Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenhin, that right goes completely to its writers.

Summary: Her savior from death, he knew all about her, but she knew none of him. Past secrets are revealed, can you really trust strangers?

Blood Glass:1:Need, Protect

"Run!" last words echoing.

Red only colour seen.

Blood only scent.

Death only feeling.

She drew in raspy gasps as she struggled away from them. She willed herself not to look back, no, it was too late. The Reaper had already claimed them. Them, her family, her blood, her home. They were only walking, her parents and herself, through the village when they had come upon a fight in the alley. She had warned her family not to go out in the dark of the night, but the chance to celebrate their arrival in the new town was hard to miss. So she stopped pestering them and followed.

As they ventured home however, the sounds of bloody cries and sobs rattled her senses and she unconsciously followed, her parents on her heels. They were all fighters, her father a dojo master, her mother a loyal housewife with defensive skills taught by her father and herself, owning her stubborn streak. She learnt from her father, the creator of the Kamiya Kasshin-ryu. A sword style that gives life. Yet underneath it all the two were her adopted parents. They had taken her in when others abandoned her because of her ability to wield water and air. Other villagers of their previous town proclaimed her and her skills as taboo. Her mother and father, they were the only ones to show her love.

She had to get away, avenge her family's death.

She had to escape-

Her thoughts were broken by the largest man of the three as he tackled her.

"You won't get away from me easily love." his breath washed over her face as she tried to contain herself from gagging. His body pinned her down as she fought effortlessly against him. His hands had ripped at her clothing as she viciously fought back. Tears sprang to her eyes as she thought of what he planned to do. A sob racked her body as he bit on her throat. His hands grabbed at her, bruising her. His nail sunk into her arms as she fought him.

"Shut up! Kono ama, I said shut up!" he raised a hand and slapped her. Her neck snapped as his hand contacted with her face. His fingers went around her neck and hit her against the ground repeatedly. Red and black spots began to blur her vision when she felt her ohashori being torn off following her obi.

No, she would not give up.

She could not give up.

She struggled to summon her abilities, but just as she was about to wash the filthy man off her, she felt him being thrown off. Her throat ached as she took lungfuls of air. She weakly glanced at her savior and was surprised to meet two amber eyes glowing in the darkness surrounding them. Her jet black hair flew madly around her as the night wind danced around them, not caring of what had passed. They clung to her face by her tears. Her eyes studied the man before her. His strikingly red hair was outlined by the moonlight and his small figure walked towards her. The last thing she felt before fading away was herself being pressed into his chest as she whispered, "Thank you."

With a speed only he possessed, Battousai caught her head before it hit the hard cold soil. He lifted her, ignoring the gap her kimono had created and whisked her away, not sparing another glance to the filth he left behind. As he leaped from one roof to another, he glanced at the beauty in his arms. Normally he would not interfere with a town problem such as this but when he saw her sapphire eyes glistening with unshed tears in the moonlight, he was entranced. He was filled with the immediate need to protect her and wipe her tears away. He hid in the shadows watching the men as they grabbed after her when she tried to escape. With one slash, two were dead. Facing the other, he was enraged to see what he was doing to the young girl. Silently, he pulled him up and severed his head. When he looked back to the disheveled girl, his eyes met hers. He planned to go as silently as he came but her shivering body made him think otherwise. As he moved to step back her head lolled back and he instinctively moved to catch her.

Glad when his hideout came to view, he stepped into the small house. It was well hidden from the village so no one disturbed him. It was a small cottage, made of wood. To an outsider it may have looked abandoned, but to those who knew, which was only one, it was the curent residence of the hitokiri, Battousai. Near the cottage was a small well and behind the house were logs of wood in the need of a fire. The house itself was tiny, only including a small bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and dining area.

When he entered he immediately rushed to his room gently putting the young girl on his futon. He lit the lamp beside the door, bringing it beside him. His eyes searched for wounds and was angered when he found many bruises lining her visible arms, legs and neck. His anger peaked as he saw the bites on her chest and neck.

Calming his anger, he went outside to his well to fetch water. Satisfied he had got enough he carried it to his room. Quickly grabbing a towel as he walked passed his kitchen. He set the pail down when he came beside her bed. Making sure that his lamp was down to only a small flame so he could not see her undressed state as well as when it was on, he could not help but think of it as a romantic setting.

Wait, Battousai could not like this girl could he?

No. Impossible. She was a mere girl who was only lucky to receive his assistance. Yet, her eyes drew him to her. Her pale skin did not look unhealthy but it highlighted her eyes. With her plump red lips parted, he was tempted to- No. This girl? What was he thinking? He did not deserve love of any kind and he was not about to give love to anyone. Assassins do not deserve love. They give nothing but death. But why did he save her?

Pushing his questions away, the hitokiri removed her kimono. When she was unclothed, he began to clean her. He gently wiped her body and pulled away after seeing her moan at the contact of cold water. His hand clenched the rag, wishing it was his hands. This had never happened before. He never lusted after anyone. No, that was not his way. After calming he began cleaning her again, when his hands accidentally brushed against her chest, after seeing her nipples perked up, he kissed her. His lips devoured her hungrily and her taste aroused himself even more. When she began to kiss back was when he pulled away. He violated her. Took her kiss when she had no control over it. Guilt and shame overwhelmed him as he quickly dressed her in one of his naga juban and haori. It could not be. She was the first to ever catch his eye and he was amazed. He had never felt this for any other person.

He gazed at the girl, she would be his. She had just lost her family and he would do all he could to become her family, her lover, her home.

He would not let this happen again. Even if he barely knew of her identity, he swore to himself he would protect her. No matter what the cost.

"Where the hell is she?" growled the spiky haired man. His red headband and white coat glowed in the moonlight. The ground shook along with the earth and fire elementist's anger at the loss of his close friend. He had become worried when she had not returned home. He was angry and surprised at the death of her parents. Whatever attacked them was also left for death with no chance at life. He knew her father could not had done the gruesome killing he had seen. He believed in rendering his enemies unconscious or defenseless, what had attacked the group of three men was no doubt deadly. But along the bodies, Kaoru was not found. He dared to let the small ray of hope in him build when he found no trace of her presence.

"Hey! I told you to stop that! You're scaring my animals and uprooting my trees!" Yahiko immediately made his presence known when he had felt the rumbling and knew what, or who rather, had caused it, "Ya rooster head!"

"Jou-chan's missing kid. An' I dunno where the hell she is," he growled, chewing nastily on his fish bone.

"Don't call me kid, rooster-head! That idiot Busu," Yahiko sighed as he took his side next to Sano,"How are mom and dad takin' this?"

"They're dead kid. Both of 'em, fight in an alley trying to protect an innocent from three guys." Yahiko drew in a breath. No, they couldn't be dead. They were not his real parents but they treated him as though he was their child, along with Kaoru. They couldn't be-No. This was not happening, it was all a dream. But then again, he knew it was not. His lip quivered at the thought of never seeing them again. Their kind faces, his mom as she smiled at him, his father when he beat his legs lightly as a joke of punishment for not practicing.

They were gone.

Forever.

And there was nothing he could do to bring them back.

Suddenly, the forest felt his pain and began to weep. He could faintly hear Sano calming him down. Sano, he could not let him see him in such a state. Yet when he patted his back comfortingly, facing the vast lake that was Kaoru's home, he began to chock on his tears as he calmed.

"What happened to Kaoru exactly?" his voice quivered as he learnt of his sister's disappearance from the view of a possibility of her death as well. He angrily wiped his face. His father would never have tolerated his show of weakness.

After a long period of silence, Yahiko feared the worse. But he tried to push those thoughts away, after all they hadn't found her so they knew nothing of her state now, did they? His question was answered when Sano spoke, "That's what we're going to find out lil brother, that's what we're gunna find out."

Hi! This is my first story on fanfiction. So any reviews are welcomed!

Japanese translations:

kono-ama -bitch

ohashori -the outer garment of a kimono

obi -a sash used to tie a kimono at the waist

hitokiri -assassin

naga-juban -the undergarment of a man's kimono

haori -the outer jacket of a man's kimono

jou-chan -'missy' or young miss

busu - in Yahiko's use, ugly