AN: I' sorry I didn't post thi sooner. I've had a ton of personal things the last few years, and I'm just now getting to where I can think about fanfics again. This chapter will be a small diversion from the rest of the story. It's actually something I meant to include in the last chapter of "Firebird" but didn't, so here it is now. Please enjoy!

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Turning The Page Ch. 3

"Salvation"

A young woman, barely 20 was making her way home from a nearby town. She softly patted her horse's side as the black mare carried her down the road.

"I hope I didn't forget anything…" She commented aloud to herself as she mentally checked over the things she'd bought.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by a strange noise. It was low and deep, and sounded like a wounded animal. Her instinct was to jump down from the horse and go find the poor creature, but she hesitated. She knew injured animals could sometimes act aggressively…but she also knew she'd never forgive herself if she didn't at least see what was going on.

"Slow down, Li." She instructed the horse.

After a moment, the mare came to a stop and the woman climbed down. She took the reins in her hand, and led the mare toward the side of the road. There was a scraggly tree, and the woman tied the reigns to one of the branches. She heard the noise again, and followed its sound into the bushes. She didn't have to go far to find the source.

"Oh, my…" She gasped as she saw the man lying beaten and unconscious. He was bleeding and burned, but the woman was nearly positive he could still be saved. She was mildly surprised to see his appearance resembled her own, but there were other things to worry about at the moment.

She took a deep breath, and leaned down to do her best to lift him up. 'I hope this isn't a mistake.' She thought, biting her lip as she began slowly pulling him toward her black mare. 'There's a chance he's a bandit…but still…I can't let him die.'

When she reached her horse, Li knelt down so she could lay the man across her broad back. As she traveled the rest of the short distance to her quiet, secluded home, her mind kept weighing the pros and cons of what she was doing. 'I could be killed…' she realized. 'But if that is the case, at least I would die having saved another's life.'

Once she reached her home, She lead Li right up to the door before having the mare kneel again. She then lifted the man down and did her best to carry him inside the house. She half dropped, half laid the man on the bed before hurrying off to deal with Li. She unloaded the supplies she bought, and set them just inside the door before taking Li to the small barn behind her home.

As she reentered the house, her eyes fell on the strange man again. With a thoughtful sigh, she began gathering the few medical supplies she kept. She had various ointments and medicines that she'd bought from a traveling doctor about a month ago, and now she was glad she had. She deposited the supplies on a small table by the man before getting a large black pot from the kitchen and carrying it outside. She filled the pot with water from a small, clear stream that ran behind her house before taking it back inside and setting it over a fire to boil. Her mother has always told her warm water was best for cleaning jus about everything…and she hoped that held true for wounds.

While she waited for the water to boil, she went and dug out a bag of old clothing she'd torn into bandages. She usually used the bandages to treat small cuts she received, or any injuries any of her animals received…now she only hoped there were enough to treat the stranger.

She retrieved the pot of water and carried it to the bedside, careful not to spill any of its boiling contents. With a sigh, she began to remove the man's shirt, and wash the wounds with warm, wet cloths.

The woman had just poured some soup, her dinner for the night, into a bowl when she noticed movement from the bed. There was a groan, as the man slowly raised his and to his forehead. She set down her bowl, and rushed to his side.

"Sir, can you hear me?" She asked. "How are you feeling?"

"What?" He asked his voice hoarse. "Where am I?"

The woman helped him into a sitting position. "I found you injured, and brought you to my home."

He turned his head, and looked at her for the first time. She was rather small, but looked as if she was used to hard work. She had long blonde hair pulled into two braids, and deep blue eyes that were filled with concern, curiosity, and wonder.

"Who…who are you?" He asked.

"My name is Xiao Baitu….what is yours?" She replied.

The man opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it again. He lowered his own blue orbs and turned his head towards his lap. Blonde hair fell across his face as he spoke again. "I don't remember."

Xiao Baitu smiled caringly as she reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder. "I know…how do you like the name Shui?"

A smile crossed the man's lips as he looked back to her. "I like that."

"Good." Xiao Baitu stood up, and moved toward the pot of soup. She got another bowl out and poured some of the hot stew into it before carrying it to Shui. "Here…you'll need to eat if you want to get better."

The blonde man took the bowl and began to eat, glancing up every so often to watch as his rescuer ate her own dinner. Both were sure of one thing, their lives would change form this moment on.

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"Xiao Baitu, I told you I'd do that from now on." Shui scolded as he stepped outside to find her chopping firewood.

"And I told you I could do it for myself." She replied. "I always have. Besides…shouldn't you be inside resting?"

"I feel fine." He replied. "I've been resting for three weeks…any longer and I may go crazy." He walked up to her and took the axe from her small hands.

"But—" She began.

"But nothing." He insisted, as he began to swing the axe. "Why don't you go check for new eggs in the barn or something?"

Xiao Baitu did her best to act upset, but she couldn't. The truth was Shui often ended up amusing her. She got the feeling that in his former life, he'd been a leader of some sort…and still wanted to be in charge. "Please?" She said.

"Please what?" He asked.

"Oh, how about. 'Please let me chop wood while you tend to the animals, Xiao Baitu.'?" She answered. Crossing her arms with a smirk. "Or 'Please don't get mad at me and make me cook my own dinner because I was trying to run your farm.'."

Shui laughed as he realized her meaning. "I'm sorry…I just hate to see you work so hard when you don't have to. Besides, whatever I can do around here for you is all I can do to thank you for saving me."

Xiao Baitu smiled as he spoke. "I know." She said softly. "I'm just glad I was able to help you."

As she turned and headed to check on the chickens, she felt a strange feeling deep inside. She shook her head, unsure of what it was. 'I can't worry myself with things like that now.'

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One night, a few months after Xiao Baitu first found Shui, the two were sitting in front of a small fire. The weather had turned cold, and the small house was drafty.

"I'll do what I can to patch the gaps in the walls tomorrow." Shui said, watching the flames dance before him.

"Thank you." Xiao Baitu replied softly. She'd been thinking more and more about her relationship with Shui, and had come to the realization that she loved him. The problem was, she wasn't sure how to tell him.

Both sat in silence a while before Shui spoke again, his eyes never leaving the flames. "I don't know what kind of man I was before I met you…or what kind of life I lead…" He finally dared to look at her. "But somehow I know I'm happier now then I have been in a very long time."

Xiao Baitu was taken aback. "You mean…"

"I mean I love you…" He clarified. "If you'll have me…"

She smiled as she watched him. Tears filled the corners of her eyes as she nodded. He smiled, and leaned towards her, softly kissing her for the first time.

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Many miles away, the emporer of Konan had just presented his baby daughter, only four months old, to his subjects for the first time. His mind went briefly to an opponent who had vanished after the final battle. The emporer wondered if the man had indeed died, or if he'd survived and was still out there somewhere. Either way, somehow he knew the man was no longer a threat to him, his family, and subjects.

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AN: I hope that didn't seem too...rushed. I wrote this chapter as a favr to my wonderful Mue, Luna-nee-Chan. She wanted a happy ending for Nakago, so here's my best attempt at one. And I promise, I'm going to do my very best to get chapter four up and running really soon. Unles things change, I plan on it being Okami and Chichiri's chapter.