to Arashi-sama! So far he's been to Alaska, mainland America, and England. The man has traveled for five years- where do _you_ see the lovable rooster heading?


	4. Chapter 4

Within the Shadows- Sanosuke's Adventure in London

**Disclaimer**: All characters of Rurouni Kenshin belong to Watsuki-sama, JUMP comics, and Sony entertainment. 

Special thanks to Arashi for beta-reading and for helping me with my plot problems. Your suggestions were just what I needed to get this installment posted. Arigato gozaimasu! 

Chapter Four

            _I can't believe that I just did that_.****

Sanosuke walked beside his friend Mary, his arm draped around her shoulder and his mind clear of the frustration that had plagued him earlier that day. He was eternally grateful to her for she had helped him get rid of the painful longing he had in his heart for the fox. It wasn't meant to be a permanent gap in his memory. He just needed to free his mind and concentrate on surviving in White Chapel for the few days he planned to stay. Whatever he and Mary had shared that evening would remain in his current thoughts for after it was over they had agreed that it was not going to happen again. ****

The evening air was unusually warm that night with barely a breeze to blow the leaves from their branches. There were more people out in the eveningheading for one pub or another, all tired and eager to drown away their day with a pint of gin. Sanosuke noticed that every other business they passed was a bar or a public house, which Mary explained were the social centers of East London. 

"Many people get together in public houses for town hall meetings, dances, and gambling," Mary said pointedly when she noticed that Sano looked at every passing building with interest. "I hope you're still here when the next dance comes around. Many of the owners like to open their doors every other Friday night so that people can go from one party to another. The one last Friday was incredibly festive. You would have had lots of fun." Mary said as she gave his arm a gentle squeeze. Sano would have objected if he knew what she was talking about. 

_Dancing? What the hell is that? Well, if she thinks it's fun then maybe it's nothing bad after all. _Then he remembered one of the other things that Mary had listed earlier, the one activity that he tried to use as a means of survival in Japan as well as America._ Gambling. I have to try some ofthat here and get my hands on some cash, fast. After what happened before, I can't stay with Mary. She can barely support herself anyway so I'll only be a burden. _

He looked back and made a mental note of where a few of the public houses were located. They were not very far apart from one another just like the pubs so it was easy to visit every single tavern in one evening if, of course,one had the money for it. From the look of White Chapel's residents, Sano didn't doubt that lack of money kept them from going into each and every bar. It saddened him to think that this was all they lived for. He glanced down at Mary and wondered if she was as desperate as these people. He hated to think that she saw her world as an opportunity to get herself drunk and forget the reality of a miserable existenceIf he had to he would spend whatever days he had leftto convince her that deserved more than what she found for herself in London. It was the least he could do for her. ****

While Sano concentrated on his musings he and Mary finally reached their destination stopping under a sign that read, "The Ten Bells Pub".  At the door of the pub a young lady posed as if she owned the facility and sized up Mary with a vicious glare. The girl obviously wanted to challenge Mary since she refused to budge when the latter asked to be pardoned. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips pulled in slightly as if she were preparing to spit into Mary's face.

"I'm not moving for trash like you. Go find another pub to work. I'm taking the gents here from now on." When she spotted Sano she instantly moved in on him. "Hello, darling boy! How about passing the night with a real woman?" she said and trailed her hands all over the bare chest that peeked through his gi jacket. He chose to wear that with the black trousers since he felt naked without it, but now he was beginning to regret not wearing a shirt underneath. The woman's touch made him cringe. She had a nasty attitude that seeped through her flesh and Sano wanted to get away from her without being rude. He held his hands up to ward her away, but she took this as an invitation to throw herself into his arms. He cursed the gods under his breath.

Kami-sama, I don't want to hurt this woman but what the fuck am I supposed to do to get her away from me! 

Surprisingly the gods gave an answer to his crude prayer. From the corner of his eye he saw a hand connect with the woman's cheek, knocking her down squarely on her ass. He turned his head to see Mary stand threateningly over the woman, her hand poised and ready for another strike. The woman's cheek bore a red palm mark, which Sano knew would leave a nastier mark when morning came but he now grew worried for the woman when he noticed that Mary curled her hand into a fist. She glared down at the girl who had stumbled to her feet with her hand pressed to her flaming cheek. 

"This is my pub, these are my clients, and HE is with me. Come near any of them and I'll do more than slap the bloody hell out of you. Now push off, tart! Your presence has made my friend ill." 

With the entrance now free of the girl's presence they entered the bar, yet with the incident so fresh in his mind Sano couldn't help but stare at Mary in awe. He wasn't used to having a woman defend HIS honor and this was the second time that he was a witness to her fierceness. He made another mental note not to get on her bad side. Sano was impressed with her ability to handle herself, however as he had promised, he was determined to protect her from the killer who was still on the loose. The only thing that would make his promise difficult to keep was Mary's request that he stay away from her when she was ready to work. As they made their way to a table in the back of the bar Mary made it a point to shrug Sano's arm off when he draped it over her shoulder again. She answered his puzzled look with a firm voice. 

"Don't do that. It's bad for business. These men will think that I'm already taken for the night and I'll end up with no money to bring home for food. The money I do have left is for two pints of gin which I would like to share with you." They sat down and Mary raised her hand as if she were calling someone over. Soon enough the pub owner came by and placed a large tin container before her. Sano was impressed. The man hadn't even bothered to ask her what she wanted to drink. She took a huge gulp of her drink and lowered the cup with a loud thump. A flush had already formed on her cheeks, which told Sano that the liquid had begun to work through her. He was excited to try this new liquor out. He tasted lots of whiskey, beer, and moonshine in America so he was curious to see how this gin stuff was, but when Mary gestured for some to be served to Sanosuke the pub owner regarded the ex-gangster with contempt. Then he shook his head. 

"Your odd-looking friend is not welcome here. I don't serve killers."

Those words traveled throughout the pub causing the patrons to pause in their conversations and focus their attention on the man formerly known as Kenkaya Zanza. He felt all of their stares some filled with hatred others with quiet curiosity about the new person who had arrived in White Chapel. The curious ones knew better than to believe that someone who had just arrived that morning could possibly be responsible for the current string of murders yet the ex-gangster's presence still made them uneasy. Despite Inspector Reid's advice and Mary's earlier nagging, he had insisted on wearing his gi jacket and although it had been through years of wear and tear, more so in America than in Japan, the imposing kanji of  "Aku" remained intact. These folks had no idea what the symbol meant but it was enough for them to sense that he was no ordinary visitor. Even if he wasn't responsible for the murders, he was the one who beat a local gang into the ground and his fist was the one that made aconcrete wall into a cloud of dust. The residents of White Chapel were not eager to find out what other strange things the ex-gangster could do and in their opinion he should not have been let out of jail at all.

The eyes of the city were set firmly on the fighter waiting for him to make a move that would prove to them that he was the troublemaker they believed him to be. He sat quietly feeling all of their emotions bombard him and it was as if he was reliving the events of that morning. He felt the fear within them all and he felt his spirit sink down into the pit of his being. 

What is it with these people? Why do they seem so pitiful and helpless? I know that there's a killer out there but what ever happened to having some faith? What happened to regular folks who are willing to fight the danger that threatens to take their lives over? Is this entire city like this? Have I landed in a place that has already surrendered itself to the evil that's invaded them? Either way, I can't let them think that I'm a part of that evil. I told the detective that I wouldn't cause any trouble and I don't plan to make him think that he made a mistake in setting me free. 

With his mind still churning Sanosuke stood up, placed his hand on Mary's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. Then he turned and headed for the door. A second had not passed before she shot out of her seat to grab the sleeve of his gi. She held onto him with as much strength as she could muster with her injured hand, the expression on her face begging and commanding him at the same time. The entire population of the Ten Bells Pub watched Mary with intent**, **knowing the woman well enough not to be surprised by what she had decided. "If you go then I leave with you." 

Her loyalty to him brought a smile to his face. She was the exception to the people of this city and she succeeded in charming him more and more. But the last thing that Sano wanted was to cause trouble for her. Getting thrown out of a bar was nothing new to him and he wanted to reassure her that this particular situation was not a big deal at all. He carefully took the injured hand that held his gi and kissed it lightly. He noted that this little gesture almost made her fall over. "You have work to do, and I want to look around this city some more. Don't worry. I won't wander too far so I'll still be able to keep an eye on ya. If you get into trouble I'll know about it and I'll be right there." He headed out and when he reached the door he held up his hand and called over his shoulder, "I'll see you later! Ja ne!" 

*                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *          

With Mary at the bar Sano took this time to get a better sense of the city he had decided to visit. The shops were long closed for the night and a number of ladies such as Mary took to the streets to earn whatever could put a meal onto on their table. Sano felt sorry for those women and he felt even more sorry for Mary. He hated to have this kind of pity for her but he felt that she was the least likely person to have to succumb to this profession. Sure, she was pretty and possibly had no problem getting clients, but Sano saw her doing more for herself. She was tough, gutsy, and smart. Someone like her deserved something better than what this city gave her. There had to be a fancier part to this city and if he ever found it he would be sure to take Mary there to show her that there was indeed life beyond this dismal town called White Chapel. 

He traced his steps from The Ten Bells Pub coming across the string of establishments that he was sure would bring him better luck in this country. _So, a public house is where I can do my damage, huh? I wonder what sort of games they play? _He hadn't used his dice in two years since it was mostly card games that were played in America all of which required him to bet large sums of money. He almost always lost- big. His inexperience with those saloon hustlers taught him to be more careful, but it also allowed him to learn all of their tricks. A chance beating here and there with one of those swindlers and he had all of the secrets to good poker playing. He couldn't test his new gambling techniques since he had to travel east in America, but he was sure he hadn't lost what he had learned. Sano felt his blood rush through his veins as he approached one of the public houses. The prospect of actually winning tonight made him excited. 

When Sanosuke entered the public house he knew immediately that he had made a mistake. All eyes were drawn to him as soon as he opened the door and if he didn't know any better, he could swear that some of those faces were very familiar acquaintances to his fists. Sano couldn't blame the wind for this one. He had stumbled into this situation on his own. 

A buzz of whispers began to circulate until the entire room knew about the newcomer. Sano's logical side told him to turn and bolt, but he never listened to his logical side and he wasn't about to start**. **The side that harbored the badass in him waswhat he alwayslived by, and it told him to stay right where he was. Sure enough the leader of the crowd, busted mouth and all thanks to Mary, steadily approached Sanosuke. To reassure the group that he was not asking for a fight Sano shoved his hands into his trouser pockets.

"Seems as if you walked into the wrong building," the other man said with care not wanting to stimulate the painful swelling of his lips. Sano eyed the man silently. "To be fair I'm going to let you walk out of here as long as you promise not to come here again. Is that understood?"

_Completely, but you're full of shit!_

Sano surveyed the crowd, convinced that this was indeed the gang from early that morning. They were a sea of bandages and splints that he could easily beat on again, but that wasn't what he had in mind. His actions that morning were a mistake, and it seemed as if fate had planned for him encounter this group of men once again. It suddenly hit him- a chance to make amends had fallen right into his lap. 

What did I do to deserve this? Maybe making friends with these guys is a lot better than having to watch my back all of the time. Sure, they may be dirty, rotten gangsters but it may not be a bad idea to let them know that I'm not invading their territory. I have to let them know that I want to be civil with them- I don't want to keep beating them up all of the time. 

Sano met the gang leaders cold gaze with one of his own. "I heard you guys really know how gamble, so I came here to see for myself."

Beyond the dark, calculating eyes the other man seriously considered taking Sano's challenge. "What are you going to wager? You've just arrived here. You can't have any money."

Sano fished into his pockets producing a handful of American coins that totaled a dollar and a half. The man shook his head and laughed. "American money isn't worth shit here. Try again, or get the hell out!" he said his laughter fading quickly into a forceful growl. Sano sighed heavily, thinking that his opportunity had just been tossed away. He cracked his knuckles preparing himself for the inevitable. 

Damn, so much for making amends.

He was ready for an attack, regretting the fact that he ever thought to enter this particular house to begin when someone came to stand before him with arms held out to keep him back. Sano would have knocked the dumb kid aside if he had not proceeded to appeal to the ex-gangster. "Wait, you do have something to wager! If you are willing to risk it then you are welcome to stay." 

The boy lowered his arms when he saw that he had completely captured Sano's interest. The rest of the gang was as equally intrigued and their leader voiced the question they all had on their minds, "What does he have to wager?" The boy didn't waste any time in explaining himself.

"His jacket."

*                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

Sano wasn't sure he heard right. _My jacket? They want my_ jacket?!  He unconsciously took a step back as if they had just suggested a horrendous death sentence. _Why would they want my jacket? It's not worth much. No, that's a lie. It's a worth more than life to me. It's a symbol of my past that I need to have on me so that I don't forget where I came from. These men wouldn't understand something like that. What the hell would they want with a piece of clothing that means so much to me? _

The young man took a few moments to appraise the jacket, taking some fabric of the sleeve between his fingers to inspect the quality. Sano yanked the sleeve out of his grasp forcing the young man to back away respectfully. "The jacket must mean a lot to you since you wear it still when it is an obvious advertisement to the fact that you are a stranger to this country. It may not be worth much money here, but it will do just fine for this particular bet. If you did indeed come here to gamble then prove it. Wager the jacket," the boy suggested fixing Sanosuke with a cool gaze. 

Wager my jacket. They're asking me to risk losing a part of myself. Would I be dishonoring my boss' memory, the Sekihou Tai and even Katsu if I considered this? I can always walk away just like they suggested. But walking away, and running away seem to relate to each other when it comes to the situations that I stumble into. I can't walk away. I can't admit defeat. If I walk then that means that I'm afraid, and I've been trying for the last year and a half to prove that I'm not.

He looked up at the group, then at the boy in particular since he didn't recognize him at all. He had no bruises or broken bones which meant that they had not met this morning. Lucky for him. Sano was surprised that the gang leader seemed to accept the idea. He noticed the injured man stood a few steps behind the boy "Fine, my jacket is up for grabs. Let's start…"

*                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

Yatta! Who would have imagined my luck would be thisgood! I haven't experienced this kind of a win in years! 

Sano stopped for a moment to look up at the sky. The stars were out with no moon. He was surprised that he had such good luck tonight. He wondered if his gambling skills had improved. Had Lady Luck been beside him? Or was it his desperation that influenced his draws? Whatever it was he was glad that he still had his jacket for if he had lost the game he didn't think he would give it up so easily. That's a lie. He would definitely not give it up, period. Whether he lost or not, he knew as soon as he accepted the challenge, he was not leaving the public house without his gi.   

 I feel so damned good now. Hmmm…wonder if I'm in for some bad times now. 

Sano pushed that thought out of his mind and trotted happily back to the Ten Bells Pub, content in his post-win daze. He couldn't wait to tell Mary what he had won. He never imagined that anyone would go to such an extreme to get someone to make a bet, and he was glad that his many days in the saloons of America playing poker finally paid off. He would have undoubtedly gotten killed in the States if he had won anything so valuable. Winning a few dollars earned a beating from the sore losing roughnecks so his prize would definitely see his dead carcass strung up in the town square as an example to the public.  

London is beginning to look better and better. All I need to do now is grab Mary and show her what a newcomer in a strange city can do. 

When he stepped through the door of the Ten Bells he saw the same dismal faces from earlier in the evening, but Mary was nowhere to be found. His heart stopped. 

Kuso! Where did she go?!

Sano immediately took to the streets and searched inside of every bar, asking startled patrons if they had seen Mary. He cursed himself. He had promised her that he would keep an eye on her and now he had to admit to her that he had failed. Thoughts of her with a violent client, or with that killer crept into his mind and caused him to pump his legs harder as he ran. Residents walking the streets didn't know what to think when a gust in the shape of a tall young man passed by causing their clothing to flutter. Sanosuke ran so fast that he knew he risked missing Mary if she happened to be walking the streets. He searched every spot, from the dock he had arrived in earlier to the police station. He wished he had some sign as to where she could be. He began to think that the worst had happened to her when he felt his bandana and gi jacket flutter violently behind him. He had heeded this kind of signal before so he turned to see that he was right to follow it once again. 

The situation was a familiar one. The figure of his friend Mary hunched over as she made her way down the street, only this time she succeeded in falling face down onto the ground. Sano rushed over to her side. 

"Mary!" He fell on his knees next to her and turned her over so that she leaned up against his chest. Her body was limp, and were it not for the faint breaths that made her chest rise and fall he would have thought that she was dead. "Mary," he repeated, softly this time, touching her cheek. A moan escaped her and she turned her head away so that it dangled to the side toward the floor. Her clothes looked to be in one piece, and there were no injuries that he could see, but the reason for her current state passed through the air to creep up into his nose- she reeked of gin. When it was apparent that she was not going to get up on her own, Sano scooped her into his arms and rose to his feet. He remembered where her room was so he headed in that direction carrying her the short distance and wondering why he had found her such a messagain. He looked down at her face.

"Why do you do this to yourself?" he murmured, raising her slightly so that he could brush his cheek against hers. He felt her breath against his throat, felt her eyelids flutter against his skin. "Sa…no…**",** came the whisper that tickled him.

He hugged her close, feeling her eyes shut. She would mercifully sleep her stupor off but what would the next day bring her? What else was there for a smart girl like her to do in this miserable district? Against his better judgment, Sano decided to stay with her for the night. He would stay up and watch her and make sure that no one came to hurt her. It was the least he could do for her since he had left her all alone**.** She could have been a hurt by anyone, but the one Sano had in mind was that killer, Jack the Ripper. He had a feeling about that guy. Even though he may have outsmarted the cops Sano held firm to his belief that the strange man from this morning was indeed that killer. He knew he couldn't prove it, but he would damn sure keep him the hell away from Mary. And if he happened to catch the bastard trying to hurt another lady then Sano had no problem using the heartless fiend for some painful Futae No Kiwami practice. 

Mary's home, Miller's Court, came into view the dark alleyway leading to her room engulfed in shadows. Sano was weary of that alleyway and marveled at how she braved the tiny trek to her room every night. As fearless as he was, Sano didn't doubt that he would jump to fight at the slightest movement or sound. A shudder moved over his spine and remained until he shut the door putting the dangers of the London night behind them. He immediately laid Mary down onto her bed, searched her dresser for a nightgown and then began to change her out of her evening clothes. He tossed her dress and undergarments by the fireplace and soon discovered that her tiny, limp, uncooperative body would make it difficult to get her nightgown on. After three unsuccessful attempts to dress her, Sano decided to leave her with the covers pulled up to her chin. He hated to leave her naked under those sheets, but drunken bodies weighed about as much as dead ones, and they were just as difficult to move. He hoped she wouldn't freeze.

Sano gazed down at his friend wondering what her reaction would be when he finally told her about his surprise. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she found out that she could spend a few days away from this neighborhood and explore another part of the city. Sano was just as excited for he had heard that the western part of London was where he would find all the excitement. His American friend must have meant that area when he spoke so excitedly about London. Sano settled into a chair by the door and looked out the window. There were no trees for the wind to blow through, no cicadas chirping their lullabies, and no fireflies glowing through the night. Sano found that even with all of the trouble he left behind he really missed Japan. He knew that the weather in November wasn't as warm at home either but he would at least hear the bare branches of the trees tap against each other, hear their dry dead leaves wander about, and feel the cold wind sneak inside underneath the doors. Nonetheless, he liked his good fortune. Spending a few days in London didn't seem so bad after all**. **

*                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

"Oh my goodness. How…?" Mary was speechless.

"I told you. I won it, but it's not permanent. I can stay for a day, a week, a month, a year, TEN years. This place is mine for as long as I decide to stay here." He held up the keys twirling the key ring around his finger. "What do you think?"

Mary gazed at her surroundings in disbelief. They stood in the middle of a plush sitting room amid a number of beautiful couches and embroidered drapery. The room barely had walls. Two sides of the room had tall windows, one side had a sliding glass door, and the other side contained the door that led to the adjacent rooms. Mary peeked through that door to see the bedroom and the sight of it almost made her faint. The canopy alone was draped with what looked like silk. She shook her head while Sano let out a low whistle. 

"I don't believe that Trevor gambled away the deed to his apartment. That buffoon. He thought he could swindle you."

Sano smiled confidently. "Trevor is a rich man. He's got another home a few blocks from here. He told me that I could see something called, Big Ben, that big house where your Queen lives…" 

"Buckingham Palace?" Mary offered. 

"Yeah, that place! He also told me that there were some nice museums, concert halls, and theaters." Sano came up next to Mary, put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to him. "I'm going to take you to all the nice shows. I saw some dresses in that closet that are really pretty." He looked down and flashed her that irresistible grin. "If you put one on we can go out tonight."

Mary shrugged Sano's arm off and sidestepped him when he tried to pull her to him. "I'll go out with you if you wear a suit."

Sano looked clueless. Mary pulled him over to the window and pointed at various men who passed by. "Do you see what those men are wearing? Trousers, shirt, vest, a waistcoat, and proper shoes, not those flimsy things you have on your feet."

Sano looked down at his shoes. He had searched all over America for an exact replica of the ones he had always worn and by the looks of them he would have to start another search soon. 

He felt a set of fingers pass through his hair. "And this hair must be tamed. It's too long, and sticks out in all sorts of directions." In two years his hair had grown past his shoulders, but the strands on top refused to fully hang straight down like the rest. As much as he had grown to like his long mane he had to agree with her there. He was in serious need of a trim. When she pulled her hand out she rubbed her fingers together to get some residue off, wrinkling her nose at them. "When was the last time it was washed?"

Sano looked grudgingly at her. "When I swam to the dock, yesterday."

"Regardless, if you clean yourself up I will be happy to put on one of those dresses and escort you around town."

"Oi, you're being awfully critical now! What's the matter with the way I look?" he asked, growing more and more offended. 

Mary gave him a sideways glance. "You look absolutely handsome in your creative little outfit. However, this is a classy part of London and if you're going to stay _here_ for the next few days you must blend in. You can get away with what you're wearing in White Chapel, but it's much different here." She reached up and slid the bandana from his forehead. Sanosuke was struck dumb. 

_Did she just touch my bandana? _

"This has to go," Mary declared and tossed the long red treasure into a wastebasket. Sano found himself diving in the direction of the basket knocking aside two chairs to retrieve his poor headpiece. When he had it tied securely around his forehead again he pointed an accusatory finger at Mary and growled, "Don't EVER touch a gangster's bandana! Do you know what this thing means to me? It's a symbol of who I am, and what I left behind. It's one of the things I keep to remind me of my past."

Mary could have cared less. "It clashes with the suit," she insisted firmly. She reached up and yanked it off of his head again. 

End of Chapter 4

**Author's notes:  Sorry for the huge delay in posting. I had some problems with this chapter, so hopefully I can get the next installment out much sooner. Thanks so much for the reviews guys, and please continue with the C+C! I love reading your thoughts on the fic. Take care, all!  Ja!**


	5. Chapter 5

Within the Shadows- Sanosuke's Adventure in London

**Disclaimer**: All characters of Rurouni Kenshin belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki, and all affiliates.

Special thanks to a.k.a Arashi for beta-reading this chapter.

Chapter Five

Sano really liked this part of London. The sky had been bleak during the day but the nighttime atmosphere pushed away any weight of dread to open up his mind for feelings of content once again.

The streetlamps illuminated rows of immaculate houses, horse-drawn carriages, and the early-evening activity of shop owners closing up their businesses for the night. Sano couldn't help but think of life back home. He wondered how everyone was doing. At around this time, Kenshin would be cooking dinner as Yahiko came home from working at the Akebeko. Kaoru would be in her bath after her practice session and Megumi would be making her way home-.

Sano cursed at himself and then stopped his mind from wandering. Thoughts of them back home always seemed to creep into his head when he settled somewhere. Since attaining the apartment meant he didn't have to worry about shelter, Sano had actually considered staying in London for a while. With the free lodgings all he had to worry about was how to feed himself. He had also made quite a few friends in Mary, Trevor and his gang, so London began to look like a promising stop.

Yet, now he began to feel homesick and that had to stop; which meant he had to move on very soon. But before he left he wanted to enjoy some of what London had to offer. He also wanted to get to know Mary a little more. He knew she was a prostitute who drank a lot, but there had to be more than that to her charm. He felt a light grip on his elbow and he tilted his head downward to look at her from the corner of his eye. He vowed to learn more about her. But not before he got over some issues that were suddenly beginning to bother him.

A very pretty young woman smiled sweetly at him. A distinguished looking gentleman tipped his hat as he passed by. When a matronly woman nodded at him in acknowledgement Sanosuke stopped dead in the middle of the sidewalk and turned to Mary. She stopped as well and cast him a questioning glance.

"What gives? These people look at me as if they know me? What do they want?"

Sano didn't like this new distrustful nature that suddenly appeared the minute he set foot in East London, but he couldn't help but feel as if he was being scrutinized. He did after all cause quite a scene yesterday morning and he wasn't sure if word about his arrival traveled this far into the city. Even if the folks in this part of town knew about him they wouldn't know who he was if they looked at him. Decked out in a gray suit, white-buttoned shirt, and a black tie he sure as hell didn't look recognizable. His friends in Japan would definitely faint if they saw that he had forgone his trademark gi for a suit, his flimsy shoes for leather boots, and his red bandana for a black velvet ribbon that tied his freshly washed hair away from his face. Mary had somehow managed to smooth down his unruly bangs as well and tuck them behind his ears. Yes, the former Sekihou Tai member could waltz back into Japan and not be noticed by the authorities- that is, without the recognizable smirk on his face. But the people in London didn't know anything about him or the way he smirked so he figured he was safe. He didn't feel so distrustful anymore and finally let himself relax.

Mary shook her head. "You're new around here. I am as well for that matter, however your foreign looks are very obvious. No one gives me a second glance because I blend in."

Sano gave her a sideways glance. "You wouldn't blend in where I come from."

She graced him with a regal smile. "I don't doubt that. You'll have to tell me where you come from. If you should make it back home someday I shall like to visit you."

Sano thought about that. It was a nice idea. "Sure, before I take off I'll sit down with you and tell you all about it."

Mary took his arm and gave it a squeeze to seal the deal. The streets were filled with fancy dressed couples and she was happy to be among them. For the first time since she arrived in England she didn't feel like a whore. She didn't look like one either since Sanosuke had insisted that she wear a beautiful white gown he had pulled out of the closet.

Even though they had agreed to keep their relations on a strict platonic level, Mary began to realize that she felt much different around Sanosuke. Her stomach fluttered whenever he took her by the hand, and her heart raced whenever she felt his hand slide to her waist as he ushered her through the crowded streets. This wasn't good. She took a faint breath and pressed her eyes together for a moment.

_What is going on with me? I've only known this man for a day a half. Why do I feel as if I'm going to go weak all over if he doesn't put his arms around me-?_

Mary snapped her eyes open and saw that Sano eyed her curiously. She gave him a reassuring smile. "Sorry, love. My mind just went off on its own for a bit. Where did you say we were going?" she asked, hoping to take her attention off of his hand, which slid up her back to rest in the space just below her shoulder blades. She wondered if foreigners like Sanosuke were always this friendly.

"We're going to meet Trevor at a hall. He says I should check a real London party."

Mary looked skeptical. "Trevor? The man wanted to kill you the night before last. Why is he being so nice to you?"

Sano gave her one of his own reassuring smiles and stopped in front of a large hall. "He's not such a bad guy. We have more in common that we thought. I think this is it."

Mary gasped in delight. "Trevor asked us to meet him at a ballroom? How wonderful!"

Sanosuke peeked through the open doors, past the couples that filed in and out and saw more couples engaged in something he had never seem before. Men and women held each other and twirled around the floor with such skill they managed not to bump into other couples. Sano eyes grew wide as he stared at everyone in fascination. He figured they were obviously trained very well, for their footwork was phenomenal. Mary noticed that his attention was diverted elsewhere and poked him in the ribs.

"What are you so enthralled about? Doesn't anyone dance where you come from?"

Sano kept his gaze on the activity inside, but turned his head slightly to address Mary's question. "Is that what they're all doing?"

She found his fascination odd. "Yes. Am I right to assume that you've never danced before?"

He turned to fully face her and nodded his head. "It looks kind of hard," he said a shadow of apprehension crossing his face. Mary was surprised to see him look so uncertain. She may have only known him for a day and a half, but she felt it was enough time to ascertain that the expression he sported right now was very uncharacteristic of him. She blew off the nervous tinge in his voice, grabbed his hand and proceeded to march inside the ballroom with the tall, lanky foreigner in tow.

They made quite a spectacle as they entered he for being the only non-Englishman in attendance and she for the look of determination in her eye as she moved expertly through all the dancing couples and successfully claimed a spot on the floor. She skillfully twirled him so that he was positioned before her at arms length, looking down into her face as she clasped his left hand, set his right hand on her upper arm, and placed her own hand on his shoulder. She looked up into his eyes and noticed that he scanned the area around them with what looked like terror. Mary was not having that.

"Excuse me love," she said grabbing his attention. "You should loosen up if you are to learn how to dance properly. Get your back straight now, and your chin up, but do keep your eyes on mine at all times."

Sano found those directions very easy to follow. Kaoru told them to Yahiko all the time during their training sessions. He slowly felt his fear leave him and his confidence return with a vengeance. Mary noted the change in his demeanor.

"That's much better. For now you will follow my lead. When I step forward you step back. When I move to my right, you move to your left. When I twirl you follow my direction. It's not very hard at all. Ready?"

The ex-gangster took a deep breath and nodded his head. If he could take on the worst of Japan's, America's, and England's underworld, then he could certainly learn how to dance. So when Mary took the first step he concentrated hard on where he should move and took a step forward- right onto Mary's foot. The look of pain that washed over her face told him that he made a mistake.

"Remember, I'm leading right now. When you get the hang of this then you can take control and dazzle me with your expertise. All right?"

"Yeah, sorry," Sano said, and glanced down at her foot. "Are you okay?" He felt her hand grip his chin and move his head so that he was facing her once again.

"My foot is fine. Now keep your eyes on mine and remember what I said. Ready?"

She didn't bother waiting for a response. Sano's body moved along with hers and they made one set of steps successfully. Sano grew too confident too quickly and their second set had them bumping into an elderly couple. Mary glared threateningly at the man when he eyed Sano haughtily and she ended up pulling the fighter to a less populated corner of the floor so that they couldn't cause any more trouble. He looked relieved to be in a more secluded area and finally relaxed some more to allow Mary to take him back and forth along the floor and get a better understanding of the footwork. After a while he realized that she had relinquished the lead and he had been the one taking them around the floor for the past few movements. He was pretty proud of himself for mastering yet another art so quickly. He grinned down at his dance partner and leaned in to whisper into her ear.

"You're a good teacher. What's this dance supposed to be?"

Mary returned his grin with a mischievous smile of her own. "It's supposed to be a Waltz, but I don't dance it properly." She lowered her voice. "I dance it like a tart."

Sano wasn't familiar with the term but he was able to understand what she meant all the same. He looked around to see if he could spot Trevor and his escort but the passing couples blocked his view of the entrance and prevented him from getting a good look at anyone. "Trevor's late. He's missing a good time."

"Trevor probably decided not to come. He is nursing quite a swollen lip after all," she added and glanced sheepishly up at Sano who began to laugh heartily. He remembered very clearly how his friend got that swollen lip and had to admit that at the time, he did deserve it.

_Oh well it's his loss_, Sanosuke thought as he moved to twirl around the floor some more with Mary, but he stopped when she suddenly refused to move anymore. She shrugged his hold off her and took his hand to lead him out of the ballroom.

"This is all very lovely, Sano but it's rather boring. If Trevor isn't going to show then lets head back into White Chapel. The Ten Bell's is having an open floor tonight so we can do some real dancing! What do you say? Will you leave your new, beautiful, posh neighborhood and venture into my part of town again?"

They were outside by then and flagging down a carriage. Sano wasn't sure what she was trying to say but he couldn't help feeling offended. "Oi, what are you trying to say?" he asked as a carriage pulled up to them. He helped her inside, and stepped in after her settling down across from her so that he could glower at her directly. She burst into a laughing fit at the sight of his sulky face and moved to tumble into the seat beside him. She leaned into him and gave his chin a soft, tiny peck with her lips.

"Don't be cross. I just thought you wouldn't want to come visit me anymore once you saw what this side of London is like. I didn't mean to imply that you were now a snob."

Sano looked grudgingly at her but he quickly relented and put an arm around her shoulder so that she could rest her head against him, and ultimately tousle her pinned up hairstyle. "I've seen and lived in parts of Japan much worse than what I encountered here. Believe me when I tell you, your part of town doesn't bother me one bit."

Mary quickly sat upright, her eyes sparkling from the new discovery she had just made. "Oh my goodness! You're Japanese!"

The young fighter nodded. "Yep. Before I went to America, I lived in Tokyo. I had friends who lived nearby my apartment building so I was at their place everyday." He stopped before he went any further. He remembered that he wanted to forget about them back in Japan, just for a little while.

She on the other hand wanted to know more, especially since she observed something very interesting about the expression he now wore. "These friends of yours must miss you terribly. The look on your face tells me that you miss them as well."

Sano's body grew stiff. _What look on my face?_ He wondered and turned his head away to look out the window. He didn't want Mary to notice anything else that he didn't want to reveal- whatever that was. His mind had been flooded with thoughts of life back home, which wasn't unusual, but lately those memories were becoming difficult to bear. He couldn't quite understand the odd sinking feeling that came over him whenever an image of Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko, or Megumi appeared in his mind. Sentimental feelings weren't his style so if this is what was happening to him he had to get them out of his head fast.

He felt her hand on his shoulder and he knew that she wanted him to turn and look at her. He knew she would want to know more and he wasn't sure he wanted to talk about it. Her other hand moved to cover his and she gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up."

Sano turned to look at her. She was so nice and understanding. The genuine concern in her eyes reminded him yet again of his friends back home and he sighed softly and gave up. Maybe he should talk about his friends for just a little bit. He had to get them out of his system somehow, and besides he and Mary had been through enough together that he owed her at least a glimpse of his former life.

"It's okay. You weren't too far off."

She gazed at him giving him her undivided attention. "They're like a family- Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko, Megumi- and I like to hang around them. We kind of stumbled upon each other and it just seemed natural that we stick together. I have other friends as well, like my buddies from the gambling halls, and my old friend, Katsu, but Kenshin and the others are the ones that I guess I actually miss."

He felt her hand stroke his softly. "It's all right, love. You don't have to tell me anymore." He turned his hand over so that he could entwine his fingers with hers.

"It's okay. They're great friends and besides, I want to tell you all about them. If you met them I'm sure you'd like them, and I know for a fact that they'd welcome you."

Mary knotted her brows dubiously at him. "Me? I'm nothing but a tramp. They sound too respectable to associate with me."

Sano looked at her, her tone of voice revealing a hint of anger she tried her best to keep from him. He squeezed her hand with his. "Your life wouldn't mean anything to them. They've all survived a darkness that came close to consuming each of them, especially my friend Kenshin. He had the worst past of anyone that I've ever known."

"What happened to him?"

Sano shook his head. He had agreed to divulge but he refused to reveal the disturbing events of the past his best friend suffered through. "I don't want to talk about what he was like in the past. What matters now is that he's a great guy who's helped me fix the things in my life that I managed to mess up. I guess you can say that he saved me." _Yep, he saved me- that runt_, Sano thought and let a small smile play on his lips. Maybe thinking about them back home wasn't so bad after all. He found that thoughts of them eased the anxieties of staying in a new place. They were familiar and therefore comforting. Thoughts of home soothed his uncertainties. If only he could go back home right now. He would bring Mary with him so that she could see the beautiful scenery and meet the wonderful people he had been lucky enough to befriend. _Mary!_

Sano snapped out of his trance and turned to see that she had been calmly watching him as he lost himself in his memories. He felt like kicking himself. Not only did he get easily lost in his conscious mind, but his subconscious mind had a bad sense of direction too! Sano hoped that skill would have developed during his travels but he finally surrendered to the fact that getting lost was just part of his charm. He smiled meekly at his escort and raised his hand to scratch the back of his head.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to space out like that. What was I talking about?"

Mary snuck under his arm to lean against him and rest her head on his chest. She then turned slightly so that she could drape one arm across his waist. "It's all right. You were talking about how you didn't want to talk about your friend's past. If you feel so strongly about it then why don't you tell me about how he is now? In fact we have time before we get to the pub. Tell me about all of your friends back home."

Sano let his arm fall and rest on her shoulder. It sounded like a good way to pass the time and so for the remainder of the ride he did just that.

* * *

"I was thrown out of this place last night."

The gangster said this to the lady in front of said place and the realization finally set in for her. "Oh, you're right."

"So where are we going now?"

"Inside."

Sano wasn't sure she heard him right. "They're going to ask me to leave again. Why waste our time? Let's just go somewhere else. How about we go back to that ballroom on the West side?"

Mary glanced rigidly at him. "Absolutely not! No one will recognize you looking like that. Come on, now," she commanded moving ahead and opening the door so that they could go inside. Sano hesitated for he remembered clearly what the scene had been like last night. If he was going to come face to face with the lifeless yet fearful locals again the result might not be so civil this time around. He didn't want to leave that kind of impression on the city, or on Mary. They might decide not to associate with her if they saw that she hung around a trouble-making foreigner. This was a bad idea on so many levels. He could just feel it. But then, making Mary wait impatiently was another bad idea, for she turned to him and the nasty glare in her eyes clearly ordered him to hurry the hell up. His shoulders sagged and he followed her inside, resigning himself to the inevitable yet again.

They were barely able to get through the door.

A mass of bodies moved to and fro, bumping into each other and toppling canisters of gin along with their imbibers onto the crowded floor. Mary searched blindly for Sano's hand and held firmly onto it as they were shoved to the side by another sea of clumsy, drunk patrons. She was pushed against him and they stumbled along with other victims who had been caught in the momentum, squeezing through bodies that howled and cheered until they finally came to a stop against the wooden barrier of the bar. Sano was glad to be the one who made contact with it instead of Mary. His ribs ached slightly after that.

The wave of drunks continued on after them, as they ducked into an empty nook at one end of the bar. Sano watched the activity around them wondering what on earth all these people were doing. As if she read his mind, Mary answered him pointedly, "They're dancing, love. Don't worry we'll do some of that soon enough. It's still early. We'll wait until the floor clears a little. Care for a drink?"

Sano turned his head ever so slowly to meet her gaze. "_That's_ dancing too? I kind of prefer what we were doing at the ballroom. Um, can you order me one of those things of gin?"

Mary peered steadily at him. "You paying?"

Sano gaped at her. "Uh, well, "he stammered biting his lower lip sheepishly, "You know of all the things that Trevor left for me in that apartment, money didn't seem to be one of them, and I didn't win any during that game."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "I see."

His mind raced for a quick solution, and then it came to him. "You know you're right about these folks not recognizing me. No one's tried to toss me out yet. You think I can put this on my tab?"

It was Mary's turn to gape at him. She shook her head incredulously at him, and raised her hand to get the bartender's attention. She flashed two fingers and then turned her attention back to her companion. "If you ask to put anything on tab you _will_ be thrown out."

Sano didn't find it hard to believe that. When the bartender came over with their drinks he half expected the sea of people to part so that he could be thrown out without anyone being in the way. But none of that happened. The bartender was so busy with other orders that he didn't even give Sano a second glance. In fact no one seemed to even take note of his presence, which was a huge relief to him. He leaned back against the bar's frame, scanned the crowd and downed his drink. It wasn't sake, but it had its own kick that he could appreciate.

He saw the same faces from the night before, and many new ones that passed by to pick up a container of gin and then continue on their way. Those who stopped gave Sano the once over, curious about where he was from and wary that he would cause trouble. But none approached him and that suited the gangster just fine. He turned to pass his empty cup over to the bartender when he caught sight of a familiar face and felt the unpleasant sensation of his blood freeze in his veins. It was the strange man from the other night, the one who had ordered Trevor's gang to attack him. Sano stood up straight and stared hard at the man, his gaze following him as he made his way slowly through the crowd towards the bar and straight toward him. Sano watched him inch closer and closer until he slipped into an opening not three feet from where he stood. The man hadn't noticed him at all but then his body suddenly grew tense for he felt that someone was watching him, and his eyes shifted carefully from one person to another until they finally met the fiery eyes of the ex-gangster. He also gave Sano the once over, scrutinizing him carefully with a hint of recognition. Then he met his eyes again looking expectantly at him.

"May I help you, young Sir?" he politely asked turning away briefly to order his drink and then focused his attention back on the young fighter. Sano tilted his head and knotted his brows.

"Huh? You don't recognize me? Well how about that? I don't know if I should feel relieved or insulted. I was almost sure you wouldn't forget me since I sure as hell made it a point not to forget what you look like. I even gave the cops a description."

The man was taken aback by Sano's last sentence. "The police? Why on earth would the police want me? Really young man you must be mistaken, although I do apologize for I don't remember who you are. How is it that we know each other?"

Sano flashed him his wicked grin, the one he wore during his days as the gangster Zanza, and the man instantly went rigid all over again. His face turned pale, and a line of sweat immediately appeared across his forehead. "You-"

"-Are still pissed off about that night. You remember that night, don't you? You made me get into a fight with a local gang and then you left me to get arrested on my first night in town. That's not how you treat visitors."

The man narrowed his eyes, his brows coming together closely. His glare was unmistakable. "We don't need visitors like you. You assaulted civilians, you defaced city property, and," he leaned in closer so that no one but Sano could hear him, "you killed those women."

A young lady squeezed in between them to pick up a cup of gin, and heard the comment directed at Sano. Before she could catch herself she turned and gasped, staring at him with growing apprehension as her hands began to shake.

Sano groaned inwardly and secretly damned the man to the worst possible tortures in the darkest corner of hell. He was definitely going to pay for this round of trouble he started, but first Sano had to get himself out of this hole before he sank any deeper.

"Sano, who are you talking to?"

He turned to Mary who had leaned forward to peek around his body at the young lady who still stood next to him. She regarded the girl suspiciously quirking an eyebrow at the terrified woman. "Who are you?"

The young woman seemed to grow even more frightened now that she had captured Mary's attention. "Uh, I'm just getting a drink, Miss. I wasn't trying to chat up your friend."

"You weren't?" Mary said hardening her gaze, which made the poor young lady squirm. Then she grasped hold of Sano's shoulders and turned him so that he faced the newcomer. "And why not? Look at him! He's a handsome lad, isn't he? And," she slid over to the startled girl and rubbed her elbow with hers, "he's new in town. I do believe he should meet more people before he starts to think that London is full of drunken prostitutes. Why don't you dance with him?"

Sano whipped his head around so that he could gawk at her, his eyes so wide one would think they would pop right out. The young woman seemed to calm down some, although she was still thrown off by Mary's offer. "Well, I'm not much of a dancer. Um, did you say that he's new in town?" She looked to Sano who had recovered from his shock and decided to remain silent and let Mary work her magic.

"Yes, he just arrived two days ago. He and I have been having a marvelous time, but I think he should make some more friends. What do you say?" She gave the girl a wry smile and winked at her, "Fancy a dance with an exotic gentleman?"

The girl relaxed some more and smiled warmly at Sano, seriously considering taking Mary up on her offer. Sano was relieved that he was saved from another awkward situation, but he wasn't sure he was comfortable with Mary setting him up on dates. He certainly didn't think he needed any help. He always managed to find his own women. But he wasn't about to voice any objections, especially since Mary had gone to the trouble to save him. Both women had now moved on to the side forgetting about him for the moment to drink and giggle about things he had no desire to know about. Yes, all traces of what the man had said previously were forgotten-

_That man! _

Sanosuke looked over to where he had left the bastard, and found that he was gone. Of course He wasn't about to stick around now was he? He left the ladies and moved in through the crowd searching for any sign of the damned stranger. So many faces passed before him, but he knew this particular face. He had stared at the man for so long he had his image engraved in his mind. And what was engraved in his mind materialized through the crowd at the other side of the room. Sano stopped suddenly and stared menacingly at his prey. The man stared back. His arm was around a very drunk young woman at the moment and Sano could see that they were heading for the door. He had to stop them. There was no way he was going to let this creep leave for a good time, not after he attempted to frame him for murder a second time.

_I swear, in each encounter with this guy he's mentioned those women who were murdered. Either this guy knows something about the killer, or…_

The notion entered his head once again and he began to push his way through the crowd to get at him before he escaped again. That had to be it, Sano thought to himself as he squeezed through bodies that seemed to be glued together. _He has to be this killer these people are talking about. He has to be Jack the Ripper_!

The man soon realized he was being pursued and abandoned his date to head for the door. The gangster was determined not to let him get away this time. His anger was back and he was ready to take his aggression out on the lowlife. He didn't care if it got him arrested again. He would happily sit in a jail cell for pummeling the man into the pavement. Bodies moved suddenly and it appeared he now had an opening. Sano took the opportunity and lunged forward with the man still in his sights. Then he was stopped dead in his tracks by a pair of hands that pressed firmly against his shoulders. Sano growled his rage at the damned fool and moved to blindly shove the person aside.

"Whoa, take it easy! I just wanted to say hello that's all." The hands were instantly snatched away for Sano looked like he would bite them clean off, and held up to appeal to the angry gangster to calm down. The voice suddenly caught Sano's attention. He relaxed momentarily to get a good look at who had blocked his path.

"Trevor."

The latter nodded eyeing his friend cautiously. "Funny catching you here, Sano. Are you alright?"

The fighter ignored the question and looked to see if his victim was anywhere in sight. The front door was wide open, swinging on its hinge. Sano felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. He bolted past Trevor and maneuvered expertly through the sea of bar patrons until he was outside in the street. The stranger was nowhere to be seen.

_Damn!_

He turned round and round in the street looking in each possible direction to see if he could get a sense of where he would have headed. Trevor eventually made it to his side, breathing heavily as he leaned on one of Sano's shoulders for support.

"That was fantastic! How did you move through those people so easily?"

Sano reluctantly calmed down, taking one last look down an alley before focusing his attention on Trevor. "Huh?"

"You moved through the crowd like no one was there. And I heard you made short order of a brick wall yesterday morning. You're one amazing chap," Trevor commented, giving the fighter an admiring pat on the back. "You look like you were chasing someone just now. I can let my people know about it and they'll keep an eye out for him. Do you remember what he looks like?"

_I'll never forget what that guy looks like_, Sano vowed although he knew Trevor's efforts would be useless. He shook his head and waved the offer away. "Don't worry about it. He's probably hiding somewhere dark and damp, like a rat. I'll see him again, though. I'm not leaving London until I put him out of commission."

Trevor stared at Sano in awe, his face losing all color as he studied the intense gangster closely. He swallowed hard. "Uh- if you kill him let me know. I can take care of that too."

_What the hell?_ Sano thought as he glanced at his friend critically, overly suspicious once again. It never occurred to him to ask Trevor what it was he did in the streets of White Chapel. "What kind of operation do you run?"

The accusing tone seemed to go right over the other man's head. "Oh, we'll dispose of the body where the authorities won't ever find it. Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it for you."

Sano wasn't sure about this new information he had just learned about Trevor. He always thought it was odd that a man who lived in the fancy part of town came to conduct business in a slum. But he didn't want to learn anymore. The night was young and it had already brought him one too many surprises. He was officially worn out and all he wanted to do now was go back into the bar and dance with Mary. He glanced at Trevor out of the corner of his eye, noting that the other man looked expectantly at him waiting for a response from his earlier comment. He decided to play along for now.

"Thanks, but you won't have to. I'm not going to kill him." He turned away from Trevor, shoved his hands into his pockets and ambled over to the door of the pub. As he passed his friend he turned his head slightly and said nonchalantly over his shoulder, "Although, he'll wish that I did kill him", and then he was inside the pub before he could get a response. Sano didn't bother to see what kind of reaction that brought on. He forgot about Trevor and squeezed through the suffocating crowd again in search for Mary. He figured she would be at the bar so he went in that direction. A pull on his jacket sleeve stopped him.

"There you are, love! I thought you left me."

Sano thought he would never in his life be so happy to see someone. His face brightened as he laid eyes on Mary and he immediately grabbed her in a dancer's embrace and crushed her to him.

"No, I just needed some air. How about that dance?"

Mary raised an eyebrow and scanned the area around them. "Now? It's still so crowded in here. And I don't think anyone is in a condition to do much dancing."

He didn't care much about what anyone else wanted to do. His ears caught the sound of a fiddle that someone had begun to play and he started to sway to the music with Mary in his arms. He turned with her and she followed him, the music suddenly turning into a slow melody that made him relax his grip on Mary and move lazily on the floor with her. He didn't remember hearing this kind of music before. He liked it. He closed his eyes and lost himself in it, allowing his instincts to lead them as they moved back and forth with their bodies pressed closely together.

"Look at you showing off how much of an expert you are. You're quite good at this, and I'm quite a good teacher if you think about it. "

Sano opened his eyes to see Mary move to press her cheek against his chest. She closed her eyes now and snuggled up against him as she relaxed and allowed him to move their bodies along the floor. He had been about to poke fun at her teaching abilities but the look of absolute serenity on her face made him reconsider. She looked so at ease at the moment as if she had nothing at all to worry about outside the pub, outside of his arms. If he only knew how secure she did feel with him.

He hated to disturb her but he noticed many gentlemen pass them and direct hopeful glances at her. "Hey Mary, are you working tonight?"

She didn't even raise her head. "No. I'm not."

She let go of his hand and slid hers around him so that she could circle her arms around his waist. One hand didn't stay there for very long for he felt her fingers travel up his back to stop at the nape of his neck where his ponytail began. Her fingers found the ribbon and tugged it out letting his hair spill loose around his shoulders. A few of his bangs escaped from behind his ear and resumed their natural position in front of his face. He felt her fingers play with his hair and he began to lose himself again in his own world. Memories of home flooded back to him but he felt so calmed that he welcomed them. He was glad to see them, and with that he just danced slowly with Mary in his arms and no worries at all.

They had no idea that they were being observed from afar. Thoughts of death churned within whoever watched them. And he decided it was time to act.


	6. Chapter 6

Within the Shadows- Sanosuke's Adventure in London

**Disclaimer:** All characters of Rurouni Kenshin belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki and all affiliates.

Chapter Six

He had gotten back late last night. Sanosuke barely got himself out of bed that afternoon due to the fact that he was so tired- and due to the fact that the bed that he slept on was enormous. He thought he would never reach the edge after what seemed like an eternity of sliding across the mattress, but when he assumed he was finally able to swing his legs over the edge he realized he had misjudged the distance and nearly slid right off the bed. He had to grab hold of one of the bedposts to keep himself from falling. It was such a long way down to the floor. Not like the beds back home at all.

Sano wasn't much used to this kind of schedule, but he lived by it to spend his time with Mary. He figured she should also be awake by this time and dressed quickly so that he could grab a carriage over to her room at Miller's Court. He had his jacket on again and his bandana tied securely around his head where it belonged. He thought about the night before and a small smile came to his lips. It had felt nice to hold Mary in his arms like that. It was probably the one and only time he actually forgot about the world around him during his travels and truly relaxed. It certainly was a moment he wouldn't soon forget. He hoped Mary wouldn't forget it either, but drunk as she had gotten later on that evening he figured she would dismiss the memory as nothing but a dream. He stepped out of the bedroom and grabbed the house keys off of a nearby dresser, but a knock on the front door stopped him dead in his tracks.

_Who the hell is that_, he wondered stepping slowly, and as quietly as he could with leather boots, toward the door. The knock came again, sharper this time and Sano realized that he had to be prepared for anything. His body tensed as he pressed his back against the wall next to the door. He wrapped his left hand on the knob and then leaned a bit toward the door.

"Who is it?"

"Sano? Is that you?"

Regret washed over the gangster as he turned the knob and opened the door to face the man he had hoped not to encounter for a while. Trevor stood at the stairs with a grim expression on his face. Sano had the odd feeling that the expression was intended for him.

"What's up, Trevor? I'm on my way out."

"To see, Mary?"

The question was laced with an accusing tone that Sano felt was meant for him as well. He didn't like the feeling he got from Trevor one bit, but then the other man lowered his face into his hand and held that same hand up, placating the fighter.

"I'm sorry. That's not any of my business. I don't know what came over me."

Sano studied him closely and immediately knew why the man had come over. He stepped aside and held the door open. "It's okay. Come on in. You're my landlord after all. You're probably doing one of your routine checks on your tenant, right?" Sano offered hoping to take some of the awkwardness out of Trevor's sudden appearance. The other man contemplated what the gangster said and then moved inside past him to enter the apartment. Sano had mixed feelings about closing the door but he didn't want to arouse any more suspicion in Trevor so he reluctantly shut the door and turned to play host.

"Uh, sorry but I don't have anything to offer you." He moved to shove his sack out of a sitting chair. "You can sit here. Hope everything looks okay to you. I've been trying to keep your place clean, so I figured that the less time I spend in it the cleaner it'll stay."

Trevor took the seat that Sano had offered, lowering his body slowly and shifting around on the cushion until he was comfortable. "That's an interesting way of keeping a home clean," he commented and gave the room they occupied the once over. "Everything looks fine to me. I appreciate how well you're taking care of my flat." He then shifted his gaze and fixed Sano with a long penetrating stare. "I also appreciate how you've taken care of Mary. I'm glad to see that she has a friend like you to _look_ after her."

Sano's guard went up at the last sentence. He eyed Trevor cautiously, wondering what the hell he was trying to imply. "I owe her a lot. She helped me get settled here so keeping an eye on her is the least I can do." His thoughts drifted momentarily to his first morning in London and his encounter with the strange man. Sano was sure the stranger would have killed Mary if they hadn't met when they did. He focused back to the present and fixed Trevor with a hard gaze. "I have to keep her safe from the killer that's on the loose."

Trevor nodded his head slightly at that and sat contemplating for a moment. "These are dangerous times, Sano. There's no place to think about trivial things like love, is there?"

The fighter knotted his brows at that one. _Where did that come from?_

His guest sighed deeply and slumped slightly in his chair. He ran a hand through his hair and then straightened back up to explain himself. "I'm a shameless bloke, Sano. I like you a lot and I consider you a friend, but I'm here to ask you if there's anything romantic between you and Mary."

_So that's it_, Sano thought to himself not as surprised as he assumed he should be, although the guy was being a little too nosy for his taste. _He has a thing for Mary_. That explained his first meeting with Trevor and his gang. He had spoke of Mary as if she belonged to him and Sano remembered what that resulted in. He imagined that Trevor couldn't have forgotten either since thanks to Mary he sported a disfigured upper lip that looked like it still hurt. And if he remembered the morning right, that hit in the face almost cost her a beating from his gang! Sano was suspicious of this guy once again but he didn't want to say anything that would jeopardize their meeting.

"Romance isn't on my agenda for my visit. I don't have time for that kind of thing. Besides, there's a lady waiting for me back home and I don't think she'd appreciate me getting close to another woman while I'm traveling."

That wasn't entirely a lie. His reference was of a specific fox-lady back in Japan; he doubted she waited with bated breath for his return, but he liked to think it could happen.

That response seemed to be just what Trevor wanted to hear. He stood up and smoothed his trousers. "I'm glad to hear that. Don't get me wrong. You're a good fellow, but I think Mary needs someone who can take care of her. The last man she shacked up with could never keep a job and he just up and left her anyway. If she'll let me I can provide a nice life for her." He walked up to Sano and held out his hand. "If you're going to see Mary then I'm sure she'll be going to the Ten Bells tonight. I'll be there as well, so I'll see you then."

Sano shook Trevor's hand thankful that he was finally going to leave. He moved to take his hand back but found it was trapped in the other man's iron grip. The grim expression had returned. "Try not to hang around Mary so much. Your presence makes it difficult for a man to make a move." He stared hard at the gangster, expecting him to agree. Sano stared blankly back at him.

Trevor didn't seem to care about getting a response. He released Sano's hand and moved to make his way toward the door. As he passed him he gave the fighter a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Tonight is going to be fun," he declared with a smile that probably hurt his injured mouth. When he was finally gone Sano looked at the door that had closed behind Trevor. He didn't like the feeling that came over him one bit. It felt like he had more reason than ever to protect Mary.

* * *

"Really Sano, I wouldn't worry about Trevor. He's perfectly harmless."

Sanosuke turned from the window of Mary's room to eye her dubiously. She had to be kidding, right?

"For me he's harmless. For you, he's a stalker waiting to happen. I don't trust him."

Mary picked up a red shawl and flung it around her shoulders. She stopped a moment to check her hair in a piece of mirror by the window and then stood expectantly before the ex-gangster. She flashed him a coy smile.

"Quit being so silly. It's Friday. The festivities at the Ten Bells continue well into the morning and I'm looking to get a few customers to dance with." He raised an eyebrow in response, which prompted her to add, "I didn't work last night, and I'm a little short on my rent for this week. The landlord tells me that I have until morning to get the rest or else I'm out."

Sano lowered his eyes to gaze at the floor. "Oh. Sorry."

Mary waved the apology away. "It's my own fault. I had many opportunities to make money this week but I've been incredibly…" she broke off searching thoughtfully for the right word, "Choosy."

Sano knotted his brows not understanding what she meant. She shrugged her shoulders. "With a killer on the loose a girl can't be too careful. But I can't do that tonight." Mary walked past the tall gangster to the door. "Trevor will be there tonight. If he approaches me I can earn all I need for my rent."

Sanosuke's body went stiff and he turned around slowly to face her. He didn't like the sound of this. "That's not a good idea."

Mary just looked at him, unmoved. "You really are being rather foolish about Trevor. What do you have against him now? I thought you had become friends."

She caught him on that one. He sighed at that knowing she had scored a point. It was hard to explain. Trevor seemed nice enough on the outside but there was something deep within him that kept Sano on constant guard. It was something only another fighter would understand and it was something he wished he could talk to Kenshin about. The rurouni would certainly know the right thing to do in this situation. With that in mind Sano stopped and thought hard about what Kenshin would in fact do but he came up with nothing. He wished he had the kind of wisdom that churned underneath his friend's mop of red hair but alas he was on his own with this one. He walked over to where Mary stood and reached out to open the door for her. She glanced tentatively up at him.

"Are you going to be all right with this?"

How was he going to answer that? _No, I'm not all right with it! I want you to stick with me the entire night so that I can keep you safe. If you get thrown out of your apartment you can stay with me, so don't worry about having to work and just enjoy the night._

But, he wouldn't tell her that. "I'm keeping an eye on you all night. If I think a guy is going to try anything that looks dangerous, I'm on the bastard and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

Mary peered up at him through her lashes, silently absorbing what he had said. "You're very bad for business, do you know that? How do you expect me to make my rent with you hovering about?"

Sano smirked at her feeling very satisfied with himself. "As long as certain fellows stay away from you, I won't cause trouble."

Her eyes hardened and she glared at him. "You're not being fair! Do you know how rich Trevor is? An entire night with him will have me set for this week and the next. Why are you making this so hard! Do you think he wants anything special from me? I'm going to shag him senseless. What more do you think he will want?"

Sano wasn't familiar with that term. "Huh?"

A smile crept back onto her face as she trailed a finger over the muscles that peeked through his open gi jacket. "What I did to you a few days ago," she purred reaching up and trailing the finger lightly over his lips.

He felt his cheeks flush and he swallowed hard. "Oh," was all he said as he tried with all of his might to keep himself from revisiting _that_ memory. Mary moved her hand away before his mind wandered into dangerous territory.

"Are you getting shy with me again? You're so cute. Sometimes I wish I never agreed to keep my hands off you," she teased moving to clasp them behind her back as a show of her commitment to her vow. Sano felt the sooner they left her room the better. He gestured toward the open door as he held it open. Mary nodded her thanks.

"Believe me, he wants nothing more than a night with me. Perhaps two nights. I've been dodging him for quite a while. I think it's time to let him catch me, and in order for him to do that _you_ have to be on your best behavior," she said, stressing her words with a firm gaze that told him that she wasn't kidding him in the least. Sano didn't say anything to that. He decided that silence was the best thing at this point. He would try and do some persuading with her later on. He couldn't just accept that Trevor just wanted to spend the night with her. After their conversation this past morning, Sano was convinced that the man wanted to give Mary things that she perhaps didn't want. Or if she did want them, she didn't want them from him.

Sano stopped at the doorway and watched Mary walk to the entranceway of Miller's Court. If she was looking for an easy way to make lots of money tonight then she could sure bet on making it from Trevor. He knew that the man would approach her tonight, and if he got to her first then no one else would get a chance with her. He wondered if she had any idea that Trevor harbored strong feelings for her. Sano felt it was safe to say that Trevor probably loved her. If that was the case he wondered if it was a good idea to mention that to her. If she knew would it change things? He watched as she stopped at the entranceway and turned expectantly, waiting for him to join her. He would drop it for now and wait and see what happened. He wasn't any closer to feeling better about this night.

* * *

Mary saw Trevor immediately head their way upon their entrance into the pub. She knew he had been trying for weeks to get her to spend a few hours with him and the thought of what she had to do tonight filled her with dread. The word among his group was that he had strong feelings for her, but the last thing she needed right now was another bloke who had _those_ kinds of feelings for her. Her last boyfriend was a disappointment and she had no intentions of getting involved with another man just yet. If at all. She told herself to remember what she had said to Sano. It was just for one night.

As he approached Mary felt herself grow tense yet it wasn't from the dread that consumed her. Sano's palm, which rested against the small of her back, seemed to pass the tension he felt at the sight of Trevor, into to her. She wished the dear boy would relax. She was a big girl after all. She glanced up at the tall gangster momentarily and saw that he measured her client with a steady gaze, watching him closely as he stopped before them and held a hand out to her. She turned her gaze to Trevor now and greeted him with the sincerest smile she could muster. Trevor looked absolutely delighted. She then placed her hand into his and watched as he lifted it up to his lips and kissed it softly. The hand that had been so gently positioned against her back, ball up into a fist.

"Mary, you're looking lovely." Trevor said to her, and then he looked over at Sano and nodded his acknowledgement. "Sano, glad you could come. What are your plans for tonight?"

Silence was his answer. Mary wondered if anything had happened between these two to put the gangster into such a bad mood. She took her hand back and turned to look up at him. His eyes met hers briefly and she saw how displeased he looked. She really wished he wasn't so worried about her. It was going to make this night even more difficult for her to live through. She shot him a pleading look, making one last effort to reassure him that she would be all right in the hopes that he would take the hint and not cause trouble. Surprisingly, he backed off. A sweep of air behind her told her that he had dropped his hand, and with that he turned and made his way to a table by the window.

And she was left alone with Trevor.

She pushed aside the slight wave of panic that came over her and turned back to her date, deciding it was time to get to work. The look that she saw on his face instantly brought the panic back. Something had indeed happened between them. Why else would Trevor direct such a nasty glare at Sano? She saw smugness dancing around within his dark eyes and decided, against her better judgment, that she should get things started already. She reached out and took his hand. As if he had been under a spell he blinked and turned to smile brightly at her.

"This is a pleasant surprise, Mary. I was beginning to think that I wouldn't get to spend any time with you. Your friend takes up a lot of your time."

Mary squeezed his elbow and smiled back. "Sano has been protecting me these past few days. He wants to keep Jack the Ripper away from me."

She felt _this_ man grow tense now, as he led her toward the bar. Perhaps her words made him react that way. He held his hand out toward a stool and she took the seat graciously. When he sat down next to her it felt as if he had settled down some.

"I can keep Jack the Ripper away from you," he offered, motioning for the bartender to come take his order. "My circuit will keep you safe, among other things."

She brushed the offer away knowing what other things his circuit could do. "No one knows who Jack the Ripper is. There are so many suspects that it isn't safe for me to associate with any men. Sano just arrived in London two days ago so in that respect I feel safe with him."

Mary glanced at him and noticed that he clenched his jaw tightly. He grinded his teeth slowly and stared vacantly at her as if he were looking right through her. The unsettling feeling she got in her stomach now was something she couldn't ignore. Perhaps Sano was right about him? She couldn't wonder for very long because Trevor snapped out of his trance and frowned disapprovingly.

"Really Mary, you barely know the chap. He made quite a mess his first few minutes in London."

Her gaze hardened on him. He had a lot of nerve bringing that up. "You would know. As I recall you had something to with that."

At that statement, Trevor pulled back as if he had been slapped. He looked as if he searched for an explanation, but she could care less about what he had to say. "Well, Mary I was just being careful. You know how it is. There's so much fear about this Ripper killer, and that posh bastard who joined us made us think you were in danger."

"I was. You were about to punch the daylights out of me." She remembered now why she made it a point to avoid him. When he didn't get his way he made you pay for it. She had the mind to forget about him and get her rent money from another client. The night had just begun. A few gents would get her enough to pay her debt and buy some food staples for the next few days. Yet, as preferable as that was she remembered what her purpose for tonight had been and so she focused on Trevor, and Trevor alone, deciding to let him get his way just this once so that she could rake in just what she needed to get through the week- and then never see him again.

She turned to him ready to accept her fate for the evening when she noticed that he was unusually timid as he sat beside her. She noticed his furrowed brow and the anxious expression on his face as he twisted his fingers together into seemingly painful knots. She wondered what went through his mind at that moment. Was he trying to conjure up an explanation for his behavior that night? Or was he just a nervous wreck thinking that her last comment meant his chance with her was gone? She suppressed a sigh, gave him a sly grin and put her hands on him once again. His gaze instantly shot up to meet hers.

"But then, you always were a rough, commanding sort of man. I find that appealing."

Trevor looked blankly at her for a moment before shifting his gaze to something behind her. Whatever he saw seemed to please him because he smirked slightly as he moved to stand. He held a hand out to her and flashed her a debonair smile.

"I want us to talk some more, but not here. I want some time alone with you. Would you accompany me for a walk?"

Mary hesitated a moment before answering. She truly hadn't expected to leave the bar so soon, and she just knew that Sano would find this absolutely suspicious. She didn't know what to do. She glanced over at her friend and to her surprise found him immersed in a game of cards with some gentlemen. She was dumbfounded for a moment wondering how that came about, but she let it fade quickly happy to see that the locals had finally allowed Sano to show how charming he was. Now, there was nothing to keep her from leaving. She turned to the man who sat patiently waiting for her response. She placed her hand in his and squeezed.

"I'd love to."

* * *

Strange as it was, within minutes of making himself comfortable at a table Sagara Sanosuke found himself joined by a group of bar patrons who had allowed him into their card game. Or they had decided to have their game at his table and dealt him in as a courtesy- or more likely, to avoid a fight with him. Either way the gangster had welcomed the chance to try out his gambling skills again, partake in a round of drinks, and sit among the company of these intense card players who eyed him firmly as he contemplated his next draw. But hand after hand inevitably proved that it was back to normal in terms of his gambling skills. Damn it.

He couldn't believe it. He won like a demon two nights ago, yet tonight he'd be lucky if he could win back the measly amount of change he had started out with. He had managed to scrounge that money up doing various favors for young ladies who needed a hand with their bags, and older women who desired a strong young man to accompany them into the less desirable areas of London. Sano didn't see the big deal with those areas. They were nothing compared to White Chapel, but he did those ladies the favor and was rewarded nicely for his time. He thought it strange that they just up and trusted a complete stranger, and one who was obviously from another country, but then when he thought about it this Jack the Ripper fellow had people doing things they wouldn't normally do in order to keep themselves safe. It was safe to assume that the locals now accepted that he was relatively new in town and therefore not the killer who had been terrorizing them for the past few months. He was very happy to be on the town's good graces but that didn't change the fact that he was now dangerously close to being completely broke once again.

He accepted another set of cards dealt his way and gathered them together to take a look at what he had. He felt like sighing. He wins big one night and bombs the next. He had hoped with that win that his luck would have changed and the streak would continue. But it felt like lady luck was messing with him, letting him feel what winning was like just once and then snatching it away. The sigh threatened to escape him but he caught it in time. These fellows would find out that he had a losing hand and there would go the rest of his loot. He decided his best bet was to try the bluffing trick he had learned from those cowboys back in America. If he did it right he hoped to win his money back and then sit out and just watch the rest of the games until Mary was done for the night.

_Mary._

He straightened abruptly in his chair, grabbing the attention of everyone at the table. They all stared at him as he slowly rose from his seat to scan the entire area of the Ten Bells' Pub, and they all seemed to blanche in unison as Sano's eyes grew wider and wider at the realization that Mary was nowhere to be seen- and neither was Trevor. He absently dropped his cards onto the table and moved to leave when a hand on his elbow stopped him. He was too distracted to get angry, and turned his head mechanically to look down at a pleasant looking middle-aged gentleman. His slightly shaky hand was wrapped firmly around Sano's elbow and he immediately released his grip when he saw that the gangster's intense gaze was directed at him.

"Pardon my rudeness young man, but we're still in the middle of a game. Why are you leaving right now?"

The other table occupants glanced at Sano wondering the same thing. None of them were happy that the game had been interrupted.

"I'm looking for Mary. I don't see her anywhere."

"Oh, she went off with Trevor. Must've left about fifteen minutes ago," a young dockworker said, trying to be as helpful as he could be. However, he shrank under Sano's now fiery glare.

"You saw them leave together?"

The young man nodded, pulling at his collar uneasily. "I did, sir but why do you care so much? You do know what she does for a living, don't you?"

That statement was like a smack to the back of the head. Of course he knew what she did for a living! He just didn't want her making a living off of a man like Trevor. It all felt bad. Like the bad feeling he felt his first night in London. He was confused now. Did he experience that feeling of helpless fear because of the appearance of that strange man, or did it come because of Trevor's presence? Sano couldn't figure it out now. He still wanted to get back at the sneaky bastard who got him into trouble. There was something about him that wasn't right, something that Sano felt deep down in his gut, but then there was Trevor to consider now. And Mary had gone off with him.

His chair tipped backward as he moved to step away from the table. The entire table eyed him and then one another with growing trepidation. They had indeed heard the rumor of what he had done the day he came to town and they had no desire to find out if the rumor of his skills were true. They watched in silence as he circled the table, absently dropped some coins among the chips, and strode out the door. The players spent the next few moments staring at the doorway expecting him to return at any moment. When that didn't happen they turned back to their business and resumed their game, forgetting that the young gangster had ever been there.


	7. Chapter 7

Within the Shadows- Sano's Adventure in London

**Disclaimer: **All characters of Rurouni Kenshin belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki and all affiliates.

Thanks go to a.k.a Arashi for beta-reading this chapter.

Many thanks to all who reviewed. I really appreciate all of your comments.

* * *

Chapter Seven 

The streets were wet and the air actually smelled fresh, something only a rain shower could do for an area like White Chapel. One could still feel the thickness in the air signaling the chance of more rain. Sano would normally stand outside and enjoy the semblance of cleanliness but he had something important to take care of. He stalked his way down the street, checking alleyways as he walked the route to Mary's room. They couldn't have gotten that far, and even if they did his long legs would catch up to them in no time. He didn't care if he promised to stay away from them. He was determined to save Mary from Trevor.

Sano had no time to reflect on his last thought. As he turned a corner he caught sight of someone who made him stop dead in his pursuit. He never expected to see this man again, and he wasn't sure he wanted to deal with him right now. He debated whether to turn back and go down another block but the man had already sensed his presence and now looked over his shoulder to see who had joined him. An unmistakable scowl formed on his face as he turned around fully, and made his way over to the ex-gangster. Sano sighed.

"I thought I said I didn't want to see you again."

Despite his haste Sano couldn't resist a smirk and nodded a hello to Detective Inspector Reid. "No, you said _hoped_ you didn't see me again. You probably figured I'd cause trouble but I'm behaving myself," Sano assured the policeman who was glaring at him with contempt.

Inspector Reid quirked an eyebrow. "Is that so?" He gave Sano the once over, taking satisfactory note of the trousers he wore when suddenly his eyebrows shot straight up. He scrutinized something at Sano's feet for a few moments before his gaze traveled slowly back up to stare the gangster square in the eye. Sano felt an accusation coming his way.

"Something wrong?" he asked suppressing the urge to take a step back as Inspector Reid leaned in close.

"Those are nice boots. Beautifully crafted leather with impeccable shine." His stare turned into another glare. "They look expensive."

Sano felt a sinking feeling in his stomach again as he realized what the policeman was implying. The cop sure seemed to have it in for him.

"I wouldn't know. I borrowed them." And Sano realized too late how bad that sounded. The minute the words were out of his mouth he knew they were the wrong ones to say to the cop. He cursed inwardly as Inspector Reid's lips curled into a wry smile. The policeman raised his head now to look down his nose at the gangster.

"Really? And from where exactly did you borrow these shoes? You know, there have been reports of robberies in the Western part of London. I've seen you in the area. Do you know anything about that?"

Sano wondered if it was against the law to deck a cop in England. It was in Japan and in America. With that he felt it was safe to conclude that the same applied here as well. Shucks. He matched the annoying cops gaze. "Not a thing. I said I borrowed them. From a friend. Now why are you following me around?"

"What I do on the job is none of your concern. Now, which friend are you referring to? Mary Kelly? I assure you that she does not have the resources to afford such fine footwear." Inspector Reid took a step forward, getting too close for Sano's comfort. The policeman was beyond trying to get this out of a ruffian the civilized way. He leaned in closer so that he peered squarely into the gangster's face. "Where did you get them?"

Sano finally took that step back his foot unconsciously falling into his fighting stance. That slight gesture put his entire body on guard and he watched the policeman closely, waiting for anything that signaled a brawl. Reid observed this with interest taking note of the change in demeanor. He also noticed that they now drew a small crowd of curious on-lookers. Where the hell did they come from at this time of night?

"Are you going to make this difficult?"

Sano narrowed his eyes and slipped his hands into his pockets, also conscious of the people who observed them. "I don't owe you an explanation. I'm minding my own business here so leave me the hell alone."

"You know I can't do that, especially now that you seem on the verge of becoming quite belligerent. You'll have to come with me now."

Sano glared at the officer through slits. Reid stared hard at the gangster. "Your footsteps were rather hurried earlier. Where you chasing someone?"

"None of your damn business!" Sano flared, "I've got someone to meet so if you don't mind-"

"Unfortunately for you I mind very much. A stranger pursuing his own vendetta in my part of town is my business indeed. Now I shall not ask you again, sir!"

"Good! Glad to hear that." Sano took another step back and pivoted on his heel away from the angry cop to take off down the street. Or so that was the plan. He never imagined this cop had the skill to read his enemy's intentions. No sooner had Sano turned around than Inspector Reid raised his club and bought it down across the back of Sano's shoulders with one quick swoop. The strike felled the fighter immediately sending him crashing face first onto the ground. It shocked him so badly that he had no sense to break the fall, and so he landed with his full weight the impact of the ground against his body knocking the air out of him.

He cursed inwardly as he struggled to push himself over onto his back. He refused to let a wooden stick wielded by this damned cop affect him. This was just a bump. There was no way that a hit by this policeman could injure him so badly. He moved to slide his arms underneath him and push himself up, but someone grabbed his left wrist and attempted to twist it behind him. He dropped and rolled to the right bringing the person over and down onto the ground with him. The hand still grasped his wrist and Sano turned it and reversed the grip so that he had hold now. He didn't want to do too much damage to this cop but he had somewhere to go and the fool had insisted on getting in his way. So with that, Sano readied himself for the task of dislocating Inspector Reid's shoulder. In one move he planned to rise on one knee and strike with his free hand- but the sound of a whistle made him freeze. No, not just one whistle; several whistles could be heard urgently crying into the night and Sano knew this couldn't be good. He felt the wrist snatch free from his hand and he rolled away from Reid just as he raised his club once again. Instead of looking angry the policeman seemed to be enjoying this.

"You're quite a handful. I'm sorry to see this end but I do have a killer to search for." As he said those words a group of policemen pushed through the crowd and surrounded them. Now the presence of the onlookers began to bother Sano. What the hell were these people here for if they were just going to watch him get arrested? As the officers moved in he realized now that it may be time for him to move on from London and see what the next destination had for him. He just needed to take care of a few things and he could be on his way, but he knew that the policemen had something else in mind. He had to think of something fast. An officer made a grab for his arm but he pivoted and easily avoiding the hand. Another officer went for a more direct approach and raised his club. Sano moved away and avoided that blow as well.

_Shit, this is getting complicated, _he thought as he surveyed the policemen around him. Itwas the last thought to go through his mind as he felt something strike the back of his neck. His limbs went numb and he didn't feel the concrete this time as his body crashed down onto it.

* * *

Mary heard the whistles scream through the darkness and wondered what sort of trouble had occurred. Trevor stopped as did she and they turned to look in the direction from where the shrill noises came. She noted that she and Trevor had come from that very direction and a new sense of uneasiness came over her. She hoped that Sano was still safely back at the bar gambling away whatever money he had accumulated. She wasn't sure why that thought came to mind but she prayed that he was all right. 

Her grip on Trevor's arm must have gotten tight for he suddenly turned to look curiously down at her. The streetlights illuminated his features in a way that made Mary think that he leered down at her. She quickly looked away, her heart pounding, and then turned to him again to ensure that she had imagined what she had seen in his eyes. What she now saw were his eyebrows raised in question.

"Is everything all right, Mary?"

She nodded quickly, perhaps a little too quickly, and loosened her grip on him.

"Why of course. Don't you worry love. I've cleared my entire night just for you. Whenever you're ready we can head back to my room."

Trevor raised just one eyebrow this time and gave her a playful smirk. "We'll go there soon enough. Since we have the entire night I want to savor every moment with you. Let's walk for a bit and enjoy the nighttime air." And with that he turned to look ahead and continue on with her.

Mary was relieved at the momentary stall to her quarters. She really was in no rush. Out in the street, although deserted, it was still a public area where anyone could show up at anytime. Maybe a certain foreigner would come around the corner any minute to ensure her that he had ignored their agreement and was indeed out and about keeping an eye on her. But instead a stout older gentleman appeared, stopping in his tracks at the sight of them. Mary felt as if she recognized him, but she couldn't remember from where. As they approached the man she noticed him smile and nod a greeting toward her. His manner told her that he was interested in more than just a greeting back and normally she would have taken advantage of the opening, but Trevor's presence seemed to stop her from being a proper prostitute. She merely offered a stiff nod back and refrained from glancing back at him as they passed him by. She sighed inwardly. He would have been a nice distraction.

"Don't you ever tire of that?"

The question caught her off guard. A loose string from her skirt got caught underneath her shoe and she found herself stumbling forward. She knew all along that it was loose and she had successfully avoided stepping on it until Trevor threw that odd and rather intrusive question at her. She had the immediate urge to tell him it was none of his damned business. But that certainly wouldn't help in her quest to earn her rent so she held her tongue until her anger fizzled and she could offer him a more dignified response.

"Whatever do you mean, love?"

He shot her a knowing glance. "Come now, Mary. The gentleman we just passed wanted to be one of your clients. A man can sense things like that from other men," he said pointedly his lips pursing into a grim line before he added, "And therefore we tend to become protective of what is ours."

Mary made no attempt to control her reaction this time. "What bloody concern is that of yours? Get this straight, Trevor. We're on a date, and yes I did agree to be yours for the night, but don't go thinking that this means we're going to make this a habit. If you haven't realized it yet, then allow me to enlighten you. I'm a whore! If I have the opportunity to secure future gents, do keep in mind that this date with you will not stop me from doing so. Do you understand all of this, sir?"

Trevor's complexion had grown pale, or at least as pale as she could notice underneath the glow of the streetlights. He obviously hadn't expected this outburst, but then again he knew of her reputation and should have known better than to make such a ridiculous comment. He had without a doubt, asked for it. His momentary shock faded quickly as he straightened himself, squared his shoulders and to her surprise, bowed his head.

"I do, my lady." Then he shifted his head so that he could look up at her through his lashes. "I'm sorry."

Mary was caught off guard again, her eyes following Trevor as he moved now to stand upright. She took note of his gaze, which was fixed on something behind her so she turned her head slightly to see what had caught his attention. She saw no one. She turned back to him perplexed.

"Darling, are you all right?" She asked, noting his gaze darken on what his eyes focused on. She dared another look behind her and wondered what had him so transfixed. When she turned back to him she met his eyes and immediately felt a change come over him. His empty gaze was fixed on hers, bearing so hard into her that she felt like he was trying to peep directly into her head. She felt as if she was being invaded and she looked away.

"Trevor, whatever is the matter?" she asked making sure not to let her voice shake.

She felt his hand on her chin, pulling her back to face him. "I just want to tell you how very pretty you look tonight." He then took her hand in between both of his.

"Oh. Well thank you. I'm certainly pleased that you noticed. Shall we," she asked, gesturing that they continue on their way by claiming her hand back and taking hold of his elbow. He slipped out of her grip and took her hands again.

"We shall, however I remember that there's something that I should have seen to before I went out tonight. I will have to go back home to take care of some business before I can begin my night with you. I'm sorry Mary, but I will have to leave you here. I won't be long. We'll meet in your room. You'll wait for me, won't you?" he asked hopefully, lifting her hand to his lips.

What could she say? Her time with him was being postponed and cut short. God was being very nice to her tonight. She simply nodded, tolerated another kiss on her hand and watched as he dashed away, quickly disappearing within the shadows to leave her in the street all by herself.

Mary was relieved to be rid of him for the moment. She really hadn't been looking forward to this job and anything that delayed it was most welcome. Enjoying her freedom for the time she turned to look at her surroundings and saw the gentleman whom they had passed earlier standing by the streetlamp. He had his eyes fixed on her and when he saw that she noticed him he immediately moved from his spot and made his way over to her. Mary gave him a broad smile and held her hand out as soon as he was at her side. He took it and raised it to his lips.

"Good evening, miss."

Mary took her hand back and gave him a nod. "And a good evening to you, sir. What might I do for you?"

The man's eyes glittered underneath the lamplight showing that he had been drinking. That was a plus for Mary for she could appreciate a good drink. She liked his pleasant demeanor and she liked his face. It was definitely the face of a man who liked to have a good time and she hoped that he had plans to ask her to join him one night. He held a bag in one hand and he shifted it from one to the other before focusing on her again.

"You might allow me to walk you back to your quarters. A woman shouldn't be walking alone so late at night. You know how dangerous these streets are, don't you?"

"You're very kind to offer, sir. I would love it if you accompanied me to my room. If my friend isn't back by then would you like to stay for a bit? I have some potatoes and some lovely fish. I can make you a nice stew if you haven't already eaten?"

The man looked hesitant, and glanced at her with uncertainty. "Are you not taken for the night? I wouldn't want to move in on another man's time with you."

That comment stirred up some rebellion in her. "Nonsense. I belong to no one, and my friend is well aware of that! Come along, darling. You can eat, relax, and then I'll take good care of you. How does that sound?" She had a hold of his hand by then and she started for the direction of her room, pulling him along with her.

"That sounds nice," she heard him say and she felt his hand give hers a gentle squeeze. She glanced back at him and smiled, her gaze falling to see what he held in his other hand.

"That's a lovely bag. Are you a doctor of some sort?" She met his eyes again and he smiled back.

"Of some sort, yes. Are you sure this will be all right with that gentleman I saw you with earlier?" Mary noticed that he didn't sound worried at all. She really liked this man.

"It will be fine, darling now come along." And they continued on to her room, turning the corner of Dorset Street and entering Miller's Court. For a moment Mary felt as if she was being watched and she stopped to look over her shoulder and scan her surroundings. She realized now how much she really wanted Sanosuke to be near. Knowing that he was somewhere in the shadows would have given her some peace of mind, but all she saw were some of her neighbors pass by. Yet she still felt eyes on her and then an unsettling feeling came over her. Could they be the eyes of someone who wanted to hurt her, or could they be those of the killer everyone whispered about? A shudder ran through her and she turned hastily to her door and fumbled with her keys. Her companion noticed her nervous behavior.

"Are you all right?"

To her relief she quickly had the door unlocked and pushed it open so that her client could enter. She glanced at him as he passed by, not a trace of the agitation she felt at the moment revealing itself in her gaze. Her smile looked genuine and once he was inside she followed him and with much alleviation shut the door on whatever it was that made her shake with fear.

* * *

Something was familiar about the hard surface he laid on. Sanosuke felt the coldness of concrete as he awoke to a throbbing pain in his skull. The pain shot up from the back of his neck and made him stumble and buckle down to his knees when he made an attempt to stand. He moved his head lightly from one side to the other, felt the painful stiffness of his bruised muscles give way to allow his bones to click into place, and then vehemently cursed the cop who was to blame for all of this. 

"Fucking bastard…" The words came out in a raspy whisper meant only for him to hear. A soft chuckle told him that someone else had been privy to his comment.

"Ah, those filthy words tell me that you're awake. Did you have pleasant dreams, Mr. Sagara?"

Sano turned his head slightly to the direction of the voice and spotted the shadow of Inspector Reid standing just a few feet from him. Boy did he wish the actual man were in the cell with him. He would pick up where they had left off in the street and make sure the cop's shoulder was beyond repair. The gangster moved his head again so that he could look directly at the policeman. The light in the hallway shone brightly behind Reid making him look more like a silhouette than a man. If his injury had screwed him up in any way he would think that he was looking at a spirit.

"Shut yer cakehole and let me out of here," Sano demanded making use of the handy phrase he picked up from the guys he had played cards with earlier that evening. The silhouette of Reid pulled back as if he had been insulted.

"I beg your pardon, but I most certainly will not! You sir, are a menace and I shall keep you locked up until the next cargo ship sets sail from the docks. By tomorrow morning you will be on your way back to America, and sailing far away from here. Now I suggest you rest up, for you've a long trip ahead of you."

With that Inspector Reid turned and was about to start down the hallway when the sound of creaking metal made him stop abruptly and turn slowly back to look inside of the cell. He had the gangster shackled in chains to ensure that he wouldn't cause any trouble during the night. What the policeman saw now absolutely stunned him.

The shackles were attached to the wall, and Sanosuke grasped the long chain with both hands, focused all of his strength and gave it one hard yank pulling it free from the wall and bringing bits of brick along with it. He then focused on the cuffs and pulled his arms outward to free his bound wrists from one connecting chain, and then he planted his left leg into the floor and kicked up with his right to free his bound ankles from another. He stood in the middle of the cell in a mess of chains that lay littered among brick and slipped his wrists and ankles out of the cuffs to add them to the pile. His neck hurt like hell, and he lifted a hand to massage the tender area. Then he looked up and glared through the bars of the cell at Inspector Reid.

"That blow to my neck could have killed me, you know. A little harder and you wouldn't have needed the chains." He dropped his hand. "By the way, what made you think that chaining me up like a dog would do you any good? I have something to take care of before I leave and there's nothing that you can do to keep me in here. So just give it up and let me go do what I have to do."

Sanosuke's words were cocky and taunting. Inspector Reid, who was now over his shock wanted to get into the cell and knock the smug look from his face. "You, with your brute strength and unpredictable actions? A man like you is very dangerous to the order that I have worked very hard to keep in White Chapel. I can't have you going about doing whatever you damn well please. I don't want you picking fights with innocent people."

Sano felt like laughing. This Reid guy sure knew nothing about the fight he wanted to pick. _And he sure knows nothing about me_, Sano mused as he tested his balance and took one step forward. A wave of dizziness overcame him and he momentarily thought his plans for freedom were over, but he managed to stay on his feet staring steadily at Reid until his head cleared. He hated the helpless feeling this gave him. He hated the fact that he had allowed them to get a shot at him from behind. He was once again crippled by his own bad judgment and he was afraid that this time it would have deadly consequences. Mary came to mind and he couldn't stop himself from worrying about her. He narrowed his eyes at Reid, grabbing the officer's full attention.

"If you keep me in here my friend will be in danger. This Ripper guy is going to kill again."

Inspector Reid raised his eyebrows at that. "Is that so? And are you implying that my setting you free will somehow prevent that? This lovely bond you have with Mary Kelly is very charming, but you're a damned fool if you think I'm going to let you out of here. You are in my way, Mr. Sagara and I intend to make sure that you stay in here and _out_ of my way at whatever cost. Perhaps a harder hit to your neck should take care of that. However I would like to avoid the trouble of having to explain to my superiors why you died in my care, so instead of that I ask that you forget about your friend and make yourself comfortable. Choose wisely, young man. My next move is entirely up to you."

A surge of anger seemed to knock the dizziness out of the gangster, yet it was then followed by a stab of remorse at what he had in mind at that moment. He knew he had vowed not to cause any trouble in this city for it was obviously suffering its share, but this cop was in _his_ way and he had truly wasted all of his time. He felt bad that it had to come to this again. He looked at all of the metal that lay on the floor and then he looked toward the far wall, out the window that overlooked the back property of the police station, and at the back road that lay beyond. He hoped his training paid off.

"Do your cops a favor and don't waste time looking for me. Just deal with your case and let me do my thing." He looked to Reid who now wore an expression of alarm on his face. "Look, I told her that I would protect her. Sorry, but I have to do this. Maybe you'll get what you want and we won't see each other again." And with that he grabbed the long chain off the floor and swung it toward the wall. He remembered Anji the Fallen Monk had done a similar move during their battle long ago, and Sano was happy to have the same result. The bricks exploded beneath the metal and he rushed forward through the burning dust to the fresher air outside and sprinted down the back road before the Metropolitan Police Department could figure out what had happened.

Sano couldn't remember if he had ever run as fast as he did at that moment. He covered a lot of ground and pushed himself through the dizziness that returned and the fatigue that hit him to keep going. He didn't have time to feel bad about what he had done to Reid. He had lost so much time, time that should have been spent watching over Mary. He grinded his teeth together, disappointed in himself for failing her once again and he pumped his legs harder as he sped down the road and into city streets, taking the now familiar route to Mary's room at Miller's Court. He hoped that she was all right. His encounter with Trevor that morning had really shaken him into believing that he wasn't the gentleman he made himself out to be.

It started to rain again and he knew running around in damp clothes would affect him later on. His head hurt badly now but he had no time to think about it. With all that pain he had to guess that he had been unconscious for an hour or so. An hour where Mary was left alone with that creep. He didn't want to think about what might have happened. He hoped she was okay. He finally came to Dorset Street and turned into the entrance of Miller's Court. He spotted Mary's room immediately and hurled himself at the door, finding it open and charging through to enter her room. Her empty room.

Sano hesitated for a second unsure of what to do. He hadn't expected this. He scanned the room briefly with his eyes and with his ki. He saw no one and sensed no one. But someone had recently been here. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. The fireplace burned and cast an orange glow in the room. A small pot sat on the edge and Sano saw the remains of what looked like stew. He looked over at the bed and noted that the sheets were rumpled. Everything indicated that she had been in the room. But where did she go? Sano ran a hand through his hair hoping that would help clear his head. He could swear that Mary said she would be with Trevor all night. So if they were no longer here, then he could have taken her to his part of town. The problem with that was Sano had no idea where Trevor lived. How in hell was he going to find Mary?

He headed back out in the rain closing the door behind him. The wind began to pick-up and it blew the wet leaves up to whirl up and down the alleyways. Sano watched them move, listened to the air howl around him, and wondered if he should take a chance and follow the wind again. He knew he couldn't stay there for long. He had to keep moving in his search for Mary, but he also had to avoid being anywhere Inspector Reid might find him. He had a feeling the damned cops would be looking for him and he knew they would be even more aggressive with him this time around. Another gust whipped past, spraying water into his face and Sano started to move with it, allowing the unseen force of nature to once again to lead him to somewhere unknown.

* * *

When the wind died Sano found himself a few blocks from the Ten Bells Pub. His gut told him there was nothing there for him. He turned around and faced the street heading in the opposite direction and went that way instead. If he remembered the route he would soon come upon a street of public houses, and find the one in particular where he had met Trevor and his gang a few nights ago. If Trevor wasn't there, his gang would certainly be and they would know where their boss had gone. He instantly began to feel better as he quickly reached the building and went inside. He clenched his fists as he eyed each and every person who had turned to see who had come in. He expected Trevor had mentioned their morning confrontation and he was prepared once again to face an angry gang. 

"Hey, Sano you look like a wet rooster! Come on in and dry up."

Goddamn, was that rooster analogy going to follow him everywhere? He loosened his fists, his hard expression softening as he scanned the crowd warily. This he did not expect. He moved cautiously inside and headed for a table where one of Trevor's guards made room for him to sit. Everyone's voices buzzed excitedly around him and he wondered what had them so wound up.

"You're an amazing bloke, you know that?" The guard named Roger said as he patted the seat beside him and set a pint of gin in front of him. Sano settled slowly down into the seat and wondered what he did to deserve this nice welcome.

"We heard Detective Reid is looking for you. Word has it that he's going to make you pay an awful amount, for that hole you put in the station wall. I just don't believe it? How did you do it?"

Sano had to refrain from letting out yet another sigh and from letting his shoulders sag in bewilderment. Word got around way too quickly in London's underworld. He took the mug offered to him, thanked Roger for it and downed half of its contents. He wasn't in the habit of trading battle secrets. "I don't know. It happened so fast. One minute I was in jail, and the next minute I was outside running for my life. I'm looking for Trevor. Any of you know where he might be?" He figured he'd get right to the point, or else they would have him endlessly recounting his encounter with the cops.

Roger looked steadily at him. "Inspector Reid can be a real prick, aye? He should be out looking for that killer instead of bothering honest working folks like us. That'll be that fool policeman's downfall, I can tell you that much." The older man paused, waiting for Sano to respond. The entire room had grown eerily quiet as if they all waited for a response as well. Sanosuke took another gulp of drink and set the empty mug down with a firm thud. Then he turned his head slowly to face Roger. No light banter was going to come out of this gangster.

Roger finally realized that and pursed his lips. "Trevor is out for the evening. If you need something you can talk to me."

Sano raised his eyebrows inquiringly. "You running things now?"

Roger shook his head. "Just for tonight. Trevor's busy, so what can I do for you?"

"You can tell me where Trevor is."

Roger shook his head. "Can't do that. He's not to be disturbed." He leaned in and winked at the gangster. "He's getting his jollies on with Mary."

Sano's hand clenched. He hoped that was all that was happening with Trevor and Mary but he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that came over him. He didn't have time for this.

"They're not in her room, so my guess is that they're at his place. Where does he live?" Sano's tone brought a hush over the entire table. He sat back in his chair and met Roger's gaze. The other man pulled back abruptly his expression immediately becoming dark.

"You've got a lot of nerve asking that, foreigner. Our chat is over. You better leave."

The rest of the room gradually quieted down to observe the exchange, although Sano knew better than that. He knew they were really on their guard and waiting for orders, should that become necessary. Sano felt his blood rush through his veins.

"I'll leave when I know where to find Mary. Her date with Trevor is over."

Roger laughed at him, and he laughed loud. A small group of higher-level gangsters laughed with him and gathered around the guard, ready for anything. "Really? And who the hell are you, her pimp? You've got no business with them and you certainly have no more business with us. Now, get out of here."

The group moved in closer, and stood imposingly over the gangster. They looked as if they meant to help him outside, and Sano wasn't going to have that.

"I told you I'm not leaving until I know where Mary is. If you admire that hole I put in the police station wall imagine what I'll do to one of your guys." He wasn't sure how far he would go if the men decided to attack him but he was fully prepared to do a lot of human damage if it came to that. He stared hard at Roger who didn't look quite as threatening now. He looked up at the men who surrounded them and gestured for them to leave. They all shot him looks of uncertainty.

"Sir, are you sure?" One man asked, hesitating along with the others. Roger nodded and without further argument they all dispersed to various tables nearby. Sano was impressed with the result, and he shot Roger a wry smile.

"Glad you see this my way, sir."

Roger winked at him again. "Actually, I don't. But I don't want them involved since the only person who might know of Trevor's whereabouts would be me. Since he's so rich he has many homes, and I'm the only one here who knows where they are located. So if you have any problems you can take them out on me, because I'm not telling you a damned thing."

Sano wasn't sure what to do now. He had counted on being attacked by a mob. Facing one man who was obviously weaker than him wasn't his idea of a fair fight. He was impressed with Roger. He was willing to risk himself to keep his boss and his subordinates safe. It was an honorable move. But it was also a very cunning one. Sano wasn't sure that the gangsters nearby would just sit and watch him pound their elder member into the floor, so maybe Roger counted on the fact that Sano wouldn't be the type to pick on a weaker opponent.

It was a smart move on Roger's part because Sano had no intention of doing anything. His honor as a fighter didn't allow him to be a bully, so he couldn't go any further with them. He really hated this. Damn Kenshin and that warrior's honor! He knew if he hung around the samurai long enough that honor crap would rub off on him.

Sano knew there was nothing else for him to do now but leave, and so he turned away from Roger and stood up. He felt everyone's eyes watch his every move. He hated this too. The idea of walking away when he knew he could get what he wanted really pissed him off. He was no closer to finding Mary, and that fact pushed all the anger aside and made him sick. How the hell was he going to find her now?

"You know you worry too much about her."

Those words made Sanosuke stop and turn to look at Roger. The older man looked oddly sympathetic and that just made the gangster want to cringe. He had to stop letting his emotions show.

"Mary's quite capable of taking care of herself. She has to be in her line of work. Besides, she's with Trevor so there's no reason to worry. He's become very fond of her. He won't hurt her."

Sano wasn't so sure about that but there was no use explaining. The men in this room would never understand. He made a move to turn away again but Roger stopped him.

"Do you plan to search all of London for them? It'll be a waste of time and you'll catch yourself a deadly cold. Why don't you stay and join us? There's a long night ahead and plenty of gin to drink. We'd love it if you stayed."

He knew Roger wasn't lying about that. All of the gangsters were back to their previous excitement again, eager to pounce on him with questions about what he did in jail and probably how he learned how to cause that kind of damage. Sano actually would have liked to stick around. He knew he'd have a lot of fun with these guys. But he shook his head and turned to leave. No one called him back, and no one followed him out.

Underneath a doorframe outside he stood and contemplated his next move. The rain poured down and chased all signs of life indoors where it was warm and dry. Mary had to be inside of some place. She wouldn't be out in the rain, and she wouldn't want him to be out in it either, not at this late hour. He felt his head ache again and he nestled closer against the door. The murkiness that overcame him now was new to him. He had never felt this helpless before. He had never felt this lost. They were feelings he wasn't used to and he was afraid to dwell too much on them. He knew it would be trouble if he gave in to the temptation to give up.

_Give up? What the hell am I thinking? Even if it takes all night…_

He stepped into the rain again and into the darkness of the cold, wet streets. He wouldn't stop until he knew. Until she was screaming and cursing at him for ruining business for her, he would keep looking for her. Anywhere.

As the gangster went on his search, the rain continued to pelt against roofs and windows. The only other sign of conscious life besides the gangly foreigner walking the streets came that night from Miller's Court. Among the sleeping tenants a faint cry proclaimed the discovery of something that had become all too common in White Chapel. A cry of two familiar words uttered by a quavering voice,

"Oh, murder!"


End file.
