I feel so terrible. I hate when others start a fic and don't continue for months… and now I am a hypocrite. Oh well, I could use any ideas you have! I have a basic timeline but how the pieces go together eludes me. So basically, if you tell me who you want the next chapter about I will write them in. LATER, Alatre. FYI, this is being posted a week after I finished it because was being difficult ;)

Standard Disclaimers apply.

Lover's 10 Chapter 4…

It was a dream. She knew it was a dream. However, she couldn't quite stop running. She knew what she was running from, but she couldn't quite stop the fear building in her heart. She knew what would happen… but she couldn't wake up.

Makimachi Misao, was suffering not a dream, not a nightmare, but a memory. In the memory, her one true nightmare, she can't stop running. Running from pain, running from doubt, running from the "bad men" she was sure knew exactly where she was.

The nightmare was set the day after her parents' death. The boys, as they had been then, so long ago had disappeared searching for the killers, searching for redemption of not protecting those who had needed them. How could they have known the one who would need them more than anyone else was the one they had left behind?

There he was, the bad man. He was watching her still, with those dark eyes his long fingers clutching the bloody knife she knew had been used on her. The scars of her true body burned in the dream. If her voice box worked she would have screamed yet all that could be heard was his laugh taunting.

Suddenly the scene changed, no longer was he standing above her but the scene was reversed. She stood above him as he knelt in his blood, it should have been different yet he still had the same eyes. They taunted her staring her down as he spoke

Then, the final blow as the blade sliced through his neck he laughed and laughed the sound turning into a dull gargle towards the end. Yet she knew, in the end that Kanryuu had been right. No one could save her from herself.

Misao awoke to yet another pounding headache. As she looked to the clock she read 8:45 PM. Kaoru had miraculously let her sleep in, whether this was because of her romantic night with Kenshin, or the extra bodies helping out she didn't care. The dreams were bad but sleep was still sleep. It was around the time that she was contemplating getting more pills from Kama-sama that she heard her cell phone go off in a crescendo of vibration and Fur Elise, a song most found rather unfitting for the petite psycho bar owner. She however loved the songs soothing melody as it reminded her of her mother.

The text message was short and… not so sweet.

"I LET YOU SLEEP IN! GET UR ASS DWN HERE!" –K

Sighing Misao flopped back on the pillows. Then slowly dragged herself out of bed not wanting to further anger Kaoru, at least not tonight. Stretching her body as she left the bed she sauntered to her closet pulling out a black corset and her comfy black leather pants. After which, she went straight to the bathroom to take the hottest shower she could and scrubbed her skin of the sweat caused by the nights, well days, bad dream.

As soon as she headed out of the room the balcony doors creaked open and a shadowed figure emerged. The only thing visible was the man's ice blue eyes and creamy pale skin. He crossed the room in two quick strides and had barely touched the door handle when he felt cool metal pierce his flesh.

"Haven't gone soft I see," Aoshi barely let his throat move for fear of slicing it on Misao's blade. He glanced down from the corner of his eye to see his little weasel clad in only a blue towel. Her hair was cascading all around her and furious blue eyes shining beneath black bangs.

"What are you doing in my room Aoshi-sama?" She bit out, her fury barely contained.

He never broke eye contact, studying her as she studied him. Wondering who would give up. It appeared his little weasel was quite the opponent though he wondered in which areas he could best her, or better yet, she best him.

"I heard you scream, and your aura felt… disturbed." She let out a dark grin at that. They both knew disturbed was putting it lightly. The emotion that dream had caused would bring physical pain to anyone who could read it in a twenty foot radius. This was the other reason for her grin. His room was located at least a hundred feet from her own. Up two stories and to the left, unless he had been at the balcony adjacent to hers, which he had, he never would have felt it.

"Trying to protect me are you? Once again, Aoshi-sama, the silent protector of little Misao-chan sits up on a balcony till all hours to save her from the imaginary monsters under the bed." Her grin turned into a grimace. "I'm afraid you've outgrown your usefulness as a security blanket. I can fight my own battles, and the monsters that aren't so imaginary anymore."

"You are mocking me Misao." His eyes seemed to burn once again in the midst of their icy depths. "I'd warn you against it."

"If anyone should be warning someone, Aoshi-sama, I believe it would be me. After all," She added a slight amount of pressure to Aoshi's neck with her dagger. "I seem to have the upper hand."

She let out a gasp as Aoshi's left hand shot out to grasp her wrist. Then he used his right to pin Misao to his body and push her against her door. He smirked down at her as she tried to escape. Even going so far as to try and knee him in the groin, and gaining only a raised eyebrow and a more compromising position for her efforts.

"Let me go, Aoshi-sama!" She bit out in a furious whisper.

"Afraid of me, Misao-chan?" His blue eyes burned into hers.

"Never!" She growled. He looked down at her, dark hair tumbled about in waves. Her blue eyes glaring defiantly into his, every muscle tense and perfectly toned, her lips parted letting out fast breaths that only got faster as he continued to hold her. His eyes kept coming back to her lips as he smiled grimly.

"Good," was the only warning she got as he bent his head down to capture her lips. She gave a quick intake of breath before furiously attacking his lips in the kiss that was more battle than anything. The two giving and taking as much as they could, trying to out do each other. Both searching for something in the other though they knew not what.

They pulled apart for breath, both staring at each other wildly. His fingers stroking down her neck to her arms. Her hands clutched into his jacket as she buried her head in his shoulder.

"Never fear me Misao." Aoshi whispered to the top of her head, wrapping his arms around her. She didn't reply, clutching tighter at his jacket, trying to lose herself in him.

So…that was interesting. Once again forgive the terrible romance scene I TRIED Reviews are much appreciated, though I know I don't deserve them… I'm NOT WORTHY! Heheh, Thanks much.

-Alatre