Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN RUROUNI KENSHIN NOR ANY OF IT'S COMPONENTS OR CHARACTERS (There, I said it)

A/N I am soo sorry for taking So long to update. Thank you to the Reviewers! YOU ROCK! I didn't know where to end this chapter, so please forgive me. Gomen Nasai!

EDIT: 4/3/08 Draft 3 has been replaced with Draft 10 (This is true for all of the edits). In looking back at my previous author's notes, I find some of them funny, and sometimes desparate. I'm keeping them in for humor, because I can comment on them in the edits and make fun of myself.

Chapter 2: Bliss and a Problem

Tears streamed down Misao's face.

Aoshi still sat there still and silent.

She looked up. There was still no sign of him moving. She leaned in closer her face and within a couple of inches from his. She took her other hand and gently poked him in the forehead. He still wouldn't budge. A single tear ran down her cheek and onto his wrist.

Aoshi slowly came out of his trance and slowly lifted his head.

To both of their shock, their lips locked.

Misao was shocked. Aoshi was stunned. They stared at each stared at each other. Neither of them moved for a while. They were dumbfounded at the fateful action. There was something going on between them, but it was all mental.

'I can't believe this! I'm kissing AOSHI? Am I in a dream or something?' Misao thought as she looked into his icy blue eyes.

'Misao? How?' Aoshi thought as he looked deeply into his Okashira's eyes.

Both of them were afraid to move. Misao didn't want to move, and Aoshi was bewildered at the whole thing. Finally, Aoshi pulled away, but not before he moved his hand on top of hers.

Misao's heart flew and broke at the same time. 'I KISSED Aoshi-sama! But he pulled away, I wonder if this will make things better for us…or will it make it worse?.' She backed away (still keeping her hand in his) and sat back down on the floor. She gazed into those icy blue eyes that she had loved since she was a child.

Aoshi peered into her eyes. He wondered as to why there were tears streaming down her face. 'That peaceful sleeping girl that I saw earlier this morning was now suffering. Why?' Outwardly, he was emotionless, however, inside he held onto everything. A wall had been built since he was a child to block emotions from reaching the surface. Even his eyes had been trained not to show too much emotion. However, he was a little speechless about the kiss.

Misao looked away from Aoshi at the basket of food and tea she brought. She took her other arm to wipe away the tears that had been streaming down her face, keeping the other between his hands. The warmth comforted her.

"Lunch is ready" she said shakily.

"Arigato" He stated, letting go of Misao's hand.

Misao sighed. She stood up and wandered over to the basket.

' I wonder why she was crying.' Aoshi thought, watching Misao set up lunch for him. He began to brainstorm why she was crying, but couldn't come to a conclusion. "Why were you crying?" He asked flatly.

Misao looked up at him, pouring the tea. "I was worried about you" she said looking away from those piercing eyes and back down to the tea.

"Why?" He asked, confused.

Misao sighed as she pushed the tea cup towards Aoshi. 'Should I tell him the truth that he didn't acknowledge me, is it selfish of her to think about it?' She thought. "No reason" 'I guess'. She looked back up at Aoshi with a smile, trying to hide the concern she had earlier, and her happiness from the kiss.

"Liar" he stated flatly as he looked into her eyes. The piercing-ness of his eyes sent chills down her spine. He knew her very well and knew when she was lying. "I want the truth"

Misao shivered, 'those eyes will be the death of me' she thought. She knew better than to reply with a 'it's nothing' comment. Even though she was Okashira, Aoshi was still held in the highest regard in her heart.

Misao turned around slowly and looked at him straight into his eyes, with her own, reflecting back. at him. "You didn't move at all when I came with your lunch.Usually you turn your head or something to acknowledge that I made your lunch, but you were like stone. I was worried that…" her voice trailed off

"That I would revert back to my former self?" Aoshi stood, stretching as he approached Misao, and stopped several feet away. "You have no need to worry about that."

She didn't know what to think about that. She was happy she didn't have anything to worry about, but was still concerned for her beloved Aoshi-sama. Just then, Her stomach growled, and she blushed.

"You haven't eaten anything yet have you?" Aoshi asked, maintaining his blank expression.

Misao shook her head. Come to think of it, she did run out rather quickly that morning didn't she? "No. I woke up too late to worry about it".

Aoshi turned and looked at the lunch Misao had prepared, then looked back at Misao.

"You brought too much for me; I am not really hungry right now. Why don't you eat as well?"

Did Misao hear that right? Aoshi wants her to have LUNCH with him? Her heart leaped with pure joy (maybe that's an understatement), First the kiss and now LUNCH! She nearly danced around the room, while the shock left her with a huge smile on her face and brightened her already dazzling hazel eyes. Joy was radiating from her body. Even Aoshi felt it from where he was sitting.

Inwardly, he realized that the peace he felt as he watched her sleep that morning had put him into a balance with everything around him; including the hyper girl that was before him. He wanted to thank her, without letting her know he did that. He hadn't felt at this level of peace in a long time.

Misao sat down opposite from Aoshi and started to eat. Usually she wolfed down her food in a flash, but she wanted to savor this moment for as long as she possibly could. She was doing cartwheels on the inside, being face-to-face eating with Aoshi.

Although neither of them talked very much, Aoshi had taken the peace with Misao's presence there. 'There is something about her, but I couldn't put my finger on it.' Aoshi was smiling on the inside as the invitation for lunch was his way of saying 'thank you' to her for being there this morning. 'This peace that I experienced this morning had temporarily brought me out of my darkness.' His eyes and voice had even lost a bit of their edge. 'Could I possibly be turning into the man that he was destined to be?'

When they finished, Misao started to pack up her things and return to the already busy Aoiya. She turned to leave, but she glanced at him before opening the shoji. He was back to meditating, but he looked more peaceful than usual.

"See ya later Aoshi-sama!" She said cheerfully as she slid the shoji open.

The autumn air moved freely in the temple with the shoji open. The cool air washed across him, blowing his long, midnight black bangs. "Arigato….Be careful on your way" he said, not looking up, but soaking in the rays of sunlight and the moving air.

"Oh, I will Aoshi-sama!" She smiled and closed the shoji behind her.

He closed his eyes. 'Misao, if I could only repay you for the peace that you have given me' He thought as he went back into his trance.

--

Misao stood on the other side of the door. 'Oh, my dear Aoshi-sama. If there could be any way that I could possibly thank you for letting me stay with you today' A smile spread across her face as she skipped down the steps of the temple.

--

Back at the Aoiya, Okina was keeping a close eye out for her. "Misao! Where Have you Been?" Okina asked as she pushed open the door to the famous restaurant. "You know that Aoshi needs time to let his emotional wounds heal"

Misao was caught in a day-dream. She sighed as she skipped merrily around the Aoiya and into the kitchen to help out the others.

"Okashira! A message just came for you" Shiro said as he was putting together some orders.

"Where is it?" Misao asked, confused.

"It's in your office" Omasu chimed in.

"Are you going to be alright in here if I check it out?" Misao asked as she turned to leave for her office.

Shiro turned away from his work "It should be alright. The lunch rush has slowed down. The letter seemed important…better check it out right away."

"Alright…I should be back shortly" Misao said as she skipped merrily down the hall.

The others knew something was up. She was usually a little depressed when she returned from the temple. They wondered why she was so happy.

--

Misao slid open the door to the office open to see the letter neatly laid on her desktop. She slid into the chair and opened it.

Okashira: We have a problem!…

'Oh, No!' She thought as she set it down in disbelief.

To be Continued…