We had gotten some food and sat in the park under a large tree that was about a couple blocks away from where I lived. Small children ran around playing with their friends as happy mothers looked on. We sat in comfortable silence but both blushed when elderly couples would walk past telling us that we looked like a lovely couple. We were unable to answer them as they soon walked off further down the park. I opened my mouth to speak but soon closed it when I saw a bunch of 4, 5 and 6 year olds come running towards us.

"Do you wanna play with us?" One of them had asked Misao.

"Well I-" I soon cut her off by speaking for her with a gentle smile on my face.

"Of course she would, she's just a little shy." Misao turned her eyes to me but was unable to speak as the children ran around excitedly and tried to get her to stand up. They soon persuaded her and she got up and ran around playing with the children. I laughed and turned my attention to one of the youngest still standing there silently looking at me with curious blue eyes.

"Hello, why aren't you playing with the others?" I was surprised when she sat in my lap and looked up at me with an adorable face.

"Tell me a story please?" Her eyes where the same colour as Misao's and she wore her dark hair in two plaited pigtails. I smiled down at her and nodded. She soon leapt out of my lap and raced over to the other children. I heard their excited screams and soon saw all of them turn and race towards me. Misao had spoken to the mothers' telling them what was happening and soon ran towards the children and myself and sat down. She was surprised that a couple of them sat in her lap but then looked over at me and realised a small girl was sitting in mine looking fondly at me. Before I started the mothers of the children too joined us and it seemed as though I had an audience and needed to tell an exciting story. Everyone was silent and I made a funny face and scratched my chin as if making up something on the spot. The children and their mothers' laughed with glee while Misao smiled.

"What about a true story full of adventure, sadness, love, family and friends?" They all shouted in approval and so my story began of my adventures up until now.

* * * *

A couple of hours passed and the story was soon told up until now, so basically it was like a "to be continued" story. I had finished it and looked around the circle to see the mothers and a couple small girls wiping away tears while the boys talked about adventures. I now came face to face with the youngest one now standing in my lap looking at me ready to ask her question.

"Will the boy and the girl find happiness?" I flickered my eyes to Misao and was about to speak when she did instead.

"I hope they will" I looked over at Misao who was smiling and so I too spoke up as well.

"Me too" I agreed.

"So do I. Actually we all do don't we kids?" Said one of the mothers and the children began laughing, clapping and yelling. Moments later the mothers began to stand and collect their children to take them home.

"Come one Stevie let's go meet daddy now" Another mother spoke indicating to the small girl sitting in my lap. She got out of my lap and stood in front of me and spoke excitedly.

"When I get older I'm going to find a boy just like you and marry him. He'll be handsome just like you, really funny and smart and he'll treat me like a princess."

"He'll be the luckiest boy in the whole wide world" I picked up one of her plaits and brushed the end over her nose and she giggled adorably. She pecked me on the cheek and ran towards her mother who was waiting for her patiently.

"You really do have a way with children" Misao spoke to me gently.

"Yeah I'm usually smitten with the adorably cute girls." We both laughed and I felt eased by the sound of Misao's laughing. I sighed quietly then stood up and offered her my hand. She took it and I began speaking while giving her some money.

"Do you want to go get us something for dinner and I'll meet you at the vendor stall in about 5 minutes?" She was surprised but soon nodded and I lightly ran in the direction of the women's hostile.

* * * *

It actually took me about 10 minutes to explain everything but I finally got what little stuff Misao had and walked back to the vendor stall where Misao was waiting. She soon saw what I was carrying and her eyes widened. Her lips parted to speak but I placed a finger over them and began talking quickly.

"Misao I don't know what it was like for you to stay in the hostile for so long and so I am asking if you'd like to be my roommate. You'll have a roof over your head, food, a bed to sleep in and if you ever needed to talk about anything your friend is willing to listen. I know you like it there or else you wouldn't have agreed so quickly when I asked you to stay yesterday."

"Where would you sleep though?" Misao asked me in a small voice, so I answered her honestly in return.

"I'll buy one of those fold-out couches and sleep in the lounge room, its big enough. My clothes and stuff will still stay in the bedroom I can just place it in one half of the cupboard and you can have the other okay?" I smiled gently at her and realised she was going to say yes.

"What about Mia?" I looked confused at what she asked. Mia? Is she thinking that she wouldn't approve of this?

"Hey Mia's great and she wouldn't mind at all. I'll tell her I have made some friends and one is having trouble finding somewhere to live and I offered if they wanted to be my roommate. Simple really."

"So you'll lie to her?" I winced at that but soon spoke again and this time I knew she would have no further questions and agree.

"I'm not lying, just leaving certain information out which she is not aloud to hear about until you have met her and given me permission to speak about it." Misao's head nodded and she soon began walking back to "our" unit.

* * * *

We were back in the apartment and I was sitting on the bed watching Misao unpack her stuff.

"Shinomori, why are you being so nice?" Misao was facing the cupboard so she didn't see me roll my eyes at her calling me by my last name yet again.

"Well I guess I've finally found someone who has had it harder then me and I want to help them have a normal and fun life, so for now I'll be your roommate and friend."

"For now?" She had turned to look at me with those intense eyes. I cleared my throat and spoke again.

"Of course. See once you get used to me I'll be your best friend." I smiled at her and she lightly blushed and then continued to get the last of her things out.

"What will I tell the others?" She sat down in the chair holding a couple of pictures.

"I hope you tell them everything Misao. It will help them understand and it will help you. It might be difficult but you must remember, those guys love you to pieces and they want to know what's going on inside you." Misao nodded and traced one of the photos.

"May I?" I had asked requesting to look at the photo. Misao silently handed them to me and the first one was of her mum and dad and a little chubby Misao. The second one was of Kenshin and the others but a bit younger. I smiled at how much mature they all looked.

"These are heaps nice Misao, will you let me frame them and you can place them in your room?" She took back the one of our friends and began to speak.

"Not this one though, its incomplete."

"Incomplete? I do-"

"You need to be in it. You are our friend now." I smiled and nodded my head and soon rose to enter the lounge room. Misao was following as I still held her family photo. I found some unused frames in a draw and placed Misao's photo inside of it. I reached in and found some younger photos of myself and handed them to Misao.

"Pick one." I stated plainly to her and she sifted through them slowly. She opened her mouth to speak but I smirked and cut her off.

"I have to at least be around the same age as you guys so the photo doesn't look silly."

"Are you ever going to let me finish Shinomori?" I smiled at Misao as her eyes and face screwed up in annoyance at me answering her questions before she could ask me.

"One day, but that'll come when you stop addressing me as 'Shinomori'." She picked one of the photos and arranged it against the other in the frame. She handed it to me and I looked at the one she picked. I was standing in a pair of loose pants with sweat pouring off my face and my long hair that I never cut was sticking against my neck. I was gritting my teeth and holding onto a bokken.

"Why this?"

"Well I didn't want to be the only one looking so casual and upset for that matter." I laughed and told her about this photo.

"This was the day when I finally decided that Mia was not going to stick up for me anymore. I had practice the whole night and was ready to beat the hell out of these guys for teasing me and beating me one too many times."

"Fighting isn't really the answer you know."

"That's why I only did it once." I laughed and Misao joined in.

"Can I use your bathroom Shi-"

"You don't need to ask for anything Misao, you live here remember. It's just down that passageway and it's the second door on the left. First one being the toilet." Misao smiled and grabbed some of her things and went to freshen up.

* * * *

Misao had emerged half an hour later wearing a pair of dark pants and a loose matching short sleeved top. I watched her walk past on her way to the bedroom lifting the heavy mass of hair in her hands and noticed that her shirt lifted so you could see her flat stomach. I soon grabbed my things and showered as well.

I was quicker then Misao and walked back into the lounge room to find her sitting on the floor cross-legged humming and brushing her long wet hair. It pooled into her lap and on the floor.

"Misao can I ask you a question?" I had frightened her, as she had not known I was there but she soon nodded her head and I walked closer and sat down in front of her.

"Will you let me teach you some Martial Arts? Not much fighting though, just little things like sensing someone's presence, maybe some balance techniques and self defense and-"

"Really? When?" I smiled at how excited she sounded. This must have been part of the real Misao. I shook my head not indicating now.

"Its late Misao and we really should sleep and not miss school again." She too nodded and silently waved good night and went to the bedroom. She left the door slightly ajar this time. Maybe she was getting used to me even more.

I lay down on the couch and took a deep breath. My eyes begin to close slowly and I fell into a blissful slumber.

* * * *

Misao and I had actually woken up and I was stunned at how the uniform looked on her. The white blouse with the black and white scarf tied under the collar fit her perfectly as well as the small black skirt that only just covered her butt. Misao also wore black tights underneath with black lace up shoes.

We made it to school just in time and went to our usual classes. I soon realised that tights are obviously optional because Misao and maybe a few other females were the only ones who wore them. Lessons were coming to an end and I heard my name and Misao's called over the loud speaker.

We were called into the headmaster office and by making up two different stories it seemed to convince the headmaster not to give us detention, just a warning. We left the office and the bell rang for lunch. We paused at the door and watched heaps of students' file out of classes talking profusely and soon made there way to their lockers and then outside to eat.

I met Misao at the doors and we soon walked around the back to find Kenshin and the others sitting under the usual tree. Misao let out a shuddering breath and looked up at me.

"You know you want to." I stated plainly to her and with that she smiled and began to run to her friends. I walked a little faster and quietly observed what happened between Misao and her friends. I watched joyfully at the expressions that were shown on everyone's faces as they finally realised that Misao was going to be Misao once again.

"KAORU!" Misao had yelled to her friend and although Kaoru was in shock at how much emotion Misao was showing she soon stood with tears in her eyes and hugged her closest friend tightly. I was now standing under the shade of the tree as well with a small smile tugging at my lips. Misao soon let go of Kaoru and stood in front of Megumi.

"Meg-" Misao was unable to say anymore as Megumi placed a finger on her lips and shook her head. They soon both smiled and hugged each other as well. Misao soon faced Sano whose state of dress was exactly like mine. His shirt out with the top button undone as well as the tie. Misao was hesitant at first and so Sano began to speak.

"It's alright weasel girl, you don't ne-" He got no further as Misao hugged him around the waist and spoke softly to him.

"I'm sorry Sano."

"Aw don't go all mushy on me weasel…" But he soon placed his arms around her and hugged her back closing his eyes. I was standing near Megumi and she was about to bicker with Sano for saying that but before she could I placed my hand over her lips and spoke quietly in her ear.

"Let them do this Megumi. She's finally coming back and its Sano's way of thanking her for coming back." She looked at me silently then nodded her head in agreement. She was now in front of Kenshin and didn't hesitate at all this time and hugged him while murmuring something into his ear. He spoke back to her quietly so that no one could understand but her and she soon nodded her head as if in agreement. I looked over at Kaoru to see her eyes frown in sadness and I place my hand on her shoulder and reassure her quietly about what she seems to be thinking about.

"Don't worry its just friendship where as when he finally does that to you it will be more." Kaoru blushed red and nodded her head at what I have said. Misao and Kenshin soon broke apart and we all sat on the ground in silence until Misao begins to talk about her childhood, how she grew up, where she lived, and what exactly she is going through at the moment. I smile as she has found her courage to tell them everything including what she felt about the night her and Kaoru were kidnapped. They all sat in silence and Megumi and Kaoru soon hugged her when she finished whispering kind words into her ear so only she could hear. She soon told them that I had offered her a place to stay and they all nodded enthusiastically.

"You'll have to invite us to your house for a party one day Misao." Megumi had asked excited.

"Ah…you'll have to ask my roommate if that's okay with him too" Misao looked at me and I nodded my head. Megumi and Kaoru squealed excitedly and began talking profusely to Misao about the usual "girl" stuff and she began to laugh along with them. I stood up and quietly left the group and walked off further into the back area of the school. Soon after I felt Kenshin's presence behind me.

"Aoshi?"

"Look Kenshin if you've come to lecture me on how to handle Misao and not to hurt her, you need not go through the whole speech. I know you care about her, not as much as Kaoru, but I'd never do anything to hurt her or the others. I'd rather someone beat the living hell out of me then let them touch any of my friends." I had turned around after I spoke and found Kenshin blushing slightly at what I had said about Kaoru and he stuttered out his reply.

"I-I just wanted to make sure." I nodded my head and Kenshin went back to sit with the others.

"Aoshi man." I turned to see Sano standing there as well. Was I going to get a talk from all of Misao's friends? I silently wandered.

"Why'd you leave all of a sudden?" I sighed in relief and spoke to him absently.

"Misao is coming back and she will finally be the happy Misao you guys know and since you were all friends before I came I thought it best to let it be that way once more. Hey Sano, could you tell the teachers I'm sick or something?"

"Ah sure Aoshi" I nodded and soon jumped the school fence and walked off down the street.

* * * *