A/N: Happy MLK Jr. Day! Do you want to know why it's happy? Because there's no SCHOOL! Mwahaha! (ahem) yes. Thanks so much for your support you guys! You're so amazing :) Midterms have been smooth sailing so far! Italian was very easy and English went surprisingly well. So all I have left is chem and math (ahhhh!)

So this is the big 1-0! We're finally in the double digits! Thanks to you reviewers, we wouldn't even be on chapter 10!

Disclaimer: If I did own the rights to Rurouni Kenshin, I wouldn't have to go through these horrid midterms! So no, I don't own RK.

Chapter Ten

"Ah shit." Kaoru groaned when she woke up to the sound of thunder and lightening. The last thing she wanted to do was go out on a drive to the airport to pick up Misao. She looked at her clock on her night stand and saw it was eleven in the morning. Since it was Sunday she was sure that Kenshin was home.

She dialed Kenshin's cell phone number sitting on her bed cross-legged and waited.

"Okay, Converse backwards is es-erv-noc."

"What the fuck?"

"Yeah! You know those words that are the same backwards and forwards like race car?"

"Yeah…"

"Well when I woke up I was just wondering what Converse was backwards…but it sounds like some fantasy shit from Harry Potter."

"Okay…you're one strange person. And don't go dissing Harry Potter – he's the man." Kaoru laughed.

"Harry Potter's cool, no denying that. So what are you doing today?"

"Well I'm picking up Misao from the airport –"

"You're WHAT?!"

"Uh…yeah…her plane is coming in at 2:45 so…"

"You can't go out in this weather! No way, I won't let you drive."

"Kenshin, I'll be okay if I drive slow."

"That was what my parents said in Japan before getting in that car." Kaoru bit her lip.

"But I said I would. I can't just make Mr. and Mrs. Makimachi go out now." She heard Kenshin sigh loudly on the other end.

"I really don't want you to." Kaoru was really touched that he cared for her that much.

"I really appreciate your concern, honestly, but I have to. Do you want to come along?" She wished she didn't suggest that.

"Honestly, I would hyperventilate and go insane. Just…be extremely careful."

"I will, I promise."

"Don't you dare pick up your cell phone since it's illegal to drive and talk! Also, don't listen to that loud music you always do. Maybe listen to some soothing music so it won't distract you or –"

"I'll call you when I make it to the airport and then I'll call you when I'm coming home." Kaoru interrupted him. He sighed in a defeated manner.

"Okay…also call me when you're going to leave, will you?" She couldn't help but giggle a little, thinking it was so sweet that he cared.

"I'm serious! I don't want to lose anyone else to those God-damned cars!" Kaoru immediately sobered up.

"I know, I just think it's really nice that someone cares so much, that's all." She smiled into the phone, even though she knew he couldn't see her.

"Of course, how else am I going to survive work without you? No, I'm serious; I really do care about you. Okay, I'll be having my cell – ugh what's that beeping coming from? Oh shit! My cell is on low battery! That doesn't get you off the hook! I'll be waiting by my phone which will be plugged into the charger in my room!" Kaoru laughed at him.

"Alright, alright. I'll see you soon." She hung up and laid back on her bed.

"Kenshin…"

When Kaoru got into her car a little over an hour later to pick up Misao she called Kenshin.

"I can see that you're leaving."

"Now you're spying on me?" Kaoru asked incredulously as she started the car.

"Well…I've been walking by this window a lot to make sure." She thought Kenshin sounded very sheepish which was very uncharacteristic of him.

"I was going to call you; I wouldn't do that to you." She began pulling out the driveway when Kenshin sputtered into the phone:

"What are you doing?! You're driving and talking at the same time! What did I tell you about that?!" Kaoru stopped her car and looked into his house and saw his head peeping through a small window with his cell phone pressed tightly into his ear. She sighed loudly.

"I'm just pulling out of the driveway as you can tell. Relax, Kenshin." She watched him nod at her. "Okay, I'm going to leave now. I'll call you when I reach the airport."

"Be safe." Kaoru gasped before stifling a giggle. "What? You know this is hard for me!"

"No, I know, it's just that…this character in a book I read said that too."

"Oh, let me guess, he was just so amazing and hot and –"

"He's a vampire – how much hotter can you get?" Kaoru saw him sulk slightly and murmur something along the lines of "girls and fictional boys…"

"Are you sulking, Mr. Himura?"

"Goodbye Miss Kamiya." He said with a crooked smile – which Kaoru found very endearing.

Her car swerved for the fifth time since she got on the highway, which she quickly acted upon. She felt her heart beat hard against her chest and her breaths coming in short gasps. She was never scared of driving in the pouring rain, but now…

"Thank God!" She exclaimed when she saw the sign pointing to her exit.

When she got out of the car she immediately dialed Kenshin.

"You're okay!"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Kaoru breathed deeply trying to calm her nerves.

"Hiko is getting really annoyed at me since apparently I'm making a lot of noise." There was struggle she heard for a moment until a deep voice was on the other line.

"This is entirely your fault Kaoru! He keeps mumbling about you in front of my face!" She laughed as she ran into the airport as quickly as she could.

"I'm sorry; I tried to tell him I would be fine. But you can't blame him."

"No, you can't. But that still doesn't stop it from being irritating."

"Alright well tell Kenshin that I'll call him back when I have Misao." With that Kaoru pocketed her cell phone and put her iPod earphones on to wait for her friend. Her thoughts kept drifting to him – she was worried about his wellbeing and hoped Misao's plane would come soon.

"Kaoru!" Misao squealed before pushing past nearly ten people. They both hugged each other tightly.

"I'm glad you're back." Kaoru said, pulling away.

"It was so great! I have now officially mastered drawing kunais!" Misao said gleefully. Kaoru thought that it was best to hide all the knives in her house so Misao couldn't find them.

"What are you doing here?" Misao asked as they walked into the baggage room.

"Well I asked your parents to see if you could stay with me for a week." Kaoru replied as they watched the large suitcases slowly move past them.

"That's awesome! So what have you been doing this past month besides crying for my return?" Misao asked.

"I'm working at this diner from six to ten at night for six days a week."

"Really? That's cool…I guess."

"Shut up! No, it's actually pretty fun."

"I wouldn't think waiting on people would be fun." Misao spotted her rather large bag and managed to pull it off despite her small size.

"Well, that's not all…you see –" Kaoru's cell phone began to ring before she could finish.

"Hello?"

"I was just listening to the radio and there's this delay on the highway between exits thirteen and nineteen so I suggest a different route."

"Really? Thanks – that would've saved us a bunch of time." Misao mouthed to Kaoru, asking who was on the other line.

"I just want you back home as soon as possible."

"Well we just got Misao's bag and we're heading out the car."

"Okay, be careful!"

"I will." She hung up.

"Who was that?" Misao asked out loud as they ran towards the car.

"That was Kenshin Himura…" Kaoru replied as she unlocked her car.

"What?!" Misao exclaimed as she threw her bags into the trunk.

"Yeah! We have the same shift at the diner – that's how we met."

"Are you bullshitting me?! Kenshin Himura, of our school?"

"Yes, yes!" Kaoru started the car.

"I can't believe this! So are you friends now?" She rested her head back. Kaoru looked at her with a smile before starting the car.

"Yeah, we are."

After an hour of careful driving Kaoru parked in front of Kenshin's house, which puzzled Misao.

"Why are we parked in front of you non-existent neighbor's house?"

"This is where Kenshin lives."

"No! Really? No shit, I can't believe that!" Kaoru turned off the car and ran toward the front door.

"Come on, Misao!" Kaoru called from the porch. Misao sighed and got out of the car.

Kaoru rang the doorbell and it was immediately followed by a loud thud along with the screech of a cat.

"Shit! Sorry Rurouni!" The door flung open to reveal a disheveled Kenshin with Rurouni the cat by his feet.

"Kaoru!" He exclaimed, bringing her into a hug. Kaoru returned the hug fully. He broke away and turned to Misao before hugging her.

"I'm glad you're both alive!" Misao patted his back awkwardly. Kaoru laughed at her. He pulled away from Misao with an embarrassed look on his face.

"I thought it would be kinda awkward of I just hugged Kaoru for surviving since you were also at risk too…" Misao grinned at him.

"You're right; it probably would've been more awkward." She admitted.

"Well, both are awkward situations." Kaoru added.

"Hey, in a split second I had to choose between two awkward moments to go through so don't be complaining about the awkwardness of this."

"So we can pretty much say that this was awkward!" Misao exclaimed, putting her left hand on top of her right and wiggled her thumbs in a circular motion.

"Awkward turtle!" Misao and Kaoru called out before laughing. Kenshin looked at them confusedly.

"'Awkward turtle? '"

"Yeah! You've never heard of that?" Kaoru asked. He shook his head.

"Oh…well…yeah…awkward turtle. You just do it when there's an awkward situation. It sort of breaks the awkwardness…"

"Well…this is awkward…" Kenshin muttered.

"There's also the awkward snail!" Misao said, making a fist with her right and putting her middle and index fingers of her left hand on top. She bent the two fingers making them look like the eyes. Kenshin shook his head and laughed.

"Well I'm glad that you made it back safely." He said sincerely. Kaoru and Misao smiled at him.

"Hey baka! You said you would do the laundry when Kaoru got back! Don't stall!" A booming voice rang from the inside. Kenshin groaned and muttered an inaudible "oro".

"Oh, well, we don't want to drive you away from your chores." Kaoru teased.

"Right. Well, I'm gonna go get my bags and head inside. I have to pee really badly!" Misao said quickly before running away. Kaoru looked at her suspiciously. She had a feeling Misao was doing anything but going to the bathroom.

"See ya Himura!" She called from behind. Kenshin smiled and waved. Kaoru looked at Kenshin and noticed he was wearing a black shirt, which was different from the brighter colored Polos he normally wore.

"You're wearing black." Kaoru blurted. Kenshin looked down and nodded.

"Yeah, I found it at the bottom of one of my drawers and decided to wear it."

"It's very different from your usual ensemble."

"What can I say? You're getting to me – you always have one bit of black on." Kaoru blushed and looked down at her blue Converse. She then began to laugh as a thought came to her.

"What's so funny?" He asked.

"I was just picturing you in what Aoshi would wear." She replied, giggling. Kenshin's eyes widened before a look of thought passed his features.

"What are you thinking of?" She asked suspiciously.

"I was just picturing you in what Megumi would wear." Kenshin slightly mocked with a smile on his face. Kaoru pouted. "I would pay for you to dress like a prep."

"Oh? Well I would pay to see you dress emo." Kenshin's eyebrow rose before smiling.

"Okay. Let's do it."

"Huh?"

"Before work tomorrow we'll go shop for the proper clothes and then we'll wear them on Tuesday to work." Kaoru burst out laughing.

"You're serious? You really want to dress that way?"

"Yeah, I'm serious, are you?"

"Alright, you're on!" Kaoru declared, holding out her hand. Kenshin took it and they shook, making the deal final.

"I'm going to have to help you with your eyeliner though." Kaoru added.

"What! Who said anything about makeup?!"

A/N: Enjoy? Hate? Love? Makes you want to burn your computer? I won't know unless you REIVEW!

Heyheyhey! So I have a new manga/anime obsession to join Rurouni Kenshin. When I was on absoluteanime dot net (very useful site btw) to get the correct spelling of Misao's last name I saw this add that said "Help Edward find the Philosopher's Stone" or something along those lines. And since I'm a hard-core Twilight/New Moon (Edward) and Harry Potter (Philosopher's Stone) fanatic I was immediately curious. If you haven't guessed what this manga/anime is it's Fullmetal Alchemist. So my stupid curiosity got the better of me and well...I'm pretty much hooked. I'm such a moron! Anyone who sympathizes with me or pretty much wants to wack me on the head for liking it should tell me in their REVIEW!

Thank you for your reviews everyone! It's much appreciated :)

MissGoalie