Oh my geez! Another chapter! Let me tell you I'm really pumped about this. Chapter 2. So excited. I have a great feeling about this story. :)

Again. I do NOT own Rurouni Kenshin.

His breath caught in his throat and she looked back at him. "Are you okay?"

"You have a child?" He asked, stunned.

"Is it really so hard to believe?" She asked, giving him a strange look.

"Given your... situation, yes." He admitted, looking away from her.

"I wasn't always homeless." She admitted, making a frustrated noise in the back of her throat. "When I had her, we were doing pretty good. We lived with my parents, I went to one of the best high schools in Tokyo and then afterwards my parents threw me out." She looked at him. "I've been like this ever since."

He felt for her. "Where's your daughter?"

"My friend is keeping her for me."

"Do you get to see her often?"

She sighed. "Not often enough, but I don't have the means to see her, that and I hate getting her hopes up. Every time she sees me she asks, 'mommy, when do I get to go home with you'. I don't have an answer and I don't want to hurt her by just leaving her. That's why I really need this job; so I can get back on my feet and finally get my daughter back."

He looked at her. "Let's go inside. We can talk in there." He opened the car door and made his way around the car and opened the door for her. They quickly made their way up to the front door.

They made it inside before Yahiko came running out of the back room, screaming his head off. He saw Kaoru and launched himself into her arms. "What is it?" She asked as she picked him up, crossing her arm under his butt, supporting his weight. He was a little big to be picked up, but she wasn't going to reject him when he acted as though he needed her like his life depended on it. "Ms. Karamura is trying to hurt me."

"Yahiko, it's not nice to tell lies." The woman walked out from the back room.

"Ms. Karamura, I believe you were dismissed." Kenshin took a menacing step forward, his voice cold.

Kaoru took an unconscious step back, her arms tightening around Yahiko.

"Mr. Himura-" The woman started.

"I'll say it one more time. Leave."

She bowed slightly and scurried around him. Picking up her things, she practically ran out.

As Kenshin turned towards them, Kaoru immediately noticed his eyes. When she first saw him they were violet. Now they were amber... and void of all emotion. "Mr. Himura..." She started.

"Kenshin." He sighed, his body physically relaxing. "I told you to call me Kenshin."

"Are you all right?" She asked, before putting Yahiko, who was now squirming in her arms, down. He ran over to his father.

"I'm fine." He said as he placed his hand protectively on his son's shoulder. He noticed her tense up. "I apologize. I have somewhat of a temper."

Kaoru looked down at Yahiko, making Kenshin let out a humorless laugh. "Make no mistake, Ms Kamiya. I'd never hurt my son."

She nodded. "Kaoru." She smiled nervously at him.

He tilted his head, looking at her like she was some never-before-seen exotic animal. "Pardon?"

"You want me to call you Kenshin; call me Kaoru."

"Okay... Miss Kaoru." She made a face at him and he let out a soft laugh.

"So what do I need to know about this job?" She wanted to get down to business.

He led her towards the couch, motioning for her to sit down as Yahiko excused himself and rushed up to his room. Kenshin sat down beside her. "It's an every day job. If you want a day off, you ask two weeks in advance. You're to take care of my son from the time he wakes up until I get home. After that, it'll be your time. You can do what you want."

She nodded her head, looking into his violet eyes. "So I stay out of your way while you're home?"

His eyes widened slightly. 'Is that really were she went with that statement?' "No. You're free to join us, but Yahiko isn't your sole responsibility when I'm home. I'm not one of those parents who dump their kids off with some nanny. I enjoy my son's company more than anything."

She nodded. "I understand, thank you." She looked around the spacious room. It was pretty empty. Only a few chairs, the couch, a television set and a side table. "Well, when do I start?"

"Now if you'd like." He smiled at her.

She gave a nervous laugh and looked away. "I don't want to intrude so suddenly."

He reached for her chin and lifted her face, having her meet his eyes. "You're not intruding. If I didn't want you here, you wouldn't be here."

He was definitely blunt. "If you're sure." He nodded. "Do you mind if I take a few moments to familiarize myself with the house?" She asked.

"Not at all." He told her the directions to her room, and she headed for the stairs. "Miss Kaoru." He called.

She stopped at the stairs and turned back to him. "Yes?"

"If this works out, you'll have your daughter back in no time." He didn't know why he'd said it, but he felt as though she needed to know.

She only gave him a small, yet disbelieving smile. "Thank you." She walked up the stairs and into her room.

Quietly, she shut the door and just aimlessly walked around her room. It wasn't huge, but it wasn't small by any means. It had a king sized bed which seemed to be new, a spacious closet- which she didn't need since she didn't have clothes- and a fully stocked bathroom connected to her room. She sighed and gave a sad little laugh. How different this was. Could she really get used to it? She was used to sleeping in shelters or even cold alleys when shelters got to crowded for her. She sighed and laid down on her bed and, rather quickly, went to sleep.

She didn't know what time it was when she woke up, but she popped up when she heard a fist connect with her shut bedroom door. "Yes?" She asked to whoever it was.

"Sorry if I disturbed you Miss Kaoru, I was just wondering if you were hungry."

'Food' She thought, making her stomach growl loudly. Her face turned red as she heard Kenshin chuckle on the other side of the door. "Um, yeah, I am thank you." She responded.

"Why don't you change clothes and meet us downstairs. We'll wait for you." She heard his voice fade away as he stepped away from the door.

Her heart skipped a beat. Change clothes? She jumped off the bed and swung the door, surprising him. She caught it before it slammed into the wall, and looked at him nervously. "Uh, sorry, I'm ready now." At his confused expression, she sighed. "I don't need to change." She started. "I don't have clothes to change in to." She motioned to herself. "This is it."

He sighed and bent his head. "I'm such an asshole."

She was confused at his meaning. He didn't know and it wasn't something she wanted to broadcast. "No you aren't." She smiled.

He looked her in the eyes. "Yeah, I am." He brought his wrist up, looking at his watch. "Eight-thirty. Damnit. Tomorrow's the start of the weekend. Unfortunately, I already have plans with Yahiko, so I'll have someone take you shopping."

She held up her hands. "No, please, don't worry about it."

"Miss Kaoru, you need new clothes. You're going to get them whether you like it or not."

"So you're telling me not to argue." Her voice had a hint of attitude in it, but she was trying to hide it.

He smiled. "Yes."

It was her turn to sigh. "Okay... if there's no way I can get out of it..."

"None."

"Fine. You win this round." He stepped out of her doorway and motioned her to exit and head down to the kitchen. She gave a forced smile and walked in front of him. When she made it downstairs she noticed Yahiko playing with the food on his plate. She stopped and her stomach growled again, luckily not as loud as it had before. Kenshin walked around her and pulled out a chair for her. She sat down and he took his seat at the end of the short table. "This looks amazing." Kaoru commented.

"Thank you." Kenshin smiled. "Do you cook?"

"Is it required?" She asked, nervousness overtaking her again.

"No, it's not required, but I'm not going to ban you from the kitchen."

"Ban me, please." He gave her an alert stare. "If you want your house to stay standing, don't let me near a stove...not even a microwave."

"How can you mess up cooking in a microwave?" Yahiko asked, giving her an idiotic stare.

"Believe me, there's definitely a way to mess that up."

Kenshin cleared his throat, sounding as though he was trying not to laugh. "I'm not going to ban you, but you know your limits. I trust that you can stay away from cooking if it's something you know you're bad at."

"Yes." She answered simply, looking down at her plate.

He noticed she hadn't touched her food. "Is everything okay?"

She looked up at him, and she saw the subtle worry in his gaze. "Fine. I'm just thinking. I'm not good at multitasking, so something even as simple and thinking and eating his hard for me."

"Do you want to-"

She shook her head. "No. Thank you, but no. I'm fine with keeping it to myself for now, but if I do need to talk, I'll tell you if you're willing to listen."

He gave her a slight nod. "Of course." She smiled. "Now eat." She gave a small giggle, nodded and then put a spoonful of food in her mouth.

Heaven.

Alright you awesomely awesome readers, I need your opinions on what you think thus far. Of course, not everything is set with the story. I want more, a lot more, but what do YOU think? Is it worth reading?

-K