Chapter Nine

Darkness

Kaoru's POV

Kaoru had long since settled into her desk at the clinic, surrounding herself in piles of supply lists. She had been filling out order forms for over an hour now and had gotten no closer to being finished. With a yawn Kaoru lifted her hands high over her head. Her entire body arched thankfully into the stretch. Her spine cracked back into place, and Kaoru relaxed into the chair with a relieved sigh. Shaking her stiff hand out she examined the piece of paper that currently laid in front of her. It was a form for some new pain relieving ointment that just recently entered the market. It was supposed to be pretty potent stuff from what Kaoru had heard, and perfect for the men here on the front. Especially the ones who weren't as lucky as their comrades. The ones who had to be hospitalized for fatal injuries. Kaoru frowned as she thought about this. There had been some men in the clinic who made the doctor wonder just how they had survived. Many of the wounds she had patched up should have been life threatening. How those men lived she could not tell you. Resting her chin in the palm of her hand, Kaoru turned her attention to the garden just beyond her window. The outside world had been subjected to an extended thunder storm, and for three days now the tea house had only seen dark clouds and hard rain. Today had been no exception.

Secretly Kaoru had been praying for the constant storms to come to an end. She didn't like anything about thunderstorms. In fact she was a little afraid of them. It was a silly little childhood fear that had never left her over the years. Staring into the mass of black clouds Kaoru's heart stopped at the suddenly display of white, hot electricity, followed by loud rolling thunder. Outside the wind had picked up scattering pink sakura petals across the garden. Inside the windows rattled in their frames as another clash of thunder shook the entire base. The ferocity of the storm made the frighten doctor nearly fall out of her chair as another streak of lightening lit up the sky. Jumping back away from the window Kaoru lost her balance and reached for the edge of her desk to steady self. During her self-inflicted chaos Kaoru managed to send her paperwork flying across the clinic with her elbow. Noticing her scattered paperwork the doctor tried unsuccessfully at saving some of it, but instead of saving anything she ended up losing her grip on the desk. Bang! Down went the chair with poor Kaoru in it.

Dazed Kaoru absently rubbed her head which she suspected would soon be sporting a pretty good bump "You okay doc?" Slowly her vision came into focus. Shaking her head Kaoru looked up to see Sanosuke standing over her with a very worried expression. Blinking rapidly the doctor tried to come back to reality "Doc?"

"I'm fine." Kaoru muttered. Sano offered her a hand to which she accepted, and helped her back to her feet. Once he was sure she was steady the soldier quickly picked her chair off the ground.

Grinning stupidly at the doctor Sano nudged her shoulder with his elbow "Who knew you were so clumsy doc." He joked. Kaoru shot him her best soul-eating glare, and turned her back on him to gather her papers together. Sano chuckled. For some reason her embarrassment was very humorous to him.

Rolling her eyes Kaoru kneeled down to the floor to gather her mess of order forms. The sound of shuffling papers filled the room followed by the stifled laughter of Sanosuke. As she was stretching her arm as far as she could for the paper in front of her a warm pale hand brushed against hers. Sparks shot across her hand at the contact, and Kaoru quickly retreated. What was that? Curious sapphire eyes followed the mysterious hand up the sleeve of a dark blue gi, across a strong shoulder, and into the hardened ember eyes of the Battousai. A faint blush settled against her cheeks. Had that really happened? Searching his blank expression for some kind of explanation Kaoru could have sworn she saw something soften his hard stare. It was only for a second, but she was almost sure it had seen it. A dim flicker of emotion had been there. Without giving anything away the Battousai handed her a stack of forms he had collected "T-Thank you." Kaoru stuttered as she reentered the world and took the collection from his hands. He didn't nod or say anything to her, but instead he merely turned on his heel and returned to his position on the front wall. Kaoru's hand softly tingled as she hugged the papers close against her chest. Closing her hand Kaoru tried to rid herself of the strange feeling. Surely he had felt that too. She thought. Shaking off the moment she stood up, dropped her load of documents onto the desk, and turned to a hysterical Sanosuke with an annoyed smile "Alright, the show is over. Back into bed Mr. Sagara." She hissed knowing that the formal pronunciation of his name would aggravate him to no end.

"Don't call me that."

Battousai's POV

As the Doctor fussed with her patient Kenshin stared into the palm of his hand with something akin to shock in his ember eyes. What was this sensation that caused his hand to tremble, and his fingers to tingle? He had never felt anything like this before. The way that sparks of electricity shot through his fingers and throughout his arm when their hands touched was unexplainable. It set his body on fire, and twisted his stomach into knots. This feeling… It coursed through his veins, and made his heart race. It had brought him to life, and yet scared him to death. Never had he experienced something so intense. Forming his hand into a tight fist Kenshin glanced to the good Doctor. He could imagine her cool blue eyes searching his face for something he would never understand. A sweet pink had tinted her face and he wondered now if she had felt what he had. What is this? Nothing so simple had ever affected him so strongly. Straightening up against the wall Kenshin was torn by this oddity. He had long since lost any kind of feeling to the war effort. He has been in a numb haze for years now, and he had become used to it. In fact the numbness was the only way he had been able to deal with all he had done since the beginning. He thought that he had lost his humanity to the cause, but this strange feeling spoke to him with a different truth. Was there still hope? Kenshin looked back down to his hand with a scowl. No, he didn't deserve it. He had committed sin after sin. Murders of innocent men and… women. How dare him! For a moment Kenshin had allowed himself to get carried away, but he had quickly extinguished this idea of false hope. After all how could a monster like himself ever seek redemption? He couldn't. Not now, not ever, and especially with Miss. Kamiya. He was too far gone for such a thing.

Kenshin's dark gaze turned back to the Doctor with resolve. Whatever was trying to take place would not. He would make sure of it. Miss Kamiya shouldn't ever involve herself with men like himself. He would only stain her soul with the darkness that lie within him. She was too pure of a woman for him to corrupt with his sin. Making his decision clear Kenshin stood firmly. If it was the last decent thing he ever did, he would make sure Kaoru Kamiya's purity remained intact. Even at the cost of his last chance for redemption.

"Battousai?" Kenshin turned his attention in the direction of a young samurai who looked like he was about to pass out from fear. He was new to the base. Probably one of the recruits Katsura had brought from a small dojo in Tokyo. The child had probably never seen his first battle judging by the way his body shook timidly in Kenshin's presence "You are the B-Battousai r-r-right?" He stammered. Kenshin replied with a single, curt nod. Swallowing hard the boy continued "Katsura has a message for you." He squeaked while holding out a rolled up scroll. Kenshin took the letter from his hands and winced inwardly as the boy nearly fell apart. For a moment he wondered why this child had even joined the army. If he couldn't hold himself together long enough to deliver a letter how did he expect to kill a man?

Unraveling the paper Kenshin read the neat writing slowly:

I require your assistance in a rather important matter, I will be sending a samurai to cover your position until you are able to return. Meet me in my office.

As he finished reading the letter Kenshin sensed another presence in the room. His back stiffened, and every hair on his neck rose to the occasion. He knew this aura well. Kenshin placed a steady hand on the hilt of his katana as he turned to meet with a despicable man. Leaning against the door frame leading into the garden was the infamous assassin Saito Hajime… the only man in the Bakumatsu era who could rival the Battousai in swordsmanship. Saito smirked "How are you Himura?" He asked spiting Kenshin with his familiarity.

The Battousai scowled in reply. This man was nothing but a wolf in sheep's wool. It was something Kenshin had learned the hard way when he and Saito had first met. It was way before the Inshin Shi Shi had ever formed, when the war had only been political gossip. Saito Hijime had sought out an apprenticeship with Hiko, convinced that he would become the most renowned samurai in all of Japan once the war took off. Of course Hiko had turned him down having already acquired an apprentice, but Saito didn't like no for an answer. A few nights later a hired assassin had broken into their hut with the intention of murdering Kenshin. He had been employed by Hijime, and had lost his life that night to the boy he was supposed to kill. However, that would not be the only time Kenshin would encounter the jealous samurai. A few years later, when war had broken out the Battousai would meet Saito again at a training camp in Katsura's army. It was there in such close quarters that Kenshin would learn Saito's true nature. By that time he had mastered a different swords style, and had long since lost those cowardly tendencies. During those days in training he would taunt Kenshin, and challenge him to pointless fights. Always trying unsuccessfully to beat the Battousai in some aspect. For the most part Kenshin had ignored his boorish ways, and had tried to give the man benefit of the doubt. Battousai had never actually hated Saito. That is until their first mission together. It had been a clear and simple assignment. Locate the enemy's camp and bring back a high ranking captive. No one was supposed to be hurt, but that apparently wasn't good enough for Saito. That night a woman and her young daughter lost their lives at the edge of his blade. His blood-lust had taken two innocents, and had cost them the mission. Kenshin had never forgave him for that, and never would.

"Never did talk much did you?" Saito asked rhetorically as he popped a cigarette into his mouth. Kenshin narrowed his gaze, watching every movement the man made. Saito lit his cigarette and inhaled deeply. He was a mask of ease as he crossed the room to stand directly in front of the Battousai. He slipped the rolled tobacco from between his lips, and smiled sickly as he blew a cloud of smoke in Kenshin's face "Your move manslayer." Saito chuckled.

It was in that moment that something deep inside Kenshin snapped. The long waged war with Saito had finally come to a head. Golden eyes simmered with hatred as Kenshin gripped the hilt of his katana. He was fully aware of what he was about to do, and at the present moment could care less. In one smooth, unseen movement Kenshin pulled the katana from his sheath and pinned Saito against the wall. He was allowing the demon inside to break free, because tonight this despicable parasite would see an end to his life. The Battousai's heartbeat accelerated as the monster clawed its way to the surface with a raging blood lust, and sprung from him like a feral predator. It was time to feed the beast's desire "Battousai!" Somewhere in the depths of his mind the Battousai had heard the Doctor's worried plead, but he was already lost to the will of his demon. It was too late for reasoning. Slowly his blade pressed into the man's throat, drawing delicious crimson blood. Battousai smiled in twisted satisfaction. That's it, bleed you simpering coward. The monster was free and there was nothing Kenshin could do to contain it now. His eyes no blazed with fiery, molten gold fury as he drove his sword a little farther into Saito's flesh. Bleed you bastard.

Saito's beady coal eyes bore into his attacker's deadly stare, and an unsettling grin marred his lips "We can go to hell together Battousai." He hissed between gasps of air.

The red haze dispersed as the Battousai processed the meaning of his words. Looking down, it was only then that Kenshin had taken notice in the blade penetrating his side. Was Saito threatening him with death? The monster glanced up at his prey with a look of dark amusement "I'm not afraid of death Saito." Battousai seethed "Are you?" Fear. He could see it, smell it pulsating from his victim. That's it. That is what his beast so desperately desired. Now show me a little pain. The sword in the Battousai's side sunk a little farther and his demon reveled in the feel "What's wrong? Can't do any better than that?" He chuckled darkly. Saito sputtered and gasped in response, horrified of this demon who intended to end his life. It was exactly what the Battousai wanted.

Say goodbye. He was about to finish the man off when a gentle touch stopped him. Molten golden eyes cooled into a hard ember as he turned to see who had interrupted his kill. In turn soft, frightened sapphire eyes searched his face pleadingly. Miss Kamiya… Her bottom lip trembled as did the hand that lay so delicately on his arm "Please stop." She murmured. Kenshin's blood ran cold at the expression of horror in her face. He didn't want to see that ever again. Please don't look at me like that. Slowly Kenshin lowered his blade at the same time as Saito removed his. It was a silent truce made upon the request of a single, brave soul. Kenshin sheathed his katana, officially caging the beast until he would need it again. Saito, on the other hand, slid to the floor trying desperately to catch his breath.

A/N: And there we have it, some major drama to welcome you guys back to the story. Thank you for reading, please leave any comments below.