****A/N this is it everyone! I want to thank you for being with me this long. I appreciate all of your comments, and hopefully one day I'll write something else. Thank you all again!****

Epilogue

Dark clouds began to collect overhead and Mika was worried. In fact she was bordering on quietly descending into madness because Raizo had not come up from the rubble that was once the Stone Fox underground stronghold. She still hated herself for looking into his eyes and agreeing to leave him behind. There was simply no excuse for that sort of stupidity. How dare that man ask her to trust him! Of all the nerve! She was here languishing silently, and trying to keep strong for the clan when all she really wanted to do was ring her hands and fret loudly.

The authorities wanted a plausible story, and Mika spun them one about how a smuggling ring was found due to a gas vein that had blown beneath the ground. Those who crawled out by their stumps were collected and sent directly to "jail" The rest didn't make it out. The other had been serious when carrying out Raizo's orders. He said to leave nothing standing and nothing was left. That included him…

The last of the investigators had sped off glad to be rid of the mess that was left of the street. It would take years for this area to revitalize. She would see to it that the merchants were compensated out of the funds they would collect from the Stone Fox's coffers. They wouldn't need them. Not where they were going at least. The Stone Fox was all but eradicated. There may have been a few out in the field that were on missions, but hey would come back to nothing, and would need to make some harsh decisions about what they would do next. They were more than welcome to come for revenge. They would be waiting on them.

She looked at the others, and they all shrugged. They were worried as well, but Mika was not going to leave until she either saw Raizo or his body. She turned to Mia and shrugged. "I think Raizo put Katuso, Aki, and Hachiro in charge in the event that he doesn't return…"

"Mika don't say that! He might just have gotten hung up!" Mai said the words, but even she looked worried. The first drops of rain started to hit her cheeks, and she looked to the ruins of the dry cleaners with trepidation.

"I agree, but we can't just hang out in the open like this. Head back to the mountain. I'll wait on him here. We still have contracts to fulfill, and the lives of the other ninja's need to go on. I'll figure out something if he doesn't show." Mika was trying to think proactively. She was not ready to give up on Raizo yet. Not ever if she had her way, but the longer it took the harder it made it to be positive about Raizo's fate.

Hachiro walked over and placed his hand on her shoulder before fading into the shadows around them. Soon the others followed suit. They would need to get to the mountain and regroup so that they could see what type of numbers they were dealing with. The fight had not been an easy one. So many were out for blood and with the river of blood she almost had to wade through to get topside it was a wonder any of them survived. Mai unwrapped a pack from her waist and handed it to Mika. It had money and a small dagger inside, and Mika dipped her head in thanks. As always the kunoichi of the Black Sand were superhuman in their ability to anticipate the needs of those around them. Mai hugged Mika and faded out to catch up with the others leaving Mika alone on the street.

Mika stood on the street as the wind began to pick up around her. It was promising to be one hell of a storm, and she needed to move if she wasn't going to get caught in it. A deep sigh filled her lungs, and she made her way to the nearest hotel. Luckily with the damage that was done to the street the hotel was having a half off sale on the rooms. They had no intention of leaving their home, and Mika was glad of it. Once they started distributing the money from the Stone Fox they would become rich. She would make sure that the street prospered. Even if it was her last act as Black Sand member.

She paid for her room and went out and bought enough supplied to last her three days. She would give Raizo a week to pull himself from the rubble and then figure out what to do if he didn't. To be honest Mika didn't have any plans for the future. The last three years of her life had centered on Raizo and Asami's training. The thought of going back home had never even occurred to her. She guessed she could continue to work with the clan as a liaison between them and Interpol, but she wasn't sure if she would even want to if Raizo was not there.

By the time night fell Mika had forced herself to eat, and took a shower. Her body was wrapped in a towel that barely covered her, but she wasn't planning on staying up to do anything more strenuous then brushing her hair. She was truly exhausted, and the only thing that was keeping her up was the hope that Raizo was going to walk through the door. She had left word at the front that if he should show to direct him to her room. She wasn't sure what else she could do but wait, but hopefully by the next morning she would have come up with a plan of action.

Mika looked at the bruises that covered her arms and deep sigh filled her lungs. She was not the same person that left Germany to follow Raizo to Japan. She wasn't even sure that she could fit into her old world any longer. So much had changed for her. She began the process of detangling her curly locks, and suddenly something flickered out of the corner of her eye. She gave no indication that she saw it, and continued to detangle her hair with her fingers. She wasn't sure who would dare this time of night, but did they ever chose the wrong time!

She pretended to go about her nightly routine, as she moved to the pack that Mai had left. She was just about to pull out the dagger when a dead body dropped into the middle of the floor. She barely stifled a scream as another figure walked out of the shadows to wrap his arms around her. Dark eyes drifted closed as she felt the full weight of the arms that she had been waiting for close around her. Mika didn't speak at first. She was so afraid that she was imagining him, and would break whatever spell had been cast for her to see him now. She desperately wanted his touch to be real.

"Did you miss me Mika?" Raizo's soft voice warmed her heart and assuaged every fear she had in the last twenty four hours. His hands slowly began to run along her arms, and he pulled back to look at her. His lips set in a slightly sardonic smile.

"Who was that?" Mika stepped back to give him a withering look before turning around, and moving towards the bed. "Don't start with me. I spent the last ten hours thinking I might not see you again. I'd hate to ruin our reunion with blood shed." She glanced at the body on the ground then looked back up at him. "This is a very déjà vu moment, I must say."

"Looks like a member of the Stone Fox who escaped." Raizo let out a soft laugh, and began collecting their dead friend from the floor. Mika wasn't sure how he planned on disposing of the body, and she didn't care. She just wanted him to do it quickly. She had questions, and she expected answers. She watched him walk out of the door, and this time the wait didn't hurt so badly. She knew he was coming back. She was just debating on telling the clan about Raizo being alive when he walked in. He looked as tired as she felt earlier, and suddenly felt guilty for wanting to bombard him with questions.

Raizo wordlessly moved to the bathroom, and closed the door. She heard running water, and Mika took that time to cover her arms. She didn't have anything to hide the bruises on her neck, but a quick turn of the lamp switch and the room was plunged in darkness. She moved under the blankets, and it wasn't long before Raizo came out wrapped in his own towel filling the room with dim light. He looked at the dark room in surprise, but once his eyes adjusted he immediately sought her presence.

Mika for her part had to bite her lip before she made any noises that would make her appear thirsty. This was hard because she was practically parched. The way the water slid down his chest and the light bounced across his golden skin. She practically eye raped him all the way to the bed, and felt no shame in doing so. He belonged to her, and she was going to get to spend the rest of her life showing him.

"Mika, if you continue to watch me that way you'll make me blush." Raizo crawled into bed, and immediately wrapped his arms around her. It was like his body had been waiting on her's because his impressive muscles instantly relaxed once he had settled next to her.

"I can't help it, you're beautiful! What I am I supposed to do?" Mika grumbled into his chest, and gently turned around in a huff. It felt like everyone one of her dreams had come true. "I need to contact the Black Sand, and tell them that you are all right."

Mika made a motion as if she was going to move, but Raizo caught her, before she lifted from the bed. "Do not tell them yet. They will be fine for one night without us. In fact they could deal without us for many nights without us being there."

"Raizo… What are you saying?" Mika turned back around, her limbs tangling with his, and Raizo began to run his fingers through her damp strands.

Raizo looked off for a moment before taking a deep breath. "For three years you gave up everything for me Mika. Your life, your career, and your friends were all put on hold for me."

"Raizo, I...?"

"Even after all of this, are you not tired of the darkness?" Raizo's hands stilled, and this time his gaze met her's straight on. "Have you not been hurt enough?"

Mika gaped at him for a minute, and then it was her turn to take a deep breath steady her nerves. "If you think that we went through all of this just for me to pack up and lose you now, you are highly mistaken!"

"I would come with you."

Mika was caught by surprise yet again, and this time she was silent. Had she dreamed of spending weekends going to the mall and doing regular couple things? Sure. Going on picnics, catching movies and eating ice cream cones on lazy Sunday afternoons? Yes, of course she had. It would be a lie to say that she hadn't, but that wasn't who they were as a couple. That life was not in the cards for them, and Raizo would be miserable leaving his clan in such a way. "Raizo, where is this coming from?"

Raizo's fingers slowly began to stroke along her kin, the tips of each digit tracing an area where a bruise marred her skin. "Mika you couldn't even look me in the eye after you quite justifiably killed Rokuro. Even now you're hiding your bruises from me, so that I can't see them."

Her tongue danced across her lips, and not for the first time did she curse her fate to be in love with an overly observant man. "I was ashamed because I couldn't stop him. I love you, and I love my life with you. I would never trade it for anything!"

"Mika you could have a normal schedule and a normal life again. Maslow…"

"Is that where you have been?" Mika cut him off angrily, and sat up in bed. She wasn't sure he could see her glaring at him, but she was sure the lack of warmth in her voice told the story her facial expressions could not. "You left me on the street worrying about you, so you could decide the course of the rest of my life… with Maslow of all people!"

"Mika…"

"No, you listen to me! You and I are a package deal. Where you go I go. If we are going to be with your clan for a while so be it. If we decide to retire to London then fine, but whatever we do, WE will decide on it together!" Mika turned away from him again, and prepared to go to sleep on her anger. He was speaking nonsense, and needed to sleep.

Mika was just about done with the ninja beside her, so it wasn't a surprise when she was caught off guard and turned over onto her back. "Ten years."

She gasped and vainly tried to forestall Raizo removing her clothing. "What?" Raizo removed her shirt, and tossed it over his head. The pads of his fingers stroking along the newly bared skin. "Raizo, ten years for what?"

Raizo's hands continued their exploration of the bruises over her skin, and this time with his lips. "Ten years, if you give me ten more years with the clan, we can leave, and I will do whatever it is that normal people do for the rest of our lives. I will leave with no regrets, and we can move next door to Maslow, so that I can rub in his face how amazing I look in a sweater vest."

A soft hum escaped her lips, as hands brushed along a particular sensitive part of her body. She squirmed and pulled him down into the kiss that she had been waiting for forever. She broke the kiss with a laugh, and a slow shake of her head. "You're petty."

"Maybe, but do you disagree?" In emphasis Raizo took her hands and slid them from his shoulders all the way to his waist. Mika had no arguments to bring forth, so she began her own explorative mission over his body. It was also the chance she hadn't had earlier to see if he was hurt. "Mika, if you don't focus I'll have to punish you."

"I just want to make sure that you're okay! Can't I make sure that the man I love is fine?" Mika was finding it very hard to concentrate with the way his hands continue drift lower along her skin. It was making her lose track of what they were talking about. "Raizo, I can't think with your doing that!"

He leaned over, and the tip of his tongue brushed along the column of her neck before turning into little nibbles that ended at her shoulder. A soft kiss was placed just below her hear, before warm air brushed against hear earlobe in a soft whisper. "Stop thinking."

"If you insist, but we will talk about this later." Mika was more than ready to give in. Her tongue trailed across one his older scars, and Raizo pinned her to the bed with a shake of his head. Mika huffed in frustration, as he was making it really hard to seduce him. "I'm trying to seduce you and you have me pinned down."

He took her small hand brought it down between them to curl around him. "As you can see there is no need, I'm ready." The tips of his fingers slid deep inside of her pulling a low moan from her lips. He brought the damp digits to his lips to suck away the taste of her. "You however are not. So I'm going to take care of you first."

Mika began to see Stars as his head dipped to replace his fingers. "I…L.. guess we can call the clan tomorrow…." Mika hedged still trying to be good despite the delicious corruption that Raizo was causing with his tongue. "Ohhh, or…or not."

Raizo chuckled but did not stop his ministrations over Mika's person. "Mmm-mmmm"

They spent long lazy hours making love, and by the end of the night Mika had agreed to most of the terms that Raizo had put forth. There would be no teasing Maslow, but there would be plenty of love and laughter. They spent ten years building and the Black Sand up, but there were those who didn't want to lose Raizo. However, that's a story for another time.

The end