DISCLAIMER: I do not own RK, I do not own U2 lyrics.

WARNING: Rated for violence and future lemon. Angst. This fic contains spoilers from the Jinchuu arc and part of the OAVs.

A SORT OF HOMECOMING

BY CYMA

CHAPTER 2:

…A DAY WITHOUT YOU?

Whatever the feelings

I keep feeling

What are the feelings

You left behind

… … … … … …… … …… … …… … …… … …… … …… … …… … …… … ……

Aoshi arrived at the Aoiya barely breaking a sweat. He rushed up the stairs and heard voices in the main room. Shiro and Kuro were still arguing about the relevance of her presence… but where is that old man?

"Aoshi!" came the raspy voice from behind.

Aoshi was a wreck, he couldn't even feel the presence of the aged man sneaking from behind. He had to get under control before talking to him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" was the first thing he said to Okina. His voice conceived no emotion.

"Why would you ask something you already know the answer to?" Okina answered him with another question while turning his back on the ex-Okashira and started down the stairs.

"I beg you to answer." Aoshi kept his cool and calm posture as he followed him down. Okina just continued his way thru the hall and his half turned to acknowledge the other man. "Would you like some tea? I'm about to make some for me."

Aoshi kept his passive façade but this man was getting on his nerves. He just nodded and followed Okina to the kitchen. In silence.

I know this is all my fault. Her leaving, all of them dying, Misao being abandoned… by me. It was all my fault, wasn't it? But why? Why would she leave? And why? Why did I go after her? …that's right… because it was my fault she left in the first place, and since she was one of the Oniwabanshuu I had to look for her. Yes. That's why I went after, right? She surely needed… what? …me?…

"Aoshi!!!" Okina's voice brought him back from his thoughts.

"Okina?" he acknowledged him with his characteristic coldness.

"Would you like tea?" Okina's face was serious while he grabbed Aoshi's cup. Aoshi nodded. "It's written all over you…" Okina said while handing him the cup.

"What are you talking about?" he took the cup of tea between his hands.

"About what she does to you. You get nervous and no matter how you try to hide it, I can see thru you."

"Do you?" Aoshi asked lifting an eyebrow. The old man just eyed him and kept quiet.

"Why didn't you tell me she was here?"

"Because I knew how the news would affect you." Okina calmly took a sip from his cup.

"How this information affects me is not of your concern."

"It is my concern when what you do about this affects Misao or any other Oniwan."

"Don't bring Misao into this, she has nothing to do with this." Aoshi slurped his tea.

"this is exactly why I decided not to discuss her arrival with you. Last time you heard from her you packed and left. I really don't care what you do with your life, but you should have considered your position here. You were Okashira and you abandoned your people. Of course, your best followed you. And you, with no regret or restrain used them. You knew they would follow you even if you were to go to hell and back. And that's not it, you abandoned Misao too, wrecking her heart and letting her down just to go looking for a mad woman. And the thing is, Misao needed you so that she went after you."

Aoshi kept his face unmoving as he heard all of his errors and mistakes being thrown to him in the coldest way he has ever experienced. He knew all of what he had done, he knew how much damage he had caused with his wrong ways of achieving things. He knew how he had hurt his little Misao, how it was his fault all of his friends were killed in front of him, and how it was his fault that the one person that he had given his heart to had ran away. He had to carry with so much guilt, he had to bear the shame of his past, he had to hold on to the irremovable mistakes. He felt the weight on his shoulders grow extraordinarily but somehow he manage to keep his face up and his eyes sized up to Okina's. "Misao is old enough to decide on her own what is best for her. There would be nothing I could do to stop her."

"You could have stayed," Okina barked back. Aoshi placed his cup on the table, guilt sipping in once again. Silence hung for a moment before the old man spoke again. "Did you tell Okon about it?"

The young one lifted his aquamarine gaze from his cup, "Okon? … she told me." He said frankly.

"Should have known… that girl is so nosy. Do you know what will she do?" Okina asked as he finished his cup.

"You should ask her not me"

"What will YOU do?" he asked as he placed  his cup on the table.

"I thought you said that whatever I did was of no concern to you?" despite Aoshi's aloof expression a mocking tone could be perceived. "I'll look for her," he said with serious features.

"What for?" Okina faced the young man while he kept silent. But no matter how Okina waited for the answer there was none. Even after all this years Aoshi doesn't have an answer to that question. Why would he look for her? Why would he go after her? Okina remembered the girl, remembered her very well and could think of a hundred reasons he would go after her, but none of them would come out of Aoshi's mouth. Yes, he remembered her…

- -  - - -

"Jiya, you know I'm capable. Please support me. Please help me out with Granfather."  Her blue-gray eyes were begging him.

"I know you're capable enough, but we're at a time of unrest and a woman just won't do. Besides, I've never heard of a female Okashira before. Matsudaira-sama won't approve and neither will your grandfather." Okina  answered her in a calm manner.

"I know they don't approve!! But you can change their mind." Now her approach had lost all of her begging meekness and turned commanding. She realized that playing Jiya's little girl just won't do. "I have proved to all of you my skills . I am ready to…"

"Don't raise your voice to me, you spoiled brat. This matter was long ago discussed and it's closed now." Okina knew she was a good ninja, a good warrior, better than many of the male members of the Oniwabanshuu, and of course she had the leader attitude of her grandfather and was very cold minded in her work. If any one asked me, she was perfect for the job, but it was just a matter of her being a woman. They needed a male leader. How could a woman, no, a girl, be the Okashira. Most of the members if not all of them would oppose. Maybe if she was older and no upcoming war could be seen in the horizon, perhaps… No. Besides, it will be safer for her to stay to the side of all of this.

"Of course it's closed. Thank you, OKINA." Her face somber and her voice calm, her brow furrowed. Her dull-blue eyes resolutely stared into Okina's.

The way she addressed me stung, but I wouldn't let her bend my will.

After a moment of silence she raised from the table they were sitting at. She stood with such grace that she reminded me of her mother for a brief moment. The girl picked up the empty cups from the table and turned away, her dark braid hanging behind her.

- - -  - - -

Yes, I remember her alright. And I'm sure Aoshi remembers, then why? Why doesn't he have his answer? After all this time… Well… he loves her… I think…and as they say, love blinds you. Or maybe… he's just obsessed with her, that would explain a lot of things. Besides, I think that the man in front of me is unable to possess any emotions, least of all one as strong as love. An obsession would suit him best.

After the long silence Aoshi stood up and picked the cups from the table. "Okina tell me what you know about her."

"As long as you promise you will stay put, for the sake of the group." Okina stood up too.

"I promise you nothing. You know I will find out anyway, it's just a matter of getting the information sooner." Aoshi remained composed and in control, as always, his ice-blue eyes distant.

Okina let out a sigh, "well, if there's no other way around it, I can tell you what I know, but it's not much."

Aoshi served another two cups of tea and they both settled back down.

"as you know, she's been in China and Hong Kong all of this time and trading for goods between Japan and China. What you don't know is that all of this time she's been working for Yukishiro-san." Okina paused to let the news sink in.

"Yukishiro-san?" For a second Aoshi didn't recognize the name. He was sure he had heard it before.

"Well, maybe you know him as Enishi." Okina made it clear for him.

Aoshi didn't expect that, but he remained silent and allowed Okina to continue.

"And as you know… Enishi, well, he abandoned all of his business after what happened at that island. And it seems she took charge, for the time being, along with some other allies of his." Okina paused again to make his next point clear to him. "So… she's here for business only." Don't get the impression she's here for you. "Her ship arrived about a week ago, but it's not anchored at the port. According to my sources, they're preparing for some secret shipment or something. She arrived at the city about a couple of days."

"So she's in Kyoto?" Aoshi wanted to make sure.

"It's what I've been told, but I didn't bother to verify it myself."

"You don't know where she's staying? Who's she seeing or talking to? What kind of shipment is this?"

"I don't want to get the Oniwabanshuu involved in more illegal business because of her. I consider you should drop the matter with that pirate too." Okina touched a nerve, he could notice.

Just that moment Okon and Misao entered the kitchen. Misao was excitedly chatting about something while Okon's face kept a small smile painted on as she kept nodding to any of Misao's comments. They both came to see Aoshi at the same time.

Okon knew immediately she was in trouble. It was for sure Okina knew she was the one that told Aoshi, but on the other hand, she was sure Aoshi would have information of her whereabouts. It was totally worthwhile, all the trouble she would go with Okina, because another thing she was sure of was that that old man wouldn't tell HER anything.

Misao saw Aoshi and he seemed just as altered as she first saw him earlier. "Is something the matter?" she asked to both of them. None answered. Aoshi guarded his features once again and left the room walking in between of the two girls. They just stared at his back as he made his way thru the hall.

"Aoshi-sama!!!" Misao began to follow but Okon grabed her from her arm. Misao turned to face the young woman. She met a smile with matching eyes on her face. "Misao, remember you promised me to help me with the customers today."

Misao nodded but gave a last glance in Aoshi's direction just to see he was already gone. Both of them made their way to the restaurant the opposite way from the door they were standing. Okina just scowled at Okon reassuring her they would talk later.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …… … … … … … …

Today's a day without me

I started a landslide in my ego

Look from the outside

To the world I left behind

TBC