Author's Note: I'm sorry for the ridiculous amount of time that it took for me to update this story. I would start spitting out my excuses why, but just know that they're really good. Thanks. Jen23

Short summary of the chapter before this: Domon had been devastated over Rain being shot till he found out about the new super thin, bullet proof vest that saved her. Later in the hall it became completely dark after Kin shut the power off. Upon the lights coming back on, Domon and Rain saw Kano, Zed, Kin and a wounded Taya from a gunshot. Domon demanded to know who shot Taya, since he knew in the dark that one of them thought they had actually shot Rain. Surprising everyone, George de Sand appeared to help out his friends. Next, Commissioner Karato made his presence known. To top it all off, Princess Maria Louise showed up. Still no one knows of the old man who is very upset to see that Rain is alive.

Chapter 12: Things Are Not Always As They Seem

Kin looked around the hall feeling disgusted with himself since none of his scheming had worked. Domon and Rain's relationship was as strong as ever even after the numerous times he tried to turn them against one another. Look at them, he thought miserably. I'll never have Rain. What ever happened to me getting any woman I want; married or not? What's worse it that now I'll never be Neo-Japan's gundam fighter. Kin's disappointment made him feel more frustrated than he had ever felt before. It was as if he was seriously beginning to really lose his mind. Then from what seemed like out of nowhere Kin's uncle's voice cut into his thoughts, leaving the young man to wish that he could tell the now apparently healthy commissioner to just shut up.

"You believe that someone is truly trying to kill Rain?" Commissioner Karato asked, hoping it wasn't so.

"Among other things," Domon said as he recalled how Kano and Zed tried to make Rain appear to be a drunk.

Knowing what his uncle must be thinking, Kin said in a deadly voice, "Domon should have taken the letter more seriously." Don't you think so uncle?

The King of Hearts couldn't deny that he was upset with himself for not doing so. However, with the surprise of George, his Princess, and Commissioner Karato now there, Domon told himself not to lose it again. In truth, he wouldn't mind knocking Kin out for good, since the younger man had awoken too soon from Domon's last punch.

As if reading her husband's mind, Rain looked into his eyes and nodded her head at him that she agreed that it just wasn't worth it to acknowledge Kin.

Kin began to enjoy the psychotic state that he felt himself slipping into. It didn't even bother him that Domon could kill him with his bare hands right then and there. Nothing had gone as Kin had planned and now he found things easier to deal with by finding everything amusing. The only thing he had done successfully was destroying all of the work Rain had in her computer for Burning Gundam, but at the moment he couldn't even recall doing that.

Glad to see that Domon was restraining himself from hurting Kin, Commissioner Karato looked at the King of Hearts and shook his head in disappointment as he said, "I do know that I need to handle my nephew, Domon. I would have handled him sooner if I wouldn't have had the heart attack."

Both Domon and Rain looked back at Karato strangely; able to tell that there was something that he felt they should know.

Seeing that they had questions, Karato said, "It's about the letter. Right after I showed it to you I regretted doing so because I soon figured out that I could handle it myself."

"What do you mean?" Domon asked perplexed.

"You knew who wrote it?" Rain asked remembering the day they found out about it. "Is that what brought on your heart attack?"

"I suppose so," Commissioner Karato answered. "But I always did need to take better care of myself."

Still keeping his temper in check, Domon said, "But, Commissioner Karato. Why wouldn't you have told us in the hospital that you knew who wrote the letter? I could have better protected Rain."

At first the commissioner didn't verbally answer Domon, but rather pinned his nephew with a cold, hard stare. "Because there were still some doubts, I foolishly didn't say anything. But… now I know who wrote it."

Now also looking at Kin, Domon realized he wrote the letter, and very coldly said, "I knew you wanted to take my place as Neo-Japan's fighter, but I really didn't think you could sink to wanting to…murder Rain."

"Why not?' Kin asked so happily. "With Rain out of the picture you would have fallin apart and then I could have been Neo-Japan's gundam fighter."

Rain placed a hand on Domon's shoulder to attempt to keep him calm before he totally lost control.

Even George found himself beyond angry as he said to Kin, "And to think that you acted as if you truly cared for Rain, when you really planned on taking her life."

"You're wrong," Kin said not really caring what happened to him anymore; the walls of his sanity shrinking. "My original plan wasn't to kill Rain. My original plan was to take Domon's place as Neo-Japan's pilot and that alone. The new part of the plan was to take his wife to my bed."

The King of Hearts became livid, but to his surprise, Rain moved in front of Kin first and said, "I must have been out of my mind when I thought it was a good idea for Domon to train you."

"I'd rather you be out of your dress," Kin replied.

With that, Rain gave the young man a hard slap across his face, which made everyone gasp.

Slowly turning his head back to Rain, Kin said, "Oh. So you like it rough."

"That's it," Domon said till George grabbed him hard by the arm.

Disgusted with Kin, George said, "He is not worth it, Domon."

"No. He isn't," Princess Marie Louise added as she closed her eyes and turned her head up and away from Kin.

As Kin's eyes found the Princess, he said, "Aren't you quite a little firecracker. If I could get my hands on you, I'd make you not want your uptight boyfriend's hands on you ever again."

Now it was Domon holding George back as the knight said to Kin, "You will never touch my princess!"

"Oh, George," the Princess said in a dreamy voice, not really affected by what Kin had said. "You know I only want your hands all over me."

With the princesses words, the serious mood slowly but surely began to change. Domon and Rain found their eyes on each other and actually had to fight a laugh from escaping. The Princess never did hide what she'd like to do with George.

As the knight felt Domon releasing him, George could only look back at his princess; his face flushed.

Still feeling badly over all that happened, Commissioner Karato sounded very disappointed as he said, "I knew Kin wanted to be Neo-Japan's gundam fighter. I just didn't know quite how much."

Butting in, Kano said, "Now you know it wasn't us who shot at Rain. It was Kin who tried to kill her."

"Shut-up," Domon said looking from Kano to Zed. "You two have done enough, making you far from innocent."

Not even paying attention to Kano or Zed, Kin was beginning to sink into an even deeper despair at the thought of his future being nothing of what he had planned. I could care less if they think I really wrote the letter. Domon is still Neo-Japan's pilot, and he still has Rain. "You got what you wanted, Domon."

Folding his arms over his chest, Domon looked back at the younger man and said, "I never lost it."

Now folding her arms as well, Rain said to Kin, "You almost killed Taya, because you thought she was me."

Kin remembered Taya in his arms when the hall was pitch black and he said almost in a daze and not even looking at Rain, "At first I really did think that I was holding the beautiful Rain in my arms." He didn't admit that he shot at no one.

Sickened by Kin wanting his wife and wanting to kill her as well, Domon said, "You're a piece of filth."

"I'll take care of him," Commission Karato said, truly dissatisfied with his nephew.

Not wanting her commissioner to have another heart attack, Rain knew she had to keep her husband from blowing up further. Taking his face between her hands, Rain said, "It's over, Domon. It's actually over."

With that, Domon closed his eyes as he pulled Rain close, her face against his shoulder as he let out a sigh of relief. All this time it was Kin, but it is over now.

Suddenly remembering something extremely important, Rain lifted her head from Domon's shoulder to look at Kin. "It was you who destroyed my work on Burning Gundam."

"Oh, yes. That's right," Kin said ever so proudly. "Atleast one of the things I planned worked."

"Oh, Kin," Karato said so displeased with him and so sorry for Rain. "You seriously made Rain think that she was at fault."

With a wicked smile, Kin then said, "Part of the plan was for her to come to me so that I could make her feel better."

Feeling Domon practically shaking with anger, Rain held onto him as tight as possible and said, "George was right. Kin's not worth it, Domon."

Hearing two officials suddenly coming up behind him, Commissioner Karato said, "You two. Take my nephew away, and lock him up. Neo-Japan needs to decide how he should be punished. Take Kano and Zed as well."

"Yes," Kin said willfully going to the two officials. "Punish me for everything that has been done. Everything."

Still in her husband's arms, Rain looked at Kin seeing the big smile on his face and she couldn't help but think that something didn't feel quite right, but then she figured it was just because of all that she had been through the last few days.

"Rain," Domon said softly making her lift her face to look up at him. "We need to get out of here before I really do kill Kin."

Over hearing, George said, "I do know what you mean."

Repeating himself, Commissioner Karato said, "I truly apologize for all that you all have been through."

Actually putting his hand on his commissioner's shoulder, Domon said, "We're just glad you're back."

"We should celebrate!" Princess Marie exclaimed.

Meanwhile, someone else decided to leave the building after all with another plan in mind.

After a night of celebration, which was just a night out to dinner with George and his Princess, Domon and Rain were home sitting comfortably on their sofa finally able to relax. Rain had just gotten off the phone with Shirley after checking on Kohana.

"You're smiling," Domon said to his wife. "So I'm assuming that Kohana is fine."

Grinning at her husband, Rain said, "I hate to tell you this, but I've been told that she's having a really good time with Chaz."

"Please, Rain," Domon said with a fearful expression appearing. "After worrying about you so much, I don't know how much more I can take."

"Domon. They're friends, and they're so young."

Looking at her as if she had memory loss, he said, "We were as young as they are when we started to be friends, and look at us now."

Letting out a deep breath, Rain couldn't help but smile as she said, "True."

"That really helps me feel better," Domon complained.

Wanting him to know that there was a different way of looking at the situation, Rain said, "They're not together everyday like we were before you left, and Chaz is a sweet little boy."

"He's Chibodee's son!" Domon shot back.

"Okay. I can see that I'm not going to get anywhere on the subject. Just know that Kohana is fine. Okay?"

"Fine," Domon said just before Rain leaned to him and kissed him on the cheek.

A half hour later, both were still sitting in their living room with the TV on waiting for the news to show the latest on the Neo-Japan Team.

"I have to say that dinner tonight was fun," Domon admitted not remembering another time where just George, Marie Louise, Rain and he had been out together.

"I agree that it was," Rain said still looking at the TV. "And it's not just because we didn't have to worry anymore."

"I know," Domon said flipping through various news stations with the remote control.

"George and Marie Louise had me laughing almost all night," Rain said remembering their time at the nice Japanese restaurant.

"Yeah," Domon agreed with a wicked smile. "George better marry her fast."

"No kidding," Rain said giving her husband a devious smile. "I can't get over how very obvious she still makes her feelings for him no matter who they're around."

"You mean how she just about says what she wants to do with him?" Domon asked raising an eyebrow at his wife.

"Yes," Rain answered with a smile. "Like always, tonight George was trying to be the perfect gentleman, while Marie Louise was playing with his knee under the table."

"You saw that too?" Domon asked remembering when he dropped his menu and leaned down to grab it.

"Yes," Rain said. "I dropped my napkin, bent down to pick it up and saw Marie's hand enjoying George's knee. Well, it was really more like his entire leg. I couldn't help but notice him turn red when I sat back up. Through the rest of dinner, I didn't dare look again to see what else was going on under that table."

"Chibodee would have loved to have been there," Domon said smiling.

"Yes," Rain agreed. "Especially when George accidentally spilled his drink all over the table."

"Because of Marie Louise," Domon said so sure. "Or should I say because of her hand?"

"Domon!"

"Like you're not thinking the same thing, Rain."

"Well, at least we know they really love each other," Rain said. "Can you imagine during the 13th gundam tournament if I would have thrown my arms around you constantly whether you wanted me to or not and always said things like she does to George?"

Domon imagined what it would have been like if Rain would have rubbed her body up against him and flirted with him constantly at the beginning of the gundam fight, and then said, "Neo-Japan would have been screwed."

"Domon!" she practically laughed out knowing there was no way that they would have started fooling around right at the get go. "Upset as you were at the beginning of the tournament, I refuse to believe that."

Just after leaning to her to nuzzle his face in her neck to kiss her there, Domon teased in a soft voice, "I don't know, Rain. The first time I saw you in that little dress of yours that you wear, I was like, 'looks pretty good to me'."

Laughing at him as she pushed him away, Rain said, "You were too worried about your father and the gundam fight and running around with Kyoji's picture." Though I totally understand why.

"Okay, maybe so," Domon admitted. "But it was impossible not to notice how pretty the girl I grew up with was."

"Girl?" Rain teased.

"Woman," Domon said, looking into her eyes. Taking and then lifting her hand, he kissed it and then let his head drop back onto the sofa.

Though he wasn't looking at her, Rain smiled at him remembering how long it took for them to get together and thought, Good things come to those who wait.

Interrupting Rain's thought, Domon said, "It feels so good to not be worrying about your life being in danger."

"I agree with that," Rain said relieved. It had been a very frightening feeling to think that someone was trying to end her life.

"And Kin is so lucky that I let him live," Domon said anyway but nicely.

"And to think that he really thought he could break us up. I wouldn't doubt if he put Taya up to going after you, though I think she would have anyway."

"Doesn't matter," Domon said very convincingly. "She was just wasting her time."

Rain couldn't help but smile and then remembering something, she asked very seriously, "You know what else he did that I never brought up to you because it really hadn't bothered me?"

"What?" Domon asked very seriously thinking that he was going to end up killing Kin for sure.

"No," Rain said not wanting him to get upset. "It's not that bad. It's just that he spoke about Allenby in a way that I know he hoped would actually make me start to doubt your love for me."

"Well obviously that didn't work since you never even brought it up to me," Domon said glad that what they had was indeed very strong.

"Of course not," Rain said sincerely; no doubt in the King of Heart's deep feelings for her.

Suddenly remembering something himself, Domon said, "Now I know why that idiot brought her up to me."

"I guess he was hoping that you'd tell him a secret that he could accidentally tell me."

"And to think that I actually kind of felt like…an older brother when I tried to explain to him what you mean to me."

Rain again smiled at imagining Domon expressing what she means to him, but then remembered the horrible person Domon was explaining himself to. "He is a great disappointment."

Interrupting them, a voice from the TV said, "Problems with Burning Gundam had absolutely nothing to do with Domon Kasshu or his wife Rain Kasshu. Things should be back to normal for the champion gundam team. Our commissioner's nephew was the cause of Burning Gundam's problems."

"Karato meant it," Domon said remembering the commissioner saying that he'd immediately tell the press to speak of the true reason of what happened to Burning Gundam.

Back at the Neo-Japan government building, Commissioner Karato was trying to get some information out of his nephew. "Kin. Why won't you tell me what you did with it?"

"Because I didn't do anything with the gun that shot at Rain," Kin thought while thoroughly enjoying himself even though he was handcuffed sitting down in a chair in his Uncle's office.

"Well it's no where in sight and we need it for the investigation," Karato complained.

"Why?" Kin asked. "You already think I shot at her so why do you actually need to see the gun and investigate?"

"What do you mean think?" Karato asked aggravated. "You tried to murder Rain Kasshu."

"If you say so," Kin said before laughing out loud.

An hour later at the Kasshu's house, Domon was checking the doors to make sure all was secure. Upon checking the back door, he was surprised to find it unlocked. I know that I locked this door earlier. He then locked the door thinking that the stress from that day just didn't have him thinking clearly.

Upstairs, Rain had just walked into their bedroom when she noticed a book open on their bed. What's this? she thought picking it up. Wow! It's a school year book from when Domon and I were children in school together. She unfortunately hadn't paid attention to the page it was opened to. Domon must have gotten this from his father.

Hearing steps in the Living Room, Domon began to move out of the kitchen to ask Rain why she wasn't upstairs getting ready to take a shower. He wanted to join her. Once he was in the Living room, he didn't see her. Before he could even say her name, she was screaming something happily from upstairs and he completely forgot of the footsteps he had heard.

"We have to look at this book together," Rain called down thinking that he knew what she meant.

What is she talking about? Domon thought. "Uh, I'll be up in a minute, Rain."

Taking her nightgown out of a dresser drawer, Rain then made her way into the bathroom and closed the door.

Why do I have this nagging feeling that something's not right? Domon thought. He remembered earlier when he had thought that his wife had been shot. Again, he repeated in his head, It's the after effects of the stress. Hearing the shower upstairs start, Domon decided, I know a way to feel…no stress. He began to unbutton his tan jacket as he made his way up the stairs only concentrating now on getting into the shower with his beautiful wife. Once to the doorway of his bedroom, his head unexpectedly became dizzy, and it hurt as he found himself blacking out.

"Kin," the commissioner tried to say as calmly as possible. "Why don't you make this easier on yourself and just tell me where the gun is?"

"When have you known me to have a gun?" Kin asked surprised at just how much fun he was having. "You know if I wanted someone dead that I could kill without a weapon."

Even though he knew that was true, Karato said, "You are the one who decided to shoot Rain."

Kin only responded with another wicked laugh.

"How can you laugh after all that you have done?" Karato asked disturbed. "I had no idea that the letter was just the beginning."

"Yes, I've tried to break up your stupid team to become Neo-Japan's pilot, even practically destroyed Burning Gundam, but I didn't write the letter," Kin informed his uncle.

"And I guess now you're going to say that you didn't aim a gun at Rain," Karato said folding his arms.

"As a matter of fact," Kin said with a huge smile. "I've never owned a gun and writing letters is not my style."

Suddenly chills ran down Karato's spine as he found himself believing the younger man.

The old man was holding a once in good shape, hard, wooden cane in his hand. It was the same cane that he had snuck behind Domon with. He had struck the totally unsuspecting gundam fighter in the back of the head as hard as he possibly could; so hard in fact that the cane broke in half. "Good," the old man said upon seeing the knocked out King of Hearts on his side on the floor. "I knew this would be the only way that I could restrain you." The man grabbed the rope he had brought and then slowly bent down and began to tie Domon's hands together, and next tied his feet together. Now we'll just wait for you to come to, King of Hearts.

After Rain stepped out of the shower, she dried herself off with a towel and then pulled on the pink, soft cotton nightgown. Once she stepped out of the bathroom, she wasn't surprised to see Domon in their bedroom. It was how she found him there that brought on the surprise. He lay on his side by the doorway; a trickle of blood running down his forehead. She was just about to say his name and run to him before a voice stopped her.

"Don't move," the old man ordered.

As Rain gasped, she turned her head to the old man in the room with her. "Who are you!" she demanded to know.

"I will gladly tell you," he said ready to remind her.

"First. What did you do to Domon?" she asked worried.

"He'll be fine. Well…he'll be fine until he sees what I do to you?"

Rain became too afraid to even think about what that was.

"We just have to wait for him to wake up, because I want him to see me…take your life."

It wasn't Kin trying to kill me, but this…this old man. But why? Remembering something, Rain said, "You wrote the letter."

"Yes. I did," he easily admitted.

Rain ran through her head what the letter said. After all these years still tired of Domon Kasshu. "You are simply tired of Domon being our Gundam fighter?"

"Yes and no," the old man said as he watched Rain hug herself, obviously scared, but trying to act bravely. "Yes, because I am sick of him and his fighting. No, because it's not only that reason alone. You don't even recognize me do you?"

Rain shook her head no as she squinted her eyes in hopes that she finally would.

"It's been a long time and you were just a little girl."

"So it was something that Domon did as a child and you want to get back at him by…killing me?" she asked thinking that she had to be missing something.

"Precisely," he answered. "He didn't listen to my letter, and you deserve to die anyway because of the way you always cheered him on."

Cheered him on? Rain thought and then soon figured out what he meant. "When I was a child, I did cheer Domon on in most of his fights, but that was only against kids who deserved to lose."

"Don't make me shoot you now," the old man said fighting to keep his temper under control. "You cheered him on when he killed my son."

Rain became puzzled as she looked back at the older man thinking that Domon hadn't killed anyone as a child.

"Joben," the old man said. "My son, Joben. I left the year book open to the page with his picture for you."

The memory of the boy came back to Rain instantly since by coincidence, she and Domon had spoken about him earlier that very week. "I remember him," Rain said softly.

"Don't lie to me," the old man said. "I'm sure that you and your husband never gave another thought to him after Domon ruined his life."

"I understand if you don't believe me," Rain said calmly. "But Domon regretted that fight. He remembered you telling him that he should have stopped it."

"And do you know why?"

"Yes," Rain said not wanting to say it as she looked to Domon to see him still unconscious.

"Then tell me why," the man demanded.

"Because…because Joben was older…"

Finishing for her, the old man said, "Yes. Joben got made fun of for years for being beat up by a child five years younger. I can't remember a time when he hadn't had to deal with what kids were telling him. They said he was weak and reminded him over and over that a little kid beat him up."

Rain felt sorry over that, but clearly remembered Joben going after Domon first. Domon had only defended himself. "I'm sorry for the pain that your son has gone through."

"What about the pain I have gone through?" he asked. "In high school, Joben committed suicide because he couldn't take the torment of the other boys any longer. They were relentless. It hurt me losing my son, my only child, and there was nothing I could do about it and the pain never went away. I really tried to get through it, but then years later the press began showing Domon and you on TV and I could see how he felt about you. That's when I decided before I die, that I wanted him to suffer the way I still am over my son. The King of Hearts saving the earth wasn't enough for me to get over what he did to Joben."

"You are going to kill me to get back at Domon?"

"Yes."

My head. What the hell happened? Domon wondered. Feeling something dripping down his head, he attempted to lift his hand to wipe it away, but soon found that his hands were tied. Opening his eyes, he saw that he was on the floor in his bedroom, and then saw Rain just standing there looking at him. "Rain," he mumbled; his head still hurting. He was just about to jokingly ask her what she did to him, but seeing the distressed look on her face as his eyes came into better focus, he knew that something was very wrong.

"Domon," the old man said wanting his attention.

Looking across the room to the voice, Domon saw an old man pointing a gun at Rain. Sitting up as best as he could, because his feet were tied together too, Domon said, "Who are you?"

"I told you that I'd go after your weakness if you didn't quit as Neo-Japan's fighter. You have mentally and physically hurt too many people."

"You wrote the letter?" Domon asked not having a clue why.

"Yes. You don't deserve to be Neo-Japan's fighter any longer. You shouldn't have been at all since you took Joben away from me."

"Joben?" Domon asked as he remembered just recently speaking about a Joben to Rain.

"Don't you remember him!" the old man screamed.

"Yes," Domon answered, assuming it had to be the same person.

"I bet you didn't know he committed suicide because of what you did to him. Now I'm going to make you as miserable as you have made me by killing the closest person to you." The old man then focused his eyes on Rain and made sure that his aim with the gun was on her.

"No!" Domon yelled as his strength made him easily and quickly break through the ropes tied around his hands and feet. The King of Hearts then threw himself in front of Rain, but not before the gun went off.

"Rain!" Domon cried out now in front of her as he grabbed her around her waist before she could fall down from the shot.

Seeing the panic once again in his eyes, Rain said, "I'm fine, Domon."

Knowing that Rain wasn't wearing a bullet proof vest under the night gown, Domon turned to look at the old man, assuming he actually missed. However, the man wasn't standing there. Joben's father lay on the floor, the gun still in his hand.

"I think I literally just got here in time," Karato said lowering the gun he had used to shoot the old man.

The gunshot Domon heard had come from Karato's gun.

As Domon and Rain released each other, Domon said to their commissioner, "How did you know?"

"I didn't," Karato answered.

After quickly wrapping her robe around herself, Rain said, "But you're here."

"My horrible excuse for a nephew made me see that he didn't write the letter after all," Karato answered as Rain began to move to Joben's father.

"Rain," Domon said alarmed not wanting her by the man.

Leaning down to feel for a pulse, Rain soon said, "He's gone."

Not liking the idea that he took someone's life, but on the other hand glad that Rain's life was saved, Karato said, "Who was he?"

Lifting his eyes from the old man to Karato, Domon said, "Someone who has been holding a…grudge towards me."

"I tried to call to warn you, but he must have done something to your house and cell phones. I had a very bad feeling and got here as fast as I possibly could." Seeing Domon and Rain now looking only at each other, the commissioner excused himself by saying, "I'll be downstairs waiting for the officials to show up."

"Wait," Domon said turning his head to the commissioner. "Thank you."

The commissioner only nodded his back.

After gently wiping the blood away on Domon's forehead with the end of her robe, Rain said, "You don't need stitches, but you should have the bump on your head more closely looked at."

Domon only looked back at her wondering how she could always seem to hold it together.

"Domon," Rain said seeing the gloomy look on his face; the same one that had been on his face when he had spoken of Joben earlier that week. "You must know that Joben's father was wrong. You did not kill his son. You only fought him in the first place, because he physically came after you."

The gloomy look on his face lifted a little, yet he still didn't say anything.

"Domon. I was there. Remember?" Rain said, her way of letting him know that she knew she was right just before she placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

After receiving the kiss, Domon pulled his wife into a hug and said, "I know, Rain. I know. I'm just glad it's truly over this time."

Note: If wondering when I threw hints of Joben into this story before, it was in chapter 7. Thanks for reading!

I might write an epilogue for this.

11/9/09