A/N: Well here we go, chapter five up and running. Please enjoy :)

Chapter Five

Protection

Kaoru's POV

Kaoru hadn't slept the rest of the night. Even though she had retired to her room shortly after Ayame had left. Any sleep she tried desperately to have evaded her, and if she did get just a few short minutes in vivid nightmares of him would stir her into a desperate frenzy of terror. Sleep was just not an option for her. So here she was, staring into the hand mirror as if she had lost all reason to live. The bruises that covered her naked body had become even darker… and more noticeable. Laying her mirror on top of her desk she sighed sadly and reached for her jar of vanishing cream. She really, really hoped this would work. Unscrewing the lid Kaoru reached into the tiny container. Picking up a pretty good amount she applied the thick substance to the rest of her markings. As she rubbed the cream in Kaoru couldn't help but wince every once in a while. Her skin was tender. It didn't matter just how gentle she was being. It would still hurt. How could any man-a real man- do this to a woman? He's not a real man… Momentarily she wondered if he felt at least remotely guilty for any of the damage he had cause "Probably not." She answered herself quietly. He was a monster. Monsters didn't feel bad for anything they do. Kaoru bet that he wasn't sorry one bit. She also bet that the bastard didn't lose an ounce of sleep over this either.

As she finished applying her medicine, Kaoru looked down at those disgusting memories of what he was going to do to her. Fresh tears filled her eyes, but she didn't let one fall. She wouldn't give him that pleasure. Not again. Kaoru stubbornly slipped into her black kimono, and tied her white obi belt tightly around her waist. She tugged her hair loose from her collar to let it hang down to her waist in silky black waves. Compliments from not brushing her hair before it dried. Kaoru pulled a few thick strands around her neck, adjusting them to her liking. She still didn't want anyone to see the most visible proof of his attack…including herself. Shishio had defiantly marked her, and in more ways than one.

Satisfied with her appearance Kaoru decided that she should venture down to the dining hall. The sun had barely touched the peaks of the mountain outside of her window, and Kaoru was willing to guess that there wouldn't be very many up and about just yet. It would be a big relief if she could avoid the majority of the Tea House occupants. Especially since none of them seemed too friendly toward her yesterday morning. Feeling somewhat lucky Kaoru exited the room with high hopes. She slid the screen shut behind her, and stepped out into the hallway with more confidence than she thought she had. Today will be better. She reminded herself as she headed down the main stairwell and into the dining room.

Just as she had predicted. The room was empty for the exception of a few early birds, but none of them seemed too interested in her. That was a nice plus to her morning. Silently Kaoru grabbed a bowl of rice and a pair of chop sticks from the breakfast line, and made her way to a table pretty far in the back of the room. It was the perfect spot for anyone who wished to be left alone. And she did. With all of her grace Kaoru began to eat her breakfast, trying very hard to go as slowly as she could so that she wouldn't catch any wondering eyes. However, during the middle of her meal Kaoru had this in-explainable sense that something wasn't right. Suddenly her peaceful morning had been wrecked by an uncontrollable cold chill that shook her entire body.

Glancing up Kaoru noticed that the room had been cleared out as if no one had been there all morning. Where had they all gone? Then it occurred to her that it felt as though someone was watching her, which was puzzling considering that she was the only person in this room. Kaoru scanned the dining hall attentively. All the tables in front of her had been cleared of people and dishes, so this creepy feeling that was trailing up her spine couldn't come from people that weren't even there. Could it? Looking behind her Kaoru took notice of a man sitting off to the far right corner of the room. She had never seen him around the base, and so she assumed that he may have been fairly new. Perhaps that's why everyone left. Maybe they didn't much care for newcomers, but she was new and everyone treated her fairly well until two days ago; so that couldn't be it. Maybe they stayed away because he didn't seem all that friendly. Which he really didn't at all. In fact the man put off a kind of an imposing disposition. He had long, fiery, red hair and molten, golden eyes all dressed in a required samurai uniform with a presumably sharpened katana at his side. It was a composition made for an intimidating figure, and he was. Yet, the way that he sat completely alone made her wonder if he was truly as lonely as he looked. She would be very lonely without someone to talk to.

Turning back around in her seat, afraid that she would be caught staring, Kaoru returned to her bowl of rice in which she finished rather fast. Quickly she gathered her dishes and set them on the rack for the girls to clean. As was custom here. However, as she past the food line Kaoru couldn't help but glance back at the lone samurai. He didn't have a bowl, or any other dish to indicate that he had ate. In a way this worried her. That is as a doctor. These men worked hard, too hard to just not eat. They needed the energy. Perhaps he's just not hungry. But even as she thought this the worrying didn't subside. For a second she wondered if this was how Sano felt that day that she hadn't touched her breakfast.

Sighing Kaoru turned toward the food line, picked up a bowl of rice, and made her way to his table. She couldn't just let him go with at least attempting to get the man to eat.

She sat the bowl down on his table with a soft clink. He looked up at her with those molten eyes, and then to the food she had sat in front of him "You need to eat." She suggested scooting the bowl closer to him "You're a samurai right?" He glanced back to her with a raised brow and a sort of curiosity in his fierce gaze. Kaoru took the intensity as a yes and continued "Well around here they work you guys harder than anyone else. If this is your first day you're going to have to keep your energy up." She explained giving him her best half-smile. He didn't say anything back and after a few cold moments of silence Kaoru decided that maybe he needed to be left alone, but she really did hope he would try to eat something "I hope you have a good day sir." And with that she turned to leave.

"Wait." Kaoru whirled back around half surprised that he had said something. The samurai cleared his throat and gestured to the table next to her "Will you sit with me?" He asked in a tone that was devoid of any recognizable emotion, yet his golden eyes seem to tell a different story. All and all he genuinely seemed to want her to sit with him. A little confused by his complete lack of people skill, Kaoru took a seat directly in front of the lone samurai. He regarded her carefully, as if analyzing her for some kind of weaknesses. Perhaps a skill he picked up in his training "Are you the new doctor?" He asked apparently cutting straight to the point. So he's not a man for small talk it seems.

Kaoru nodded "Yes, I have taken over Gensai's practice." She replied simply.

"Katsura assigned me to you."

Kaoru's eyes mimicked the size of the rice bowls. She was at a complete loss for words and frozen to the floor cushion she was occupying. Katsura assigned someone to her? Why in the world would he do that? After a few seconds to process this information Kaoru began to slowly come back to life "E-excuse me?" She squeaked still a little flabbergasted by this sudden news. He didn't say anything, but instead just continued to watch her reaction with that same intense stare. Kaoru ran her fingers through her hair a few times-it was a method she had used ever since her childhood to keep her calm in alarming situations.

"Someone really did hurt you." Those burning golden eyes of his where concentrated on the juncture between her neck and shoulder. That gauze was all the confirmation he needed to know the truth, and no amount of denying it would work now. Kaoru, a little embarrassed that she had exposed herself like that, dropped her hair back into place and turned her eyes to the floor "Did you see him?"

Kaoru shook her head "No. It was too dark." She replied weakly. How could he know about this? How did Katsura know? The only person Kaoru had told about her being attacked was Ayame, but she didn't think her assistant would say anything. She hoped anyway. Then again Ayame did want her to tell someone about it, particularly Katsura. She had been so worried. What have you done Ayame? Kaoru didn't want anyone to know of her situation for a specific reason. She didn't want to lose the small amount of respect she had managed to gain for herself. Aside from Shishio, nearly all the men she had worked on respected her and all that she had done for them. They all seemed as though they appreciated her. It was the kind of thing that one had to work for, and Kaoru had work too hard to let it all come crashing down this fast. However, with this newly assigned bodyguard and Ayame letting the cat out of the proverbial bag her chances of keeping this incident to herself were becoming slimmer and slimmer. People would start wondering about this intimidating man following her around, and there would be plenty of rumors she was sure. What a mess she was in… Finally after was seemed like a decade of silence Kaoru asked a very important question "How many people know about this?"

The samurai shifted his katana to his other shoulder "Katsura and I." He replied.

"I see. That's good." She looked up from the floor and into his molten gaze "I wish to keep it that way." She twiddled her thumbs within her lap, hoping desperately he would agree with her. The Samurai nodded his head curtly, allowing her to breathe a little "Thank you." Kaoru moved to her feet "Now then I have patients that need tended to."

Battousai's POV

Kenshin watched her from the far corner of the recovery room, taking a small bit of amusement in the way she traveled from one patient to another. She looked very much like a mad woman as she ran from one man to another with tongue depressors in one hand and a roll of unravel gauze in the other. She was full of surprises too. One patient, he believed was named Sano, had been smack up the side of the head by the good doctor. Apparently she was rather angry at him for reopening his wound, yelling at him about how he should be a good patient and stop giving her so much trouble. It was a rather amusing display considering how small she is compared to all the men here. Still she ran her office with an iron fist so it seemed. She obviously took her work seriously, yet at the same time she found this sense of compassion for all of her injured.

Leaning back against the wall Kenshin crossed his arms over his chest. He had heard quite a bit about her. Many said that she was a fiery woman, and ever so passionate about what she did. Watching her now Kenshin could defiantly see what they meant. She was indeed a very strong woman. That much was evident when she pleaded with him not to tell anyone about her attack. She hadn't wanted anyone to know about it. In fact she hadn't been the one to inform Katsura either, it had been that assistant of hers instead. Why did she put up such a strong front? Most women wouldn't have been able to put such a thing behind them, and yet the doctor seemed to be doing just fine. Without knowing one wouldn't be able to tell that she had went through something so traumatic.

She was indeed a very interesting woman.

Kaoru's POV

Kaoru finished up her rounds, and eventually retired to her desk in the front of the room.

Gathering a few release papers she dipped her quill into a nearby ink well. A couple of the men were ready to leave recovery, though she was still going to give them a few more days off. Kaoru didn't want them to put too much strain on their bodies just yet. She scribbled her signature into a few blanks here and there giving them her okay to proceed back to their rooms. Finishing the last bit of her paper work Kaoru piled her release forms into her left drawer. She turned around to look at her resting patients, and took note of the samurai standing in the back of the room. Admittedly his looming presence had made her a bit nervous, but she had learnt to cope with it and concentrate on the task at hand instead. Eventually she got used to him standing there.

Moving to her feet, Kaoru crossed the room to stand beside him "Since it seems we will be spending quite a bit of time together I believe that it's only proper that I introduced myself." She began quietly "My name is Kamiya Kaoru." She said with a respectful bow.

He bowed his head "Battousai."

B-Battousai..? As in Battousai the Man-slayer? Kaoru felt her heart stop cold in her chest. This man, the samurai standing beside her was the most feared assassin in the entire war. He was legendary for the hundreds of men he had killed in cold blood. According to some people he was a demon spawned straight from the pits of hell. An immortal weapon of war. It's rumored that he moves with a god-like speed that is unmatched by any other man, and he wields his sword with a deadly accuracy. He is a dangerous man. Kaoru swallowed hard and gave him her best smile "It's nice to meet you... Battousai."

A/N: So there we have it. Kenshin and Kaoru's first meeting :) Thank you for reading, and as always please leave any comments below :)