A/N: Hey all, I'm sorry if this chapter seems a bit more hack-and-slash than my usual work, but as I say… I am bored of this. However, I am making my best efforts not to leave my works unfinished and so I will finish this off, albeit with a slightly lower quality of work.

So be kind, and thank you for all who have stuck with me through this dreg of a story.

Chapter 24: A True Urashima

As Keitaro was thrown from the Annex and shattered the glass window, it was as if time slowed to a near stop. If she'd wanted, Motoko could've counted the individual specks of glass hovering in the air. However, the residing pieces of the window held no interest for her. Her attention was focused cleanly, completely on the man who was slowly falling towards the ground, and certain death.

In a pointless gesture, Motoko felt her legs move towards the man she loved, though it was fruitless. She knew, no matter how hard she ran, no matter how fast she was, she could never reach him before he would die. But she couldn't let him die, no matter what happened. Bearing all her will, imbuing her desire into her voice, she shouted out one single word.

"NO!"

It was no matter, despite her call and desire, Keitaro disappeared from her sight. Fruitlessly, she ran to the window as time resumed it's normal pace. She leaned far over the lip of what was now a hole in the wall. Groaning, she let her arms dangle as if she could still reach him. Motoko kept her eyes shut tight, knowing she couldn't bear to look at the body of the man she'd care so deeply for. She just couldn't.

He was dead now, and no matter what she would do in her life, nothing would fix that. She let the tears she'd been holding back out now… They were stupid, stupid tears. Crying couldn't fix anything, but she still couldn't seem to stop. They continued to flow freely from her, falling surely onto his body down below.

"Hey," a soft voice interrupted her. "Motoko is much prettier when she's smiling."

Motoko opened her eyes in shock. That had sounded just like…

"Keitaro?!" she shouted, looking down at him.

A small piece of the Annex had seemly sprung out to catch him as he fell, catching him cleanly. She couldn't believe it. He was alive… despite the impossibility of it. Happiness flooded through her. He was alive! Keitaro was alive!

Now, the tears of despair and rage were replaced by tears of happiness at finding her beloved alive and well… albeit in a bit of a precarious situation. Despite the drugs that must be still flooding his system, he sat up slowly, and spoke to her, his glowing smile still in place.

"Don't cry so much…" he muttered. "After all, you're a warrior, right?"

How she was thankful to hear that voice. It was all she could do not to leap down and kiss him right there. However, something was different… after a moment, she realized what it was.

"Ri… Right! How did the Annex catch you?"

"It obeys Urashimas," he said simply.

"But you were drugged. You could barely…"

"Not me," he said, looking at her. "You. You ordered the Annex to catch me… even if it was a little hack-and-slash in the order."

"But I'm not an Urashima…"

"Aren't you? Kanako isn't anymore my blood than you, but she's an Urashima in her mind… or was until about a minute ago. Who do you think you are?"

Of course… Of course she knew who she was.

"I'll be right back for you," Motoko told him.

"Right, oh, and Motoko?"

"Yes?" she asked, looking at him with happiness spreading through every inch of her body.

"I love you too."

Motoko felt pure and unbridled pleasure course through every cell in her body as she commanded the Annex to push her back up onto her feet. Kanako was there, glowering heavily at her. The insane woman rushed at Motoko, only to find the Annex pushed her back at Motoko's demands.

"You bitch," she muttered.

"You don't get it, do you?" asked Motoko, moving forward slowly. "I love Keitaro, and I'd do whatever it took to protect him… to be with him. To be with him is the most important thing in the world to me. I don't want to own him or mark him like some property. I love him… and that… that is what makes me an Urashima!"

Motoko held out her hand, and the Urashima blade appeared in her grasp, obeying her call.

"You said it correctly," she told Kanako. "This place, this blade… they obey the Urashimas. Do you really want to test which one of us deserves that title more?"

Kanako turned to run away, but Motoko was faster, and tripped her up, slamming her face into the ground, hard. The witch tried to escape, but the kendo expert hit her in the back of the head with the hilt of the blade. The woman collapsed instantly, a small bit of breath escaping as she hit the floor.

Motoko carefully retrieved Keitaro from where the Annex had saved him, and arm-in-arm, they carefully exited the building, carrying Kanako.

…

Keitaro had to admit he was impressed with Motoko, and not just because she'd overcome all the obstacles in the Annex. She'd finally allowed herself to let go of the terror inside herself, and embraced the idea of being in love… despite the dangers to herself. To the point that she'd even been able to command the Annex, a feat he would've thought impossible for anyone else until now.

The put Kanako and Naru down under a large oak tree once they'd left the Annex. Despite what they had done… however despicable it may be… he didn't want them hurt or dead. They needed help… a lot of it. Granny would know what to do with them. He figured that he and his samurai warrior had dealt with more than enough for now, and the two lay next to one another, watching as what was left of that horrible building collapsed under the damages, without anyone inside to hold it up.

For hours they lay there, looking at the stars and the bright full moon, determined not to leave one another's side. And they wouldn't move from that spot until morning, when they both agreed they would have to move.

They next week and a half sped by in a blaze. Before he knew what was happening, Granny was back at the apartments, thoroughly chastising Kanako and Naru, and making plans for them to receive several rounds of therapy. He didn't know if they would end up staying at the apartments in the end or not, but they did have an order to stay out of his and Motoko's relationship.

If anything, that relationship had surprised Grandma Hina more than anything else.

"I could've seen you dating most of the girls here," she said. "But I figured Naru would be the one you would end up with."

He shook his head.

"Maybe at one time, but I really love Motoko and she loves me…"

Both women smiled warmly at him, Motoko taking his arm warmly. They may not know exactly what their future would bring, or where they would end up in the world. But one thing was sure, they would face it together.

END

HR