truly, madly, deeply

rating: teen, mature-ish

genre:horror/suspense/romance

pairing: kenshin/kaoru, slight aoshi in the mix

inspiration: case 39(2010 film), comatose skillet), bird and the worm(the used)

warning: mild lime and mentions of violence/gore

Her boyfriend wanted to kill her. She was sure of it. Her boyfriend, soon to be husband wanted to kill her.

She could hear the thud of his boots on the stairs threatening to make her hyperventilate.

How could she have known? It had been unexpected; her sweet, kind Kenshin standing over the mutilated body (remains) of her ex with an axe in his hand and glowing golden eyes. The shock and horror had been such that she forgot how to control her body and her legs almost gave out on her, making her stumble and in the process hit a bucket sitting on the back porch of their house. Her breath catching she knew Kenshin had heard it, when he turned his head her way she ran.

Locking herself in her room with her phone in hand and regulating her breathing, Kaoru hid under the bed. Waiting and hoping that he wouldn't find her there or didn't try to look. The door handle turned and then started turning much more forcefully than the first time. Whimpering Kaoru tucked herself on the corner beneath her bed shutting her eyes. If his skills in killing were anything like his skills with the sword she knew she had no chance in ever managing to escape because he was fast, dammit, he was so fast. Yet desperately she searched for the boken hidden near her. The door slammed open and she jumped at the sudden sound.

"Kaoru, where are you?" her fear increased steadily as she heard his voice. It was different, no longer the soothing tone that comforted her and lulled her to sleep but a deep baritone, attractive yet deadly. With sudden swiftness the axe came down and embedded on the floor, crouching and lowering himself Kenshin looked under the bed right at her, in his eyes a soft gentle amused expression at the adorable picture she made tucked into the corner, he tsked.

"Kaoru, come out from under there sweetheart. What are you doing?" Kaoru whimpered and shook her head 'Don't look at me like that, you're not him, those aren't even his eyes, who are you? What are you?' The Kenshin impostor only shushed her as if trying to comfort her.

"What did you see?" When she didn't answer he sighed. "I'll count until three if you don't come out from under there I'll come for you."

"One." Kaoru stayed still, taking in shuddering breaths.

"Two." Kenshin drummed his fingers on the floor waiting for her, those fingers that belonged to the hand of the man she most loved in the world. It couldn't be him, it just couldn't.

"Two and a half." Kaoru shook with tremors and Kenshin sighed, lightly chiding her with the sound.

"Two and three quarters." Kaoru whimpered and Kenshin frowned.

"Three. Times up." Kenshin crawled under the bed, grabbed her by the arms and pulled her out. She was about to hit him with her boken when he knocked it from her grasp. When he had finally managed to pull them both up he pressed her to the wall.

"Now, Kaoru..." he wasn't allowed to finish because she was already yelling at him, tears running down her face.

"You killed him! Oh my God! You killed him! Why?" Darker his face became with her accusation and his firm but gentle grip on her arms became suddenly tighter until he slammed her harder against the wall.

"Why? You want to know why? Because he was stupid and conceited. He thought he could have you, he was cocky so I had to show him, I had to show him who was better." Kaoru was still as he leaned closer, and softly touched his lips to hers a burning emotion lighting his eyes.

"I had to show him whom you belonged to. I had to teach him that you already belonged to me." Snarling he claimed her lips with such a passion that Kaoru could do nothing other than respond to him and her body's desire, even if he had just murdered someone in cold blood.

Tangling their tongues together he hoisted her up making her wrap her legs around his waist. Rocking against her warmth he ravaged her mouth. It was different than it had ever been before, much more passionate, violent. As he trailed biting wet kisses lower unto her neck and collarbone she gasped and clutched at his hair grinding into his heat. His breath scorched her when he whispered against skin of her now bared stomach;

"And he wasn't the only one." He bit her belly button and though his actions were heady and warm his words were like a bucket of ice water on her senses. Holding in her choked sob she pushed him away and he furrowed his brow, questioning.

"Stop it! How many? How many?" Kaoru screamed half hysterical now.

"All of them." He said as he drew closer to her. "Your ex is one, two other men, the ones that touched you the other day remember? Your brother, he was easy, too trusting and too weak. And your parents, well let's not go there. Can't you see Kaoru, they wanted to take you away from me. They wanted your attention and time and that all belongs to me."

Bile rose to her mouth and Kaoru cried. Out of the corner of her blurry tear filled eye she saw Kenshin reach for something.

A knife.

"Now me?" Kenshin that had been frowning at her response only smiled weakly, sad eyes on her.

"You hate me... what other choice is there if you don't want me." Pulling her from the wall he whispered the last thing she would ever hear from him, "I love you."

His eyes flashed violet, a push, pain and then darkness.

Shuttered eyes watched the house burn, memories going down with it, a strong hand coming to rest on the shoulder slumped with sorrow.

"Come on. Your uncle is waiting."

"Aoshi, do you think he really loved me?" Kaoru asked, her words hard to produce with her throat constricted and in so much pain from the fears and horrors. Aoshi looked at her then looked at the bodies (remains) on the stretchers to the burning house.

"Yes, in his own different way, but he loved you." Kaoru nodded her lips pursed and eyes tight with sorrow.

"You know, even when he told me of everything he had done... I loved him, I still do." Aoshi only gathered her in his arms when she broke down, yet he knew that a smile would soon blossom on her beautiful face, she was a very strong, courageous woman. And though he hadn't expressed it he loved her just as much as Kenshin had. Maybe not as dangerously and deadly but with the same intensity. Sighing he picked her up, this was a new beginning, a new future for both her and maybe him, if she allowed him to be part of it.

well, yeah. hope you like :)