Rated M for violence.

Summary: BK. An unexpected bump in the streets introduces Kenji to Kaoru, the owner of a small antique store and part time kendo instructor. Plunging her into all kinds of trouble and dangers that could cost both of their lives. But don't assume she doesn't have the means to keep Kenji protected.

Beta reader(s) needed.

Hope Born of Suffering

Little feet stumbled over uneven concrete and week old trash littered the path he tottered down. Clothes were filthy with grime and sewage from when he had fallen earlier in his eager attempt to break away from the large hands that had gripped his arms. His eyes watered from the stench that seemed to originate from the ground itself, choking him as he desperately gasped for breath.

"The boy. Get the boy, he's getting away!"

Tears blurred his vision and smells rising from the ally made it difficult to create distance from the sounds behind him. A sharp slap followed by a gasp reached his ears. He clenched his fists and resisted the urge to turn around and see what was happening. She had told him to not look back. To run, to get away and damn it. He was trying.

Heavy foot steps echoed from behind him. Panic moved him faster, head down and looking to the floor for the best footing so that he wouldn't trip again. Red hair browned by dirty water and filth plastered to his face.

He tripped out of the ally way onto the cleaner street, busy with people and neon lights. He fell hard, body jarring with the impact. He took a moment to look at the fresh wound. Limping back to his feet, he merged himself into the crowd of people. He held his left arm protectively to his body, clumsily walking within the moving crowd.

He struggled to keep his body moving; vision blurred in dizziness with a few steps. The people did not see him. He was easy to miss, considering the fact that the top of his head only reached their waist. Suppressing the panic that rose, he looked at the buildings and streets as best he could among the bodies. He didn't know where he was.

Where am I?

Where am I supposed to go?

He slowed his walk and leaned heavily against a light post, breathing in shallow breaths. Cringing, pain shot up his arm. He flexed his fingers but felt nothing; his arm suddenly going numb, followed by a wave of sensation like pin pricks, had him gritting his teeth. Pushing off from the pole made his head spin and vision spot. Swaying, he continued walking.

Tears slipped to the ground. Feeling helpless, he tried his best to not get trampled. Bumping into a pair of legs, he sharply staggered to the right. Biting his lip to muffle his cry of pain. The person he bumped into made no indication of acknowledgment to the accidental collision.

No more.

Hurts.

Smooth hands rested on his shoulders. Not bothering to look up, he slumped into the support. The noise of the city dimmed like sound does under water. There was black and then blue. A smell something like flowers and apples.

Black spotted his vision.

Hurts.

And then nothing.

--

The stars could hardly be seen above the fancy buildings and skyscrapers. It was more of the smog than actual clouds that hid the twinkle of the winter night sky.

Kaoru hummed a nameless tune as she came out from her little shop. The front walls the shop were made of glass which gave a deceptive show case of what the shop sold. Vintage books and toys. A dress hung prettily on a headless mannequin had the potential to turn a goddess ugly if it was worn; was logically, still standing in front of the window, on sale.

Locking the double glass doors together. Shaking the door slightly to check that it had indeed been locked. Her breaths came out in white puffs in the cold night air.

The Akabeko, a popular restaurant facing the antique store, was crowded with customers and golden light illuminated the side walk from the entrance. Kaoru headed toward the restaurant.

It's been awhile since I've treated myself to one of Tae's noodles.

Swallowing the saliva generated by the thought of food, Kaoru's eyes brightened as she caught sight of the restaurant.

Kaoru bit back a curse when she almost toppled over by an unexpected body walking into her knees. Gaining balance by widening her stance she turned around to see what had bumped into her.

The thoughts of food dimmed; eyes widening at the small body that was riddled with scratches. She steadied the boy when he fainted. Looking around for the guardian of the child. Angry that anyone would leave their child in this condition, she glared at the people milling the streets.

Taking a catalogue of his injuries, she gingerly lifted him into her arms. Turned around and headed for help.

--

"Kaoru!"

A woman in a white coat stepped aside from the door allowing Kaoru to enter. She tensed when she assessed the condition of the boy and half expected Kaoru to be the same or worse. She relaxed a little when she realized the only blood stains on Kaoru were from where she and the child had touched.

Kaoru laid the boy on one of the beds. "He's hurt pretty bad."

The doctor followed after with supplies. First cutting away at his soiled clothing to see the damage done to his small body.

Scrapes were the majority of his wounds; arms, hands, knees and legs. The largest wound was a gash from the small of his back reaching almost to his stomach that had her frowning. It wasn't deep, but she still needed to stitch it closed.

Kaoru sat down on a near by stool and watched the woman dab iodine to various cuts. Expecting the questions.

"Well, is he yours?"

Kaoru rolled her eyes.

"For as long as you've known me Megumi. Did I ever look pregnant to you?"

Megumi smirked.

Kaoru narrowed her eyes and continued. "He bumped into me on my way to see Tae tonight. I couldn't just leave him there on the street, and if I took him to the hospital they would have asked too many questions."

Megumi was half way done in wrapping the boy's right arm.

"This isn't your regular stray dog or cat Kaoru. He could be a missing child and his parents are probably looking for him. It'd be better to take him to the police."

"The police?" Kaoru gave Megumi a skeptical look.

Megumi sighed. "Or to the social services, they take care of these kinds of situations."

When she glanced up, she saw the look on Kaoru's face.

"It's their job, Kaoru. Not yours."

Kaoru frowned defiantly.

Megumi yelped in surprise when the boy the arm she was treating was ripped from her grip. The boy bodily threw himself away from Megumi and crashed into the stand with the trays of medical supplies. The stand crashed to the ground; equipment clattered to the floor and the bandages rolled away. When the bed rails wouldn't move, he shook them violently and screamed.

Worried that the boy would open his fresh stitches, Megumi tried to hold him still onto the bed. It took the combined strengths of both Kaoru and Megumi to keep the boy on the bed. Adrenalin fueled his strength.

Megumi fumbled for the needle on the needle that had fallen to the floor. After taking a close glance at the label, Megumi took off the cap of the needle with her teeth and injected the serum into his arm. It took seconds for the medicine to take effect. Megumi helped Kaoru lower the boy back onto the bed and started to rewrap the bandage she was working on before the sudden outburst.

Kaoru bent over the boy as she untangled his hand that had fisted into her hair when she had tried to subdue the boy. Falling back on to her stool with a disgruntled look; she studied her now tangled hair. With a huff she swung her mass of hair behind her and stood up.

She joined Megumi's crouched form on the floor to help pick up the fallen objects.

"The right thing is to take the boy to the police."

Megumi stated as she righted the fallen stand. Kaoru said nothing as she picked up the last of the equipment from under the bed, dumped them into Megumi's waiting hand and straightened.

"My intentions were to help him when I picked him up off the street. And I intend to leave him with someone that both he and I can trust."

Megumi pursed her lips in annoyance and glared down at the shorter woman. Stubbornly, Kaoru glared right back.

"Plus Megumi," Kaoru started out strongly and ended in a soft mumble.

I'm sure I could give better care and protection for the boy than the police. And it looked like he was running from something. Something dangerous to the looks of it."

Kaoru frowned as she gazed at the sleeping boy's form. Megumi's glare softened and she sighed as hung her white coat on a hanger.

"I don't want to treat bullet wounds this time Kaoru."

Kaoru flushed slightly and hid behind her bangs.

"No broken bones either."

"That was only once!" Kaoru tried to refute.

Megumi gave her an all knowing look and Kaoru was at loss of a response. Biting her lip she looked at the walls for change of subject and luckily found one.

"Anyway," she said quickly. "It's almost 12 am, it's late, I'll take him home clean him up and figure this out in the morning. I'll call."

Kaoru swung her purse on to her right shoulder and gathered the boy into her arms.

"Thanks Megumi, sorry for keeping you in so late."

"No problem, call me if you need help with the boy. Wait..."

Kaoru paused from her trek to the door.

Megumi came out from the closet with a dark blanket.

"People might wonder why you're carrying around a heavily bandaged kid. If there are people really looking for him, covering his hair would be a good idea, it's too bright and easily to spot."

Said Megumi as she lightly draped the blanked over the boy and tucked it around his shoulders so that it wouldn't slip as Kaoru maneuvered her way home.

Satisfied that none of his features showed from beneath the shadow of the blanket, the three made their way out of the building. Megumi triggered the alarm system and locked up. They exchanged farewells and instructions

"He should be unconscious until tomorrow so don't worry about waking him up. But he'll be thirsty when he wakes up."

Megumi squeezed Kaoru's shoulder and the two women separated ways. Kaoru watched as Megumi easily weaved into the crowded streets mostly consisting of night partiers coming out and the late office workers returning home milled the streets.

A fifteen minute ride on the subway and a few blocks later. The lock rattled as the key turned and street light spilled into the dark apartment. Kaoru stepped onto the wood planked walk way and shut the door behind her by slowly backing into it. Fumbled a little behind her for the lock; balancing the boy to her as she made sure all the locks were in place. She stepped out of her shoes and shoved them to the side of the wall with her foot. Popped on the main room light with her shoulder and headed toward her bed room. Shrugging off her purse, she dumped it on the dinning table as they passed it.

She laid the boy gently on to her bed, cradling the back of his head with her hand as she placed him on the pillow. She arranged his body into a comfortable position. Took off his soiled shoes and socks and eyed the dark smudge that the shoes left behind. I guess I have to wash my sheets tomorrow. Megumi had taken his clothes off at the clinic when she had bandaged him up and now he wore a child's hospital dress. She took out a light blanket from her drawer and covered him waist high.

The edge of the bed dipped under her weight. She sat awhile and watched the boy breathe. Flashes of light from passing traffic consistently flooded various parts of the room. Exhaling slowly, she grinned when the boy gave a small snore. She tried to clench her teeth in an attempt to stifle a yawn but it came out anyway. Getting ready for bed seemed like a good idea.

After brushing her teeth and pulling on her pajamas she curled on the opposite end of her queen sized bed. Although she didn't have a TV or a large apartment, a large and comfortable bed was not a luxury but rather a need. The bed had been a gift from her mother. One of the few things she had not sold for money when she had none.

Face saddening at the memory of his terrified face when he had ran into her.

You're so young.

She frowned. Turning her back to the boy she shut her eyes.

I guess I'm opening class late tomorrow.

Was her last thought.

--

Kaoru woke to loud banging. She shifted towards the boy's side of the bed to predictably find it empty. She followed towards the source of the noise emanating from her front door.

The boy had some how managed to find a hammer in her apartment and was currently creating dents on her door and the metal handle was twisted in such a way that made her eyes widen and then narrow.

That's gonna cost me 230,000 yen for a new door.

She closed her eyes and brought her index finger to her forehead to try to rein in her temper.

Keeping herself at a safe swinging or chucking distance away from the boy and his hammer. She cleared her throat intended to dispel the sudden tightness. But the small noise had caught the boy's attention. He whirled around so fast (it was a wonder how he had not given himself whiplash) and whipped the hammer out in front of him like a weapon to face her with fierce eyes that had her doubting if it was a 5 year old she was really dealing with.

She lifted her hands up in a placating manner.

"H- hey..?"

The boy did not respond to her lame belated welcome to her home. He had sweat beading down his face. And the tear marks staining his face showed that he had cried earlier. He still glared at her. Maybe with less anger but the fear was still in his eyes. The bandages around his arms had loosened with his hammer exercises and the cuts there had started to bleed again.

Kaoru was frozen in place. She took in shallow breaths to not frighten the boy.

The two were silent for a while. Both were unsure what to expect from the other.

This is ridiculous, she thought.

"Your arm is bleeding."

She started dully.

What was she afraid of?

"Here, let's take care of that arm. And then I can make breakfast. You must be hungry, you look hungry-"

Her ramblings were cut short when the boy interrupted.

"Who are you?"

"Ah.. My name is Kamiya Kaoru and this is my apartme-"

"NO!" The boy shouted. Tears gathering in his eyes clearly frustrated.

"WHO ARE YOU?! You with those mans aren't you." he finished in a hiss. Teeth clenched.

"I'm not with anyone. I'm not going to hurt you, let's get you cleaned up."

He narrowed his eyes when Kaoru inched forward.

"How do I know you don't hurt me?"

She shrugged. Raising her hands a little higher. She gave a small smile.

"You're the one with the hammer kid."

She sighed when the boy keep glaring.

"Don't you remember anything from last night? You ran into me on the street and passed out."

She took a few steps closer until she was only an arms length away and kneeled to his level.

"Who hurt you? Can you tell me?" she soothed. Keeping her hands visible, she rested them on her knees.

The boy's eyes widened. He remembered running out of his home, clutching the larger hand with both of his. Tripping and being picked up. The dark ally way. The fight. Blood, some it his, but mostly hers. He had run then, admits the struggling and pained cries. He remembered bumping in to this woman named Kaoru and that she had smelled nice. Just like flowers.

"Tomoe-san" He whispered.

He dropped the hammer and it clattered to the ground. Kaoru discreetly took the hammer and hid it in the shoe shelf to the right of her. He whimpered and brought his hands to cover his face. She rested her hand on his head in comfort. She didn't expect him to launch himself at her to punch and hit as best as a 5 year old could. She winced when a punch landed on the side of her face. Despite his failing limbs, she did the only thing that she thought would calm him; hugged him. He thrashed and thumped his small fists on her shoulder for a few seconds until he was still in her arms.

He sniffled a little as she pulled away. She looked at his young face and smiled weakly.

"Hungry?"

He shook his head in a negative. Looking down to the floor, arms and legs lifeless as he leaned against the wall.

He's such a liar. He's so skinny, doesn't look like he had a proper meal in a while.

"Well.."

She began but her stomach chose that moment to grumble loudly. He looked up at her with wide eyes that finally showed something other than fear or anger. She blushed at his look and brought a hand to her stomach.

"Well, I'M hungry. So how about we eat something?"

Kaoru couldn't believe her eyes when he cracked a small smile at her embarrassed face. He gave a small nod and timidly wrapped his arms around her neck. She picked him off of the floor and sat him on the kitchen counter. He was too small to sit on the chair. She took a two bowls from the dish rack and handed one to him. Spoons came next. She rummaged in her cabinet for a while and brought out a packet of oatmeal. She brought it up to him and lifted an eyebrow in question.

He frowned and leaned away from the packet. She wrinkled her nose in agreement and threw the packet into the dark crevices of the food cabinet. He looked at her every move unblinkingly. Still weary about trusting her but the long black hair swinging at her back calmed and reminded him of her. Even though the her eye color was different he couldn't help but trust her.

She drew away from the cabinet with an armful of cereal boxes that had the boy's violet eyes widening in appreciation. She smirked smugly.

"Behold my glorious cereal collection." She dumped them on the counter next to him and lined them up.

"Now, the choosing part. First, Honey nut cherrios? Mmm no? Fruit loops, lucky charms, captain crunch, apple jacks-"

(A/N: sorry.. couldn't help it. i LOVE cereal.)

She paused when he picked up the lucky charms with both hands and rested the box on his knees and looked at the box.

"Wise choice my young jedi. You will be learning all the ways of cereal from me." She deepened her voice in mock seriousness.

He gave her a puzzled look as she took the box from his hands and poured some into his bowl.

"My name not jud-eye." He pronounced with difficulty.

Kaoru slowed in pouring the milk as she watched him.

"My name is Kenji." He said as he brought a hand to his chest subconsciously.

She handed him his cereal. He awkwardly held his spoon as he shoveled food into his mouth.

Her lips twitched as she tried her best to suppress her smile that was prompted by his actions. Luckily, he was focused on what he was putting into his mouth and did not see her poorly concealed amusement. But her face suddenly twisted into a horrified look. The poor boy didn't know about Star Wars. Reminding herself to show her DVD collection later and started eating her own breakfast.

She frowned when she remembered why the boy was in her temporary custody. Kenji happily munched on his cereal and occasionally hesitantly kicked out his feet from the cabinet. A habitual gesture of someone who's legs never quite reached the floor.

Kaoru finished her last spoon of milk and looked up to see if the boy had finished, but only to find his bowl empty and him staring.

"Do you want more?"

He shook his head 'no'. Ah, back to the silent one word answers. She thought sadly.

Taking the bowl from his hands, she put the dishes in the sink. She still needed to gain Kenji's trust, and perhaps a bath should come before all the questions. Kaoru eyed Kenji's filthy hair, she hadn't noticed before but he stank.

She grinned widely.

"How about a bath?"

--

The room was dark. No windows marked the walls; only the outline of the door could be seen in the dark void. One could not see if the room was furnished or even occupied. But the air in the room was crisp and clean. The blinking light of the telephone was emphasized by the dark, winking brightly and cheerfully, and waited for someone to answer its call.

The ring abruptly ended when a pale hand picked up the receiver. Light static mixed with the female secretarial like voice.

"Hello sir, a priority assignment came in last night. Five hundred grand, I guessed you would have wanted it transferred electronically so I have already wired it to your account. The target is a woman, would that be a problem?"

"When?" The response was rough, not caused by emotion but was more of a voice unaccustomed to talking.

"The deadline is by the end of this week, but the client seemed to have wanted it done as soon as possible. Will you be accepting this assignment?"

"Hai."

The female voice continued in a memorized fashion.

"Excellent, sir. The informational package will be delivered this evening. The assignment's status will be inputted as pending until the final procedures after the assignment are completed. For confirmation and insurance purposes, your agent number: 59873402 and code name Battosai will be tagged in this assignment until completion. Have a good day sir."

Both lines went dead.

Reviews much appreciated.

Please, no cuss outs and total bashing. ..