By Valandra

A/N: Thank you all for the reviews. Especially SnowSystem, I truly appreciate it; my heartfelt thanks. Writing the story was sort of therapeutic itself, and I was feeling better once I had it finished.

I honestly had no intention of continuing this…story, in any way, shape, or form. As my best friend found it, it's very symbolic of what I was feeling when I wrote it. That's not something I've done in any of my other writing, so it surprised her. But reading over it again after avoiding it since it was finished/posted, I've gotten the longing to do a sort of epilogue to it.

Two o'clock on Friday morning, the Yagyu manor was silent, save for the sounds of those in deep sleep. Standing on the front porch, Nasty was vaguely disturbed by this lack of noise, as those low sounds couldn't reach her. True, she was back early, but that didn't mean she had expected to find the five teenagers living in her home doing anything…reckless; not at all.

Bah, might as well give it a rest; not like there's anyone out here to convince, grinning at herself, she quietly unlocked the front door.

^Oh, still think they might be up to something?^

It's too quiet, something I wish you'd learn to be. Damn conscience. Toning down her grin to a small, rueful smile, Nasty silently entered her home. She kept a wary eye out for the others; Ian might have called, wanting to make sure she made it back safe. Practical joke or not, having someone like Shu jump out at you from nowhere can be damn scary; especially when he has you pinned before you can scream. Considering her (and their) past, she felt she was in her rights; wasn't her fault she clubbed the side of his head with her mini-briefcase.

Chuckling softly to herself as she removed her coat and shoes, she placed them in the hall closet before slipping on a pair of slippers. Laying her keys in the small woven bowl by the door, she cautiously made her way to the kitchen. Not seeing any of the guys, she let herself consider the possibility that they had already gone to bed.

Getting a glass out of the cabinet, she hunted down some bottled water, refusing to settle for tap. The kitchen was clean, dishes in the drain and none in the sink. She found some leftovers in the refrigerator. Walking over to the sink, she looked out the window overlooking the backyard, making sure the guys weren't out there, horsing around. It was male free, but something about the yard was nagging at her. Frowning, she went to the back door and turning the porch lights on before she stepped out side.

She was in the yard, off the patio before she realized what was nagging at her; she was grateful that it took her so long only because it meant her falling glass wouldn't break. Her back yard was a total mess! Huge patches of grass were turned up and missing. Small holes scattered all over the place, like some ground creature had been playing bop the mole. Larger, more shallow hollows were also numerous.

The implements of such destruction were nowhere in sight, and she wasn't too keen on the idea of looking around the lake. Just hope that the pier was in one pi…intact and where it belongs.

It reminded her of when the guys would train during the war, with the yorois. True, they still practiced, but she'd not seen them in the yorois in…over a year now, at least; not even the sub-armor.

Numbly picking up her glass, Nasty couldn't decide if she should be furious or worried. Worried that there was something coming, or that had already come, that the guys were preparing for…or were already off taking care of. Or furious that they'd torn up her backyard and hadn't tried to put it back together; or in some semblance of normal.

Reaching the patio again, she chose the path leading to furious. There were a few patio chairs sitting around a small glass table, and a few more folded chairs leaning against the side of the house. There were three chairs opened around the table, and all were buried. Towels, shirts, and socks all took up one chair. A few balls of various shapes and sizes took up the next chair, along with other equipment that went with the balls. Various other things were in the final chair; she made out a Frisbee before she decided to go back inside.

Hand on the door, her eyes caught sight of an assortment of water guns and water-hose attachments. She shuddered to think of the damage, and prayed they kept it all outside.

Dumping her glass in the sink after rinsing it out and off, she headed for the living room. She planned on finding a nice, "nothing major really happens" movie to take upstairs and fall asleep to. "Grease" sounds good, she thought. Something relaxing, so I don't do anything rash when I confront the guys about the backyard. Like ringing someone's neck….

^More like hanging off it.^

Why aren't you ever helpful? Like maybe give a few suggestions?

^Just threaten to have them help you give your next lecture at the college.^

Hmm…not bad.

^Naturally.^

Shaking her head, Nasty chuckled to herself. Her breath caught though, once she entered the living room. She didn't snap out of her daze until she felt Byakuen brush up against her. Her hand moved automatically to his head and started scratching behind his ears, but she didn't take her eyes off the sight before her.

In various states of dress ^Undress more like,^ the five youths were spread out on the living room floor. Though, after a bit more staring, Nasty realized they weren't really that spread out; more like, as huddled together as possible, without suffocating each other.

There were a few blankets pilled on-top of each other for padding, with the boys laying on those. Pillows were scattered about, most under a head. Shu had a pillow on his chest (as well as a sheet from the waist down), but Ryo had his head on that one. Seiji was on Shu's other side, though not laying on him, more like leaning into him.

Shin was behind Ryo, laying on his stomach; but he had an arm thrown over Ryo's waist. It took her getting on her tiptoes (since Byakuen wouldn't let her get any close to the group) to realize that Shin had his hand curled around Ryo's.

Touma was behind Seiji, their backs propping the other up so they were lying on their sides. He gave Nasty the impression of standing guard, watching for anything that might come.

She could sense that something had happened while she was gone, and Byakuen's…protectiveness enforced it. But…she could also feel…something among the five youths sleeping before her, something she'd not felt around them in too long.

Kneeling down next to Byakuen, gripping him around the neck in a hug, Nasty smiled gently at the boys. Laying her head atop Byakuen's before releasing her hug, Nasty stood and silently left the room.

Just as quietly, she prepared for bed. As she curled up beneath her sheets, she thought to herself: They have until they realize I'm back before they have to start explaining. She slept soundly that night, a grin firmly in place.

Owari