Disclaimer: I do not own the RK characters. They all belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

A/N: Boy, did I have fun writing chapter 20 now that I think about it, even with sad moments in it! XD And one more thing, I do know how to spell "drunk". I misspelled that on purpose.

Drive Me Crazy

Chapter 21: Taking Action (Part 1)

By: LadyYuina

Kaoru squirmed under the tight scrutiny her friend was giving her. She knew it was really lame that she should be turning to her for advice about children when it seemed like Misao didn't know much about children either, but at least she was much more sensitive on the subject than she was. Surely, though, Kaoru knew that Misao wasn't too fond of the Kenshin's two munchkins.

"Well, Kaoru, I can't say I like 'em very much myself, but I can give you advice. First off, do you think Naoto and Ietsuna like you?"

"Erm . . . I don't know . . ."

"Forget this little conversation, then - Magdaria is going to be here any minute now, anyway. "As if on cue, Misao's doorbell rang. "I'll go get it."

Chattering could be heard when the door opened and closed. Kaoru slumped further into the couch she was already slouching on. Magdaria's sight of interest was Kaoru when she stepped into the living room, seeing her friend's distressed demeanor wasn't to her liking. She and Kaoru were not as close as she and Misao were due to Kaoru's time being spent with Kenshin, but Kaoru was still a friend nonetheless.

"You okay, Kaoru?" she asked, looking rather worried.

"I'm fine. Kid trouble . . . that's all." Sitting up straight, she added, "we're still going to Tae's restaurant today, right?"

"Of course! She had a new dish for us to taste!" Misao cheered. "Let's be on our way!"

"Sure, sure, Misao," Magdaria and Kaoru said in unison, only to laugh when they both realized they said the same thing at the exact same time.

--

Kaoru came home (she was literally living with Kenshin now after they got together) later than day to have Naoto and Ietsuna urging her to help them make rice and sweet chicken. She looked to the living room to see Kenji sitting cross-legged in the floor as he watched one of his favorite t.v. programs. Kenshin was sitting on the couch reading one of his well-loved books.

"Come on, Kaoru!" Ietsuna urged.

"Um . . . what about your dad?"

"It's okay! You can help us!" Ietsuna kept on urging.

Kenshin looked to the kitchen door worriedly when Kaoru and the two siblings went through the double doors. "Are you sure they can handle it?"

"Come on, dad, leave them be. After all, it was you that wanted them to have a little bonding time, and now is the perfect time to do so," Kenji chided. He smirked when his father sighed and nodded in agreement; Kenji loved how his dad was such a push-over (in a good way) because now things were going according to plan.

In the kitchen, Kaoru asked, "all right, do you two have your aprons on?"

"Let me help you." Naoto went behind his brother when he noticed that he was struggling to tie his apron. Naoto did it perfectly with a nice bow to boot.

"Thank you," Ietsuna said.

Kaoru read the instructions on a recipe that she was looking at. Picking up the bag f rice, Kaoru started to mutter to herself nervously as Naoto and Ietsuna stared at her.

"Should I get Kenji or daddy to help, too?" Ietsuna looked to the kitchen's double doors.

"No, you two will be just fine in aiding me." Kaoru didn't bother to look up from the instructions and continued to read through it. Ietsuna and Naoto turned around and bumped heads as they started a discussion.

"What do you think of her now?" Naoto asked of his brother.

Ietsuna shrugged. "She's still weird. One night she came over to our house before she moved in, and her face looked all red - she looked like she didn't know what she was doing."

"She was probably dunk then," Naoto surmised.

"Dunk?"

"You know, when someone drinks bad stuff and becomes all weird, but Kaoru only became weirder when she was dunk . . . Mommy used to drink all the time . . ." Naoto thought about it for a second, this was one of the few times that he'd recalled things of his actual birthmother.

"Tomoe doesn't get dunk . . ." Ietsuna stated.

"Not her!" Naoto hissed, all the while keeping his eye on Kaoru. "Our real mommy!"

"Oh . . ." Ietsuna looked thoughtful for a second. "When our mommy got dunk, she was really nice and hugged us a lot. She even used to say nice things."

"That's weird of her to do that though," Naoto argued. His soft blue eyes flicked to the right when he felt a warm hand touch his shoulder. Ietsuna did the same only for the fact that he turned to his left instead. Kaoru smiled at them while telling them that they were her assistants. They weren't doing their jobs! "What do you want us to do?" Naoto rolled up is shirt sleeves and got ready for whatever was to come. He went over to the counter to pick up a knife, however, Kaoru clucked her tongue at him, and took the blade away. Puzzled, Naoto said, "I can use a knife."

"Knives are too dangerous for you to handle."

"But he's good with knives. Our daddy let's him use them," Ietsuna explained, equally perplexed by Kaoru's showmanship of protective behavior.

Kaoru was mortified. What on earth was Kenshin thinking letting a nine-year-old use a knife! She was surprised the child hadn't cut off any of his fingers. Naoto pouted while Ietsuna glared at her. Great . . . Now they were mad at her; what could get much worse?

"Kaoru, let me use the knife," Naoto demanded. This kitchen was his turf and he didn't like it one bit that someone like Kaoru would deny him the use of a knife. Naoto was sure he could handle this since he hadn't cut himself once over a year now. His father even trusted him with handling knives. This only added to his growing confidence.

"No, it's too dangerous." Kaoru wasn't going to relent on her decision. She placed the knife on a high shelf so that the two children couldn't reach it without using a stool.

"Fine, then. You can cook with Ietsuna because I'm getting out of here," Naoto huffed, angry that he didn't get his way.

Kaoru was miffed - all Naoto looked like to her was a spoiled brat; Ietsuna wasn't too far behind him, either. "Kenshin ought to teach that child more manners, and not to mention the safety precautions a kid must take while in a kitchen."

"Naoto is not a bad boy, and neither am I because I know that is what you are thinking!" Ietsuna took off his apron and marched out of the kitchen. Kenji and Kenshin came in then.

"What's the matter?" Kenshin asked.

Kaoru felt like crying . . . After all this time of trying to make Kenshin's adopted children like her she only continued to push them away instead. Kenji seemed to be on friendly terms with her, but they weren't exactly close. Before Kaoru realized it, she was bawling uncontrollably. Kenji simply whistled as he left the kitchen in respect of much needed privacy between his father and his father's girlfriend.

Again, Kenshin asked, "what's the matter?"

"It's all my fault, Kenshin, no matter how hard I try they still don't like me. The only way I can picture them as are spoiled brats. I think you're letting them have too much freedom to do as they please; just now, Naoto was planning on using a knife."

Kenshin shook his head sadly - Naoto always used a knife. Although it sounded dangerous for a child to use, Naoto was more than capable of using one. Kenshin didn't know what sort of ties Naoto had with knives, but he had been using them ever since he adopted him and his brother.

(Flashback)

"Naoto, be . . ." Kenshin lost all need for words; he watched the child in awe. For someone for the age of seven, this sky-blue haired child knew how to handle such an equipment. He chopped the celery with ease and speed. Kenshin wondered where he learned to cut like that, although he didn't want to pry by asking. It was probably learned from his real mother and father - it was definitely something he didn't want to bring up having recently adopted him.

Timidly, Naoto suddenly said, "I like to cut things."

Kenshin sweat dropped. That sentence could have been interpreted with many meanings and intents. "As in vegetables and fruits?" Naoto nodded while blushing at the same time. "You're very talented, Naoto!"

"Thank you." Naoto stepped off of the stool and stood idly in front of Kenshin. Bowing, he added, "you are very nice."

Kenshin laughed and patted the child on the head. From the child's profile Kenshin knew that he tended to act as mature as possible. He accepted that, although it was unhealthy that he should act the way he did.

"Do you and your brother like living here?" Kenshin asked.

Naoto nodded. "You are nicer than my daddy - a lot nicer than my mommy. You and Mrs. Himura are very nice!"

(Flashback: END)

Naoto sat in his bed and sulked - Ietsuna sat beside him watching his brother cry. Naoto had simply wanted to chop the vegetables, but Kaoru refused to let him. Ietsuna believed that when Naoto grew up, he would become a fine chef.

"Don't cry, Naoto - Kaoru was looking out for you. Daddy said that before, too," Ietsuna reminded him.

"I don't like her . . . She's not like daddy at all," Naoto whined through sobs. "She doesn't understand us like he does."

"So, this is where the two of you went. I should have known better." Both Naoto and Ietsuna turned to face Kenji. He stood by the door for a moment before strolling in. "What are you crying about?"

"Kaoru was being stict . . . She wouldn't let Naoto use the knife," Ietsuna explained.

"You mean strict and no offense, but I agree with her. Someone your age shouldn't be using knives - you know, you might cut yourself."

"He's been using them for years!"

Kenji arched an eyebrow. "Hm, okay . . . Where did he exactly learn how to use knives so well? Your mom? Your dad?"

"My mom . . ." Naoto answered, in a low voice.

"Did she enjoy cooking?" Kenji asked, well aware of the boy's sudden change in demeanor.

"No." Ietsuna was the one to reply.

"She liked to cut things; those things weren't always food." Kenji's eyes widened from shock. "She liked to hurt animals."

Disgusted with what he heard, Kenji said, "that's a load of bull . . . I've never heard of anyone enjoying hurting animals. That's inhumane . . ."

"I learned from her - it was definitely from her," Naoto conceded.

"Luckily you didn't turn out the way your mom did," Kenji said, voice filling with relief. "By the way, does dad know about this?" Both of the boys shook their heads. "Shouldn't you two tell him?"

"It's okay if he doesn't know . . . I think he is okay with it," Naoto said.

Kenji sat down on the bed beside the two boys. He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest; his high ponytail swished around with subtle movement. "I see. Now I understand why mom beat you, Naoto . . ."

"You do?"

"Of course. It's obvious; I thought it was stupid that you tried to recover from your wounds in the vegetable garden . . . What made you feel the need to do that?"

"Before I tell you the answer, what reason do you have as to why Tomoe injured me?"

"You slit her on the arm . . . Accidentally, I suppose," Kenji told the sky-blue-haired child. "However, if you don't recall how that happened, then I guess it can't be helped."

"I thought she hid it," Ietsuna stated.

"She showed me, but she never showed dad. Now answer my question, Naoto, because it's your turn to do the talking."

Naoto gulped and wondered if he really should tell his brothers the reason for his decision that day. "Well . . . I wanted to face the problem alone since it was all my fault. I didn't want daddy to have to worry about me."

"What do you think could have happened to you if dad never found you?" Kenji was keenly interested, and wanted to know what his little brother would have felt.

"I don't know . . ."

"Heh, don't worry. There's no way you would've stayed out there all night, anyway. It was really chilly that evening."

"I guess . . ."

"And about that interrogation thing, I should call it off. You've shown me proof enough that the two of you don't like her."

--

"I need to get out of here . . . I need to go cool off somewhere," Kaoru said.

"You're going to go out drinking?" Kenshin asked.

"Yes, and don't even try to stop me."

"I won't. After all, I don't control your life. Are you going to come back here afterwards?" Kaoru nodded. "Okay, don't get too drunk . . ."

"Don't count on it," Kaoru replied, brushing past Kenshin. Today had really hurt - Kaoru was frustrated at herself that she couldn't make Kenshin's kids like her; she couldn't gain their trust. Nothing seemed to be working. A inkling feeling from within her told her that it was due to Tomoe . . . Had she altered their brains that much?

Kaoru sat on a bar stool by herself as she drank shot after shot of beer. The only thing she wanted to do as of right now was to forget - to drown out her sorrows. Hell, she wondered why she was so worried. She was wondering if it was even necessary to make them like her; what was she doing wrong? Was she trying too hard? Kaoru really wanted to forget . . . Even if it was just for one night.

The bartender looked at Kaoru in a concerned manner when she downed her tenth shot of alcohol. Her face was extremely red and she had a hard time focusing on the glass before her. Kaoru struggled to bring the cup to her mouth as her fingers began to tremble. A big, cold hand stopped her.

"I think that's enough, Kaoru."

"Who are you to tell me when I've had--"

Her words were cut off when a hand clamped down over her mouth. Piercing ice-blue eyes glared at her cloudy ones. "Your breath reeks. I advise you shut your mouth."

Kaoru yanked the man's hand away. She had a hard time figuring out who it was that was interrupting her drinking. "Listen, you! Don't tell me what to do, okay? I can take care of myself!"

"Um, mister," the bartender said, voice filled with uncertainty.

"I know her. Don't worry about it. I'll just take her back to her friend's home." The bartender shrugged before walking away to another customer that was patiently waiting for him. Annoyed with Kaoru's boisterous struggling he lifted her easily off of the ground and left the bar. Many of the costumers sitting around the place looked at the two in bewilderment when the man was carrying the woman towards the entrance. "I don't think Kenshin would appreciate this too much. You should be lucky that I ran into you."

"Go fuck yourself, dammit! Leave me alone!" Kaoru tried to break away from the man's tight grip on her wrist because he was no longer hauling her by a shoulder - he simply wouldn't let go. Begrudgingly, she then complied with his wishes.

Upon Kaoru's arrival at the Himuras' she spotted Kenji on the couch. He was fast asleep with the t.v. still on. Kaoru approached him, and little did she know that someone was watching them from the window . . .

"Hi, Kenshin!" The raven-haired woman threw herself on top of the kid, and kissed him hard and fully on the lips. Fully awake now, Kenji reacted by shoving Kaoru hard on the chest, not caring whether he grabbed her chest or not.

"What the hell are you doing!" Kenji shouted, wiping at his mouth with one arm.

"What's the matter, Kenshin?" she asked, looking hurt.

"Kenshin?" Kenji's eyes grew very wide. "I'm not Kenshin."

"Kenshin . . . Why did you push me away?"

"Daaaaaddddd!" Kenji shouted at the top of his lungs.

By the time Kenshin arrived Kaoru was straddling his son, trying to take his shirt off. Naoto and Ietsuna also came to see what the ruckus was all about.

"What is Kaoru doing to Kenji?" Ietsuna asked.

"Dad, help me!" Kenji grunted in annoyance as he tried to keep Kaoru's grappling hands from ripping his shirt to shreds. She was quite vicious when she was drunk and wanted to have sex. "She's so drunk that she thinks I'm you! She literally attacked me while I was sleeping on the couch!"

Kenshin flushed, well aware of what the woman's intentions were, however, it was inappropriate to be doing it with his son. He was only thirteen not to mention. Getting behind Kaoru he struggled to haul her upright because she suddenly went limp when she felt arms grabbing at her. Kenshin almost dropped her, and if that had happened she would've done some damage to his son who was underneath.

Turning to Ietsuna, Naoto said, "she's dunk . . . And she's acting really weird."

"I know," Ietsuna replied.

Chapter 21: END