Hiya!

I won't bore you with my incessant babble... I'll do that at the end of this chappie!

Please enjoy the chapter!

Lynn

Disclaimer: ... (singing) You love me but you don't know who I am... Let me go... (stops singing)... I'm sorry, did you say something?

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Previous chapter...

"And then I managed to get back here... that's all I know, Kenshin," Kaoru bowed her head. "That's all I remember... I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Kenshin murmured, shadowing his eyes. "It's a lot of help. But...did he ever mention if he was working for someone?"

"No..."

"Ah," Kenshin got up and turned away from Kaoru, facing Sano and Aoshi. His eyes were golden with a feral quality to them. There was no question in their minds, Battousai has emerged.

End...

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Chapter Seven - Confusion and Betrayal

He wouldn't give her a moment's peace.

Kaoru sighed heavily as she sat at the kitchen counter, watching Kenshin chop vegetables. On Sano's orders, she wasn't allowed to help. She smacked him in the head for insulting her cooking once again. She knew it was bad, but... she'd do anything right now. But every time she offered to help with something, her friends just smiled and told her that they were fine and she should go "rest." Hmph. Rest. She doesn't need anymore of that.

What she does need is to go outside. To do something in the sunshine. Breathe fresh air. They won't let her outside... not just on Kenshin's orders... on everyone's agreement. Ever since that night with the battle, she was never out of Kenshin's sight. Or if she was, she was within sight of someone else. Usually Sano or Aoshi. Kaoru knew it was for her safety and that they cared but...

Quite frankly, it was annoying. Kaoru was a spirited girl who loved to be free. She couldn't stand to be cooped up in one place for too long, and it'd been two months and three weeks since that battle outside. She'd been counting.

There was one small window in the loft above the kitchen. Kaoru was usually found there, staring at the colored leaves of fall float by in the wind. It was almost the end of autumn. Winter was coming and the gray clouds still hadn't passed. Kaoru was beginning to wonder about that. Why wouldn't it rain or anything? Why wouldn't the clouds go away?

"Kaoru?"

Kenshin's voice snapped her back to reality.

"I'm sorry, what?"

Kenshin chuckled, staring at her with soft violet-amber eyes. As he began to repeat what he said, Kaoru drifted off again. What was with his eyes? They'd also been kind of strange since that battle. They were never just violet, they were both amber and violet. Something was going on inside of that rurouni that he wasn't willing to talk about... Or maybe it's something happening inside of him that he isn't even aware of...?

"...and I was worried about you. You seemed spaced out at lunch too."

"Hm? Lunch? No thanks, I already had lunch," Kaoru said distractedly.

Kenshin laughed, his eyes twinkling. "You weren't listening again. Are you okay, Kaoru?"

"Yeah, I'm going up to the loft," she said in an annoyed tone. "Sano, a little help, please?" Sano smiled slightly and picked Kaoru up and carried her up to the loft before he returned to pestering Megumi.

"Very well," Kenshin said quietly. He knew that Kaoru hated being stuck inside but... he just couldn't risk anything. He almost lost her... that terrified him. It still terrifies him. He almost lost the most important person to him... Kenshin shuddered inwardly. He couldn't even think about it. She was everything to him.

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"Kenshin... Stupid rurouni! I just wanna go outside..." Kaoru whined to herself. She sat in the loft; her knees curled up to her chest. Her green kimono was getting wrinkled, but she didn't care. Staring out the window, she sighed. Then something caught her eye.

A... bridge...?

She stared at the wooden bridge with interest and curiosity. She wanted to go outside... and here was a reason. Looking behind her, she crawled over to the edge of the loft and looked around. Kenshin was cooking, humming as usual. Megumi and Aoshi were reading by the fire... Misao and Yahiko were in their rooms... Tsubame and Sano talking at the table. Good, no one was watching her.

Sliding back to the window, she opened it silently. Standing up while of leaning on the window sill for help, she cast a nervous glance over her shoulder. No one was coming... She crawled outside and closed the window behind her carefully. Kaoru sat for a moment, reveling in the smell of fresh air. It was slightly cold, and smelled of rain... Shaking her head, she remembered why she came outside. She stood up slowly, but her legs gave out again and she fell. Growling slightly, she looked around for some sort of stick that she could lean on. She saw none; she didn't really expect to see any. After all, she is on the top of a cliff. Kaoru decided to settle for crawling.

On all fours, she made her way to the bridge. It looked extremely old. It was a rope bridge, with wooden boards missing in some places across the whole length of the walkway. Peering over the edge, she was frightened to find that there was a bottomless pit. She couldn't even see the ground. Her eyesight stopped at the fog that appeared to be about halfway down from where she was. Gulping audibly, she slinked back slowly. Boy... these kind of heights scared the hell out of her. Once Kaoru was a few feet away from the edge, she took deep breaths. Kaoru's phobia of those heights still hadn't gone away.

A few minutes later, Kaoru leaned her head against the stone wall behind her. The window from whence she came was right next to her, but she didn't feel like going inside yet. Closing her eyes, she relaxed.

She opened her eyes, thinking that she should go inside when she saw arrows flying at her head at full speed.

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"Sano, will you bring this up to Kaoru? Or ask her if she wants to eat dinner with us down here?" Kenshin queried, handing the tall man a tray with a small bowl of soup.

"Sure," Sano smiled. He walked over to the ladder and expertly carried the tray up without spilling a drop of soup. "Oy! Jou-chan, I have some good..." Sanosuke stopped when he saw that Kaoru wasn't anywhere to be found.

"Shit!" He cursed under his breath. Setting the tray down, he took purposeful steps towards the window. It was just as he looked out the window and saw Kaoru, that arrows came flying right at her.

"JOU-CHAN!"

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The arrows landed about her head-- all carefully aimed so not to harm her-- with one that had landed right next to her ear with a letter tied to it. Kaoru stared blankly ahead in shock before registering the fact that Sano was next to her, yelling at her between his demanding if she was okay. Subtly, she took the note and hid it in her kimono.

"What...?" Kaoru said to Sano dazedly.

"What? You weren't listening? Ah! Woman, you are going to drive Kenshin crazy! When he finds out about this, you are in deep--"

"--Trouble? Yes, that's one nicer way to put it," Kenshin's voice had deepened, making his appearance all the more dreaded by Kaoru. With his eyes once again shadowed, he closed the distance between them.

"What, per chance, were you doing out here, Kaoru Kamiya?" He asked her in a carefully controlled tone.

Kaoru winced. "Er... Uh...I was... You see..."

Sano and Kenshin's expressions darkened.

Meekly, Kaoru smiled.

"Fresh air?"

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If she thought Kenshin was bad about protection before... hoo boy... he was worse now.

She was never out of his sight-- save for baths and bathroom trips. But other than that, he was always by her side. He even slept next to her, not the same bed, but you get the point. Even Sano and Aoshi were protective of her. Except Sano was a bit more watchful over a certain kitsune and Aoshi was wary over a certain hyper ninja...

Kaoru smiled. Their love was so obvious... Speaking of obvious... Kaoru scowled at the overly protective, annoyingly possessive, over powering, conceited rurouni seated next to her.

"Kaoru, glaring at me isn't going to help," he said without looking up from the book he was reading.

"..." She hadn't spoken to him since he officially stated the new arrangements for her protection three weeks ago after the attack with the arrows. She hadn't even read the note that was attatched to one of the arrows yet. Kaoru didn't really find it necessary to show him, just in case it was another threat letter... Most likely, Kenshin would lock her in a room with no windows and fifty bolts on the doors. She desperately wanted to read it, but... Kenshin never left her alone.

"Not speaking to me isn't going to help either," Kenshin said, breaking her out of her reverie. He put the book he was reading down and stared intensely at her. "I believe I wasn't the one who snuck outside. I also believe that I have every right to be upset with you. It's been three weeks and you still won't tell me if you saw anyone, if there was any message, why in the world you were outside, or anything for that matter!"

Kaoru said nothing but stuck her tongue out at him and angrily resumed staring out the window. It was winter now, the beginning of a long one by the looks of it. All the leaves were gone from the trees and dark clouds remained lingering in the skies. The land looked rather barren, to put it bluntly. Kaoru regarded the weather with cold expression before sighing angrily and turning away from the window.

"Can I take a bath?" she mumbled hoarsely, speaking for the first time in weeks.

Kenshin, too surprised that she spoke, nodded and picked her up. He carried her down the ladder and took her to the bath. "Er, I'll heat the bath, I think you can take it from here," he flushed slightly. He left the room and Kaoru could hear him starting up a fire.

Quickly, unable to believe she hadn't thought of this sooner, Kaoru pulled out the note. She unfolded it and began to read the familiar neat script.

My dear Ms. Kamiya,

I am coming to visit you soon. Please await me at the same place where you received this note. I'd like to let you in on my story-- the reason why I am after you and the Battousai. Come alone and whenever it's convenient.

Yours truly,

Etc, etc.

Kaoru's eyes darkened. Should she see him? She did want to know a few things. But what if it's a trap? She could end up being killed...

No! She couldn't give up now! She will go and meet him!

Question was...

How in the hell was she supposed to arrive alone?

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Kaoru had regained her strength, so she was able to walk around on her own. This was good news and bad news for Kenshin.

Good news: she was getting better.

Bad news: now, it was easier for her to get out of his line of sight.

Kenshin sighed, keeping a weary eye on Kaoru next to the window. She looked like she was ready to bolt at any time. Her body looked tense, like she was waiting for something. A sly smile spread across Kenshin's face. "I dare you to move."

She jumped, turning to face him. "You what?"

"Dare you to move."

Kaoru blinked for a moment, trying to figure Kenshin out. He just smiled and folded his arms in a challenge. Kaoru took up the challenge. "I'll take you up on that dare... soon."

"Really?" He asked doubtfully.

"Yes, really. Now phrase the dare once more so you and I won't forget."

"I dare you to move."

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Aoshi and Sano sighed at the same time, staring at the object's of their desire. Aoshi gazed at Misao with worry. Like Kaoru, she was a magnet for trouble. Right now, she was humming absent-mindedly as she cleaned the kitchen for Kenshin. He knew he loved her, but he just couldn't bring himself to say so.

Speaking of talking... he couldn't really voice a lot of his other thoughts. He wanted to get Misao out of here, away from danger... but he just had this gut feeling that would just cause more trouble. Aoshi knew Sanosuke felt the same way about this because he loved the doctor... but he also knew that would just cause more trouble.

Crap, Aoshi could feel a headache coming on. Yet he continued his thoughts. Aoshi also thought that Kaoru should be put some place away from here. She's just causing Misao and the other's unnecessary danger. Aoshi glared inwardly. He also cared for Battousai's woman... Not in a "love" way... but as a "friend" way...

He almost couldn't believe it... but he did.

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Kaoru knows something... she needs to talk... but how?

Kenshin went around for his check for locked windows and doors before making his way to his futon next to Kaoru. Laying down on his futon, his amethyst eyes were trained intently on Kaoru. She was such a peaceful sleeper...

Now that her life wasn't in danger, it didn't seem so horrible that her eyes were closed. Kenshin smiled slightly, and it was all because he knew her beautiful blue eyes would open again.

For what felt like hours, he stared at her sleeping face...

I could lie here for hours...

Reaching out a timid hand, he stroked her cheek. "You have no idea what you do to me, do you?" He whispered.

Just watching you sleep...

When she stirred slightly, his hand jerked back. She fell back into a deep slumber again. Kenshin, afraid to wake her, settled with watching her angelic face.

"...I love you..." He confided, even though he knew she couldn't hear him.

Hanging on every breath you breathe.

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Kaoru's tried everything.

Everything.

But she just couldn't be alone. No one would leave her alone. She even had a feeling that they suspected she knew something they didn't! Why do her friends have to be so sharp? Kaoru rolled her eyes and exhaled in frustration, her back thumping against the wall as she leaned back.

"You know... this is getting extremely irritating, Kaoru," Megumi said quietly from her place next to the fire, her eyes never leaving her book.

"What is?" Kaoru asked, annoyed.

"First of all, you are. That's all you do-- get frustrated at something you won't tell us about. Secondly, you really are putting a lot of stress on Kenshin by not telling him anything about that attack with the arrows," Megumi snapped, closing her book violently.

"Oh, shut up," Kaoru mumbled. "I told him! I didn't see anything! What more do you want?"

"The truth," Sano said angrily, coming into the conversation. "Jou-chan, all our lives are in danger, especially yours. We all need you to --"

"Stop! Stop talking!" Kaoru exclaimed, covering her ears. This was too much like one of her nightmares... She couldn't remember it...

"Kaoru! Even I'm not that childish!" Misao frowned, her hands on her hips. "C'mon! Just tell us what you know!"

"We just want to help," Aoshi said icily.

"Stop! Stop!" Kaoru's hands pressing on her ears to the point of hurting her head. "They will all turn against you eventually..." The voice floated maliciously in her head... the one from her nightmares...

"Oy! Ugly! Start acting your age!" Yahiko scolded, glaring daggers at her. Even Tsubame's brow was furrowed in quiet anger.

Tears came to Kaoru's eyes. She sobbed, "Please, stop! Stop..."

"They will argue with you... gang up on you... even--"

"Kaoru... I think it would be wise to tell us what you know," a horribly familiar voice said from next to her. She looked up to Kenshin, who was regarding her with a cold expression.

"--Kenshin... He will betray you too..."

"NO!" Kaoru shook her head violently, tears streaming down her cheeks. She put her head in her hands. A few seconds later, she looked up. The others gasped. Her tear drops were gone as if they weren't even there. Her eyes were two eerie desolate pools of deep blue... almost black. They looked close to hypnotic.

Silently, she stood-- slightly unbalanced-- and regarded her friends with her eyes. It sent chills down their spines. Yet, they were unable to break the stare. They saw for the barest of moments, a bit of emotion... and they recognized it. Betrayal. They immediately felt guilty, but the emotion was gone from Kaoru's eyes as soon as it had arrived. One thing they noticed was that Kaoru refused to look at Kenshin.

Slowly but surely, Kaoru made her way to the front entrance. Just as she managed to open the door a crack, a hand gently placed his over hers. Kaoru knew who it was, so she didn't even look.

"Where are you going?" His voice was smooth, husky, and gentle. Kaoru loved his voice, but she refused to let him listen to hers...

Her grip tightened on the door and she began to open the door a little more. Once again, the hand on hers stopped her from moving further. "Kaoru, I will repeat myself, where are you going?"

"Away from you so-called friends," Kaoru said rigidly. "If you all are just going to give me a hard time... when I'm trying to protect you... then I refuse to stay a minute longer."

Kenshin was so surprised at her words, he released his grip on her hand. Quickly, she ripped open the door with sudden strength and ran out.

She was gone from his sight in a matter of seconds.

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Was it too mushy? Dramatic? I thought I might've put a little bit too much fluff... Ah well, it had to be done. I swear, this story has a mind of its own... I just sit down and my hands don't follow my orders... they just listen to this possessed story. LoL.

BTW, I have to say a few things: 1. You can check out my profile to find out the next update. 2. Check out my One shot "Thing's I'll never say", if you'd like, but please member to review.

Anyway... crazy ol' me has to say this...

Now, I am no longer going to beg for reviews, I'm not going to suggest either...

I ORDER YOU TO REVIEW! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Kenshin: I think she's suffering from withdrawal of reviews, that she is. She also needs FEEDBACK...

(Lynn runs by laughing maniacally )

Kenshin: Oro... she's scaring me... please review for her, she's losing it...

Lynn: I'VE ALREADY LOST IT! HAHAHAHAHAHA! (runs away laughing again )

Kenshin: 0.o Help me... Review... heeeeeeelp...