(A/N: So sorry it has taken so long for this update. Please don't blame Belle, it's not her fault. It is all mine. I am coming out of the tail end of the writers block from hell, and it has just been the pits trying to write anything. Including my own fictions. Anyway, I have worked very hard on this for her because she is my dear friend and I don't want to let her down because my quality is not up to par. I hope I have succeeded in bringing to you something that is worthwhile. God Bless you all, please read and enjoy. I think this fiction is going to be a blast. Lots of fun and surprises for everybody, including the cast. Catch ya'll laterz. Kanzen ne Tsuki)

Chapter Two

For reasons of sanity, Kaoru spent the remainder of the day cloistered away in her new room trying to come to terms with her new situation. It was going to one of the hardest things she ever faced trying to deal with the overbearing man who was her brother's employer, but it was going to be even harder to keep her mouth shut whenever he was around. The man was absolutely the limit when it came to rudeness and thick-headedness. His ideas about her and what she was all about were completely off the wall and unfounded and she did not understand why anyone who worked for him could stand to be in the same room with him for more than thirty seconds. He was an uncouth, uncivilized wolverine as far as she was concerned and staying out of his way would be her number one priority from here on out. The less she had to do with him the better.

Unfortunately, the close quarters of a ranch house and the simple fact that their rooms were only a bathroom door apart was going to make that a little bit difficult. However, Kaoru was determined not to let the arrogance of the man get to her and destroy her and her brother's chances of getting their lives back on track. After all, opportunities like this didn't just come along every day, and so when they did you had to grab them with both hands and hold on tight.

It was just about an hour before the dinner hour when Kamatari knocked on Kaoru's bedroom door and asked her if she wanted to come down and help with the set up. Embarrassed, Kaoru explained what a terrible cook she was, but Kamatari just giggled and told her that didn't matter. All he wanted was some help setting the table and spooning the food into serving dishes, and he didn't think Kaoru's less than adequate culinary skills could cause any damage doing that. Laughing with good natured self-pity, Kaoru agreed and joined the slender, effeminate man in the kitchen where they started a companionable conversation and a new friendship.

"Please, you have to call me 'Tari'. Everyone does and it would make it so much easier for you if you did."

"How is that?"

"If you want me to answer when you call me, you should call me what I'll answer to." Kamatari's eyes danced with mischief as he handed Kaoru a large dish of mashed potatoes to put on the table. "Otherwise, you'll be talkin' to yourself all day long and not knowing why."

"Okay," Kaoru giggled as she accepted the dish and pushed her way through the country style swinging doors that opened up into the big dining-room. "I'll try and remember that, but if I'm going to call you 'Tari' then you have to call me 'Kao' or 'Kaoru'. No more of this 'Miss Kaoru' crap. Deal?"

"Deal." Kamatari reached out and shook Kaoru's hand like they were making some very serious agreement and then the two dissolved into a bout of silly giggles as they disappeared back through the swinging doors. "We have to make sure there is a lot of gravy on the table, Kaoru."

"Gravy? Why?"

"Because these men eat it on everything, and I mean everything. Especially Mr. Saitou." A wistful sigh escaped the young cook and his eyes took on an almost dreamy look. "He does love my gravy, that he does."

"Tari!" Kaoru gave the man a playful shove knocking him out of his reverie. "You sound like you're in love with the man."

"Oh heavens no." Kamatari waved his hands in the air frantically as he tried to show just how ludicrous that particular idea was. "It just makes me happy he loves what I cook, besides... I don't swing that way, girly." Both burst into laughter once more as the meaning of his last words settled into Kaoru's mind.

"I didn't think you did." She replied as soon as she was able to catch her breath and leaned against the counter for support. "But you have to admit one thing..."

"What is that?"

"The way you talk... the way you act, it does sort of lead one to think that about you, you know."

"Oh I know, and it just makes me so mad." Stomping his foot for emphasis Kamatari put his hands on his hips and scowled. "It's just the way I am and there's no helping it."

"That's okay, Tari." Kaoru walked over to him and hugged him as she laughed. "I like you just like this."

"Good, because I've never been one to change for other people. You shouldn't be either." The statement was spoken pointedly and Kaoru nodded.

"I know. I don't intend to."

"Don't let him get to you, honey. You've always got me no matter what else happens, you've always got me."

"Thanks, Tari. That means a lot to me." Kaoru hugged the slender man once more as her voice hitched with emotion. "More than you can ever know."

"Not a problem, honey. After all, isn't that what friends are for?"

OoO

Saitou was furious and it didn't take a genius to figure out why. The cowboys surrounding the dinner table were doing everything possible not to talk about the unwanted addition to their numbers that had come along with the new foreman package. Everyone of them knew how much the Boss hated anything female especially the species themself, so the conversation was being steered away from the young blue-eyed woman and focused on her brother.

"How long you been runnin' livestock, Sagara?" One meaty-fisted, bejowled cowboy with beady eyes and a big grin asked.

"Pretty much longer than I can remember," Sano answered in his usual easy-going manner. "My father raised me and my sister around horses and cattle. I think we were both riding before we were walking."

"Ahem," The small-eyed cowboy cleared his throat and shifted an uneasy gaze toward their stone-faced employer trying to gauge whether or not the off-hand remark about the girl bothered him, but there wasn't even the slightest shift in the cold features. "Then you, ah, you know all about saddle sores and bowed-legs?"

"Sure do. I made sure I packed at least two full bottles of 'Witch Hazel' before we came. You know it's the best thing for sore butts and pinched toes." The table erupted into loud guffaws as nearly every head began to nod in agreement.

"'Course, there ain't nothing like a little TLC to make things even better," another man chirped as the laughter started to die down. "You pack a 'real' witch hazel in there with ya, boy?" Once more the shouts of mirth raised the roof and Sano turned a mild shade of pink as he smiled into the howling faces.

"Nah," he replied as he pushed the pieces of roast around the plate with his fork. "Just the bottled version was all I could handle."

"Just as well," icy tones filtered from the head of the table effectively subduing the turn of the conversation. "You managed to bring enough complications with you as it is, Mr. Sagara."

"I– ah, if you say so, Mr. Saitou." Sano's dark brown eyes turned almost black with frustrated anger as he exchanged a meaningful glance with the other man. "But I thought we weren't going to talk about that anymore."

"We aren't. Soujiro, pass the potatoes and gravy, will you. Kamatari has actually made something edible for once."

"Sure thing, Boss." The boy-faced man winked at Sano as he handed the dishes over to Saitou. "But you better not let Tari hear you say that or else he'll put salt in your coffee."

Saitou snorted and took the food. "Probably so," he muttered with a frown. "I swear sometimes he's worse than any woman I ever met for being spiteful." The scathing statement was followed once more by the outbreak of raucous laughter as the men voiced their total approval on that count. But he knew Soujiro was right. If that temperamental cook of his got whiff of his backhanded insult, he'd be cooking for himself and the men for a month.

OoO

But as far as Kaoru was concerned, the evening meal was something to be forgotten no matter who cooked it. The meal itself was delicious, and Kamatari's company was delightful, but the ominous presence of the Master of the House just outside the swinging kitchen doors left much to be desired. Sounds of muted conversations drifted through giving Kaoru some idea of the number of men setting in the main dining-room, and for once she decided maybe eating with the kitchen help wasn't such a bad idea. It wasn't that she was afraid she wouldn't be able to hold her own with so many men, she just wasn't in the mood to fend off so many leering looks and one-liners.

"You don't care for the roast, Kaoru?"

"Huh? What? Oh, oh yes, it's great..." A blush crept up her neck and stained the pale smoothness of her cheeks as she stuttered over being so caught off guard. "It's delicious, Tari, I guess I'm just not very hungry."

"Uh huh, Mr. Saitou has that effect on a lot of people, Honey. Don't worry about it." The somewhat effeminate man giggled behind a flamboyant gesture. "Just try to ignore him and stay out of his way, and everything will be all right."

"You think so? I mean, he really went out of his way to make sure I felt welcome." Kaoru rolled her eyes sarcastically as a snort escaped her. "I never felt so insulted and unwanted in my life. What a jerk! How can you stand to work for him?"

"Well," Kamatari started and then slid a finger down the side of his thin nose as he considered the ebon-haired girl's question. "He's usually a very fair-minded and congenial boss to work for. At least for the most part."

"The most part?"

"Yes, usually he is much easier to get along with. As long as things run smoothly that is."

"And just exactly what is his definition of smoothly?"

"Ummmm..."

"Smoothly is a ranch that runs without any fucking women poking their noses in where they don't belong, that is what smoothly is." Kaoru and Kamatari both jerked around to see the very man they were talking about scowling from the doorway. "So why don't you just keep your opinions and discussions to yourself, girly, and let Kamatari do his job."

"I– ah..." Kaoru felt her jaw drop down into her lap as she locked gazes with the boiling amber eyes. "We were just talking."

"Fine, talk on someone else's time. Kamatari we need more gravy out front."

"Oh, yes sir. Coming right up." Light brown hair fluffed as the slender man jumped to his feet and rounded the table heading to the stove. "Did you bring the boat in with you or do I have to take the pan out there?"

"Here, I brought you the boat."

"Gosh, that was awfully big of you," Kaoru muttered under her breath as she watched the thin-lipped Saitou hand the dish over to his cook.

"What did you say?" Thin eyebrows drew together in a dark look as Saitou turned a withering look onto the girl's face.

"Me?" she squeaked in alarm not sure how he could have heard her. "I didn't say a word."

"Uh huh." Retrieving the gravy from Kamatari's out stretched hand, Saitou made to leave the kitchen. "Stay out of my business, girly, and leave my staff alone as well."

"Oh fine, then who am I suppose to talk to? The horses?"

"I don't give a damn." He snarled into the face of her frustration. "That is not my concern. You just stay the hell away from my men, got that?"

"I got that!"

"Good!"

"Fine!"

"Good!" And he disappeared through the swinging doors with an angry huff.

"Eww, what an insufferable assho..."

"Kaoru! He can still hear you." Kamatari clamped a hand over the girl's mouth as he hissed the warning in her ear. "Do you want him to come back in here?" Kaoru shook her head. "All right then, you need to be more careful for goodness sake."

"But he makes me so mad, Tari." Kaoru wiped off the smear of gravy Kamatari left on her face. "What am I supposed to do? Just sit here and take it?" A tear of frustrated anger slipped out of her eye.

"Oh, honey." Kamatari wrapped a warm arm around the girl's shoulders and hugged her gently. "We'll figure something out, but for the time being you need to stay out of his way."

"Fine, but he better stay out of my way too."

OoO

It was chilly that evening, but even the drop in temperature couldn't keep the crickets from singing and chirping their sunset call as the sky began to darken. Soft hues of pink, purple, and pale orange shimmered on the horizon and as the ball of fire dipped below the edge of the world, tiny stars began to wink on across the sky. The desert was getting ready to go to bed, and nighttime bid a fond farewell to the day as it came to take its place. Soon all of the little nocturnal creatures would begin milling about searching for food and water beneath the security and comfort of the moonlit skies while the warm-blooded lizards and snakes sought out refuge from the falling temperature in the rocks and crevices of large stone formations.

It was a ritual of nature. One that happened every night, but it was a world Kaoru had never seen. Having been raised on a Ranch full of green pastures and more a temperate climate, the life cycle of the desert was something quite new to her and she marveled at the sudden changes in her surroundings and how quickly they all seemed to occur. It was like living in two places at the same time. One was hot and dusty filled with tumbleweeds and cactus, while the other was cold and mysterious hiding a wildlife and beauty she would never imagine. Suddenly the side porch of the ranch house became an amphitheater for the new sites and sounds, and the young woman found herself being immersed in a world she never knew existed.

"Nice night, eh?"

Kaoru nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of a foreign voice drifting over her shoulder. She thought she was all alone and was not expecting any company. Soft laughter greeted her show of surprise and a young man with a charming smile materialized out of the dark to come and stand beside her.

"Sorry," he apologized. "Didn't mean to scare you like that."

"It's okay," she said offering him a poor attempt at a smile. "I just didn't hear you come up, that's all."

"Well, you were pretty engrossed in the scenery when I walked by. I should have made a little more noise or something."

"Maybe," a nervous laugh echoed around her as she chanced a quick look at her new companion. "Aren't you risking life and limb being out here with me? I mean, wouldn't your boss have a tizzy if he saw you talking to me? I'm the enemy, remember?"

Soujiro laughed and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Yep. You're the enemy all right. At least that is how he looks at the world, but I don't quite see it that way."

"Still, you could get yourself into a lot of trouble... not to mention earning me another scolding about staying from the men." Her voice sounded almost as troubled as it did angry and she scuffed the toe of her boot against the wooden floor of the porch in agitation.

"Ah, don't worry about it." Soujiro leaned nonchalantly against the support pole Kaoru was standing beside and gazed off into the distance. "He's long gone to bed by now, or at least has himself squirreled away in that cave of his doing paperwork, so he's not going to find out I'm talking to you."

"You never know, he might have x-ray vision or eyes in the back of his head." She tossed her head back and sent the length of her raven-black tresses tumbling down her back. "God knows he's strange enough to be mutated or something and I wouldn't put it past him to be spying on me just to make sure I'm as miserable as possible."

"That is altogether true and possible, but I think he has more important things on his mind right now than making sure he knows where you are every single second."

"Could have fooled me." Angry blue eyes flashed in the dim light as she turned toward her companion. "The way he pounces on me every chance he gets, I wouldn't be surprised about anything he does. I think he enjoys it if you want to know the truth."

"Hmmmm, I guess you have a point there, but I'd still not worry about it right now if I were you. Trust me, he's busy doing something else and no one is going to rat us out anyway. Nobody wants to see you get 'chewed out' or me 'in trouble'. So relax."

"If you say so." A muffled 'humph' escaped her as she moved to sit down on the steps. "I just don't get it. What did I do anyway?"

"Nothing," Soujiro moved to sit beside her. "You're a woman. That's all you have to do."

"But that's wrong. Just because I'm a woman doesn't give him the right to treat me like I'm some sort of a criminal or third class citizen."

"No, it doesn't, but there's a history between the boss and women that he doesn't talk about and that is just the way he is. It's something that happened a long time ago and since then he won't have anything to do with a woman, and he doesn't like to have them out here."

"It sounds like you don't know what it is. The problem he has with women, I mean."

"Nope, I don't know if anyone does, except maybe Kamatari, but he's so damn loyal to the boss he'd never tell anyone what happened. All I know is the boss was married once a few years ago, and something real bad happened with him and his wife. Ever since then, he's carried a real deep-seated hatred for women, and no one seems to be able to change his mind about them. They are all the same in his opinion."

"Well, that still isn't my fault. I'm not his wife."

"Thank God."

Kaoru's head snapped to the side and she caught the smirk that danced across the man's face just before he dissolved into a fit of chuckling giggles. Completely caught of guard by his candidness and humor, she found herself giggling along with him.

"I'm Soujiro Seta, by the way." He said finally after they had laughed for several minutes. "I gather your Mr. Sagara's sister."

"Yes, I'm Kaoru Kamiya." They shook hands and exchanged childish grins before turning their attention back to the fading sunset.

"Kamiya, huh? Thought his name was Sagara."

"He's my step-brother. His mom married my dad when I was about a year old or something." Kaoru looked down at her hands for a long moment as memories of the tall, broad shouldered man drifted across her mind. "His mom was the only mother I ever knew, and Sano has been my brother ever since I can remember so..."

"So, you may as well be blood related, right?"

"Right. He's all the family I have left. Actually, we are all the family either one of us has left."

"Sorry to hear that." Soujiro reached over and took one of Kaoru's callused hands between his squeezing it warmly. "It's tough losing both of your parents, but try to remember you always have each other... and your friends."

"Friends?" Her face was a mask of pained irony when she looked at him. "We don't have any friends. At least not since Dad died. It was like everyone we knew all of a sudden couldn't get away from us fast enough because we were so far in debt and busted. They were afraid we'd come asking them for help, and there wasn't a one of them that wanted that responsibility." Her voice cracked slightly as she caught her breath and looked out into the distance. "No one wanted to remember everything Dad did for them when they were down and busted up. No siree, all of that was swept under the carpet and conveniently forgotten when it looked like Sano and I might need help. The rotten bastards." The last was muttered under her breath as Kaoru bit her bottom lip struggling to keep her control.

"Hey, I'm sorry. Things shouldn't have turned out like that, Kaoru. They really shouldn't have."

"Yeah, well, they did and now Sano is stuck working for Mr. Personality-minus and I'm stuck trying to be invisible so that he can. What kind of a life is that going to be for me?" Kaoru's voice cracked as her emotions got the better of her. "I deserve better than this, Soujiro."

"Yes you do, sis." Kaoru's head jerked up and to the left as the tall figure of her brother ambled over and sat down beside her on the steps. "But I don't know what else to do. We need this job if we're ever going to pay off Dad's debts."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry, Sano. I don't mean to sound so selfish and ungrateful, its just... its..."

"I know, Missy." Sano put his arm around his sister's shoulders and hugged her close to his side. "But I promise we'll figure something out, you just have to trust me, okay? Can you do that? Can you hang on for a little while longer until I can figure out what to do?" Kaoru snuffled against his shoulder and nodded her head. "Right now I have to start taking care of Mr. Saitou's business and that means I got to go to town soon."

"Go to town?" Kaoru raised her head and looked up at the stern line of his face. "What for?"

"He wants me to hire a few extra hands for the round-up so I need to head into town and post the job openings in the paper plus distribute a few flyers around and see what kind of response we get."

"Hmmmm, I forgot about the boss needing to hire a few more hands this season." Sano and Kaoru both turned to stare quizzically at Soujiro's smirking face as his voice brought their attention back to him. "That could present some very interesting possibilities, you know?"

"Possibilities? What possibilities?" Sano's interest piqued as their new friend's smile widened conspiratorially.

"You need to hire new hands, right?"

"Yeah, and?"

"You say your sister here handles horses just as good if not better than you do, right?"

"Right. What are you getting at?"

"Stand up, Kaoru." Soujiro pulled the confused girl to her feet and made her stand directly in front of him. "Hmmm, it could work."

"What could work?" Brother and sister echoed together as curiosity became a painful reality for both of them.

"Hire her as one of your new hands."

"WHAT?!" The male-female chorus chimed again.

"Sure, we're about the same size so she can wear some of my clothes until you can afford to buy her some, and we'll pass her off as one of the guys." Soujiro's face beamed.

"Are you insane?" Sano blustered as he shook his head and waved his hands in the air. "It would never work. Her hair is too long, and she's way too pretty. We could never pass her off as a guy. Besides that, she's got too many curves to hide."

"Are you trying to be stupid?" Soujiro asked as he turned Kaoru around to face her brother. "Buy her a hat and clothes that are about one size too big. Stuff her hair under the hat and keep it pulled down over her face. The pants and shirts will hide the rest of her without any problems. The boss doesn't know what half the men look like anyway. He doesn't give a rip as long as they do their jobs, so whose to say he'd look at her that close anyhow?"

"Gee, I just don't know..." Sano rubbed the back of his neck. "I still say she's too pretty to pass off for a guy."

"We'll just say she's young, seventeen or eighteen ought to do it don't you think?"

"I suppose that would explain why she doesn't have whiskers." Dark brown eye brows furrowed in a frown as the big man considered the possibilities. "Ah, shit. It's just too risky."

"Come on, Sanosuke." Kaoru grabbed the front of his shirt and looked up into his doubt filled face. "That old porcupine wouldn't have a clue what was going on because he wouldn't be expecting anything like this. He thinks I'm just an idiot woman anyway and the only thing he is concerned about is that I stay the hell out of his way and as far away from the men as I can get. Otherwise, he could care less what I do."

"What's your point, Missy?"

"The more he doesn't see me the better he'll like it."

"Shit, Kaoru. That is the lamest thing I ever heard."

"But she could be right, Mr. Sagara." Soujiro jumped into the middle of the brother-sister conversation. "As long as the boss doesn't have to deal with her he'll be fine, and if he ends up with another A-1 top cow-hand because you hired him... well, what can he say? The job will get done, Kaoru will be out of his hair, and she won't be stuck twiddling her thumbs all day."

"Come on, Sano," Kaoru pleaded. "The worst thing that can happen is he'll find out and stuff me back in the kitchen."

"Or fire me." Sano's compressed lips and worried gaze shifted from one begging face to the other as he tried to find something wrong with the plan.

"He won't fire you, I promise."

"How do you know that, Missy? You clairvoyant or something?"

"No, I'd just tell him I did it without you knowing about it."

"Right, like he'd believe that bullshit."

"Sano, please?" Kaoru batted her long, satiny eyelashes at him even as she pushed her bow-shaped mouth into a pretty pout. "We can do this, besides, think of how much help I'll be when the round-up comes."

"Yeah, help me back into the unemployment line." He pushed his hat to the back of his head and glared at the two younger people. "All right, but if this thing goes south..."

"It won't." Kaoru and Soujiro sang in the same breath as they traded wide grins.

"I just know I'm gonna regret this. I just know it."

"Come on, big brother." Kaoru threw her arms around Sano's shoulders and hugged him. "Where is your sense of adventure?"

"Obviously playing hokey with my common sense because I must have lost my mind to ever let you two talk me into something like this."

"It'll be great. Just the thought of pulling one over on that big ape will be worth the risk of him finding out."

"That is not the attitude you are supposed to have about this, little sister. We could end up in some very serious shit if he finds out."

"Well, he's not going to find out, big brother, so don't get your tail all tied up in a knot. I can do this."

"I sure as hell hope you're right."

"Hey," Kaoru jumped off the steps and threw her arms out wide as she faced the two men. "Have a little faith in me, will ya. You're always telling me to trust you, well, how about you trusting me for once in your life? Huh?"

"This isn't quite the same thing, Kaoru. This is our future your screwing with."

"Isn't every decision we've made since Dad died been screwing with our future, Sano? Even the one that brought us out here to this Godforsaken place?"

"Okay, okay, you made your point, but if you fuck this up I swear to God..."

"I'm not going to screw it up, I promise." Her eyes implored him to believe her even as she walked back over to him. "I can do this, Sanosuke. I know I can, please let me try."

"Okay, but just you remember that 'the guys' don't talk back to the big ape. They show him respect and they do what he tells them to no questions asked. Got that?" He let his gaze bore down into her face as he grabbed her by the shoulders. "You have to control that damn temper of yours as well as your mouth whenever you're around him or this whole thing is going to blow up in our faces."

"I know, I know and I will. I swear."

"You do whatever you have to in order to stay away from him in both guises, understand? If he catches you..."

"Yes, I understand. Geez, Sano, I'm not totally stupid."

"No, you aren't stupid, Kaoru, you're just a damn hothead and sometimes you don't think before you open your mouth, but you're gonna have to now if you intend to pull this off. Mr. Saitou is no fool and he'll eat you for breakfast if he finds out what you're doing."

"Your brother's right, Kaoru." Soujiro touched the blue-eyed girl's arm to get her attention. "It's a great plan, if I say so myself, but you have to take it dead serious if you don't want to get caught."

"Will you two please give me some credit here." Kaoru shoved away from Sano's grasp and walked out into the yard again. "I know what's at stake and I'm not going to put our future in jeopardy just so I can screw one to the old man, but..." She turned and favored the men with a dazzling smile. "I'm going to enjoy every minute of putting one over on him that I can get, even if I have to do it behind my bedroom door where no one can see it. You can't take that away from me."

"Great, whatever," Sano started to laugh as he shook his head. "You always were the most stubborn woman I ever met, I guess I'm going to have to trust you in this, aren't I?"

"Yup," she sang as she danced around in the dimming evening light. "You don't have much of a choice, besides, we have something now we didn't have before."

"Oh, what's that, Missy?"

"A friend." And Kaoru bounded up the steps wrapping a wide-eyed Soujiro in a huge bear hug. "Things like this always work out better when you have a friend to help you out."

"Well," Sano scratched his head as he looked over at the blushing man. "I guess she's got a point there too. Thanks, my friend." Extending his hand outward Sano took Soujiro's in a tight grip that sealed the bargain between the three of them. "We can use all the help we can get."

"My pleasure." Soujiro replied. "I've always wanted to see the boss eat his words anyway." And that statement sent the three of them into a fit of laughter that lasted a good long time.

(A/N: Please be kind enough to review. Belle and I need all the feedback we can get. Besides that, we love reviews. They give us the warm fuzzies. .

Tsuki-san)

Edited: 2/19/10