Chapter 4- Dreaming of a Distant Past

Chapter 4- Dreaming of a Distant Past

Disclaimers: Standard disclaimers apply. I do not own RK or Flame of Recca so please have pity on a broke college student who's just writing this fic for kicks. This RK fanfic is set in the RK-FOR alternate-universe. This is also a sequel of my fic, "Binding Hearts".

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Fuuko was rubbing her arm where she got hit by a shuriken. The people in the penthouse were all wearing grim faces as total destruction mirrored their emotions. Misao hasn't returned yet.

"She's okay I know, she just has one hell of a headache," said Kaoru her face looking calm and serene despite having gone through another attack. Kenshin immediately sat beside Kaoru and worriedly searched her eyes for any sign of pain or discomfort.

"Daijoubu?" asked Kenshin placing a hand on Kaoru's shoulder. Kaoru nodded and whispered, "Hai." She turned to smile at her companions reassuringly, " Misao's fine, I'm sure..." a slight frown touched her face however, "Although she seems to be in a really weird situation right now," said Kaoru.

Fuuko winced as she tore the sleeve of her shirt to expose her shuriken wound. Tokiay noticed and immediately got over and went to her. Startled, Fuuko can only gape as Tokiya carefully took her wounded arm between his hands and applied medicine too it. "It doesn't look too bad..." he said huskily as he bent close.

"Konbawa minna," said Yanagi as she stepped through the devastated door, tugging a sleepy looking Domon and an irate Recca inside the penthouse. At her voice, Tokiya immediately jumped away and folded his hands behind his back as if nothing happened at all.

"Konbawa Yanagi-chan," he said gruffly before discreetly casting a look at Fuuko's scowl. "Yare, yare. What happened here?" asked Recca strolling inside, arms folded over his head as he surveyed the room. Domon immediately rushed over to Fuuko and tried to take her in his arms. Since Fuuko's other arm was pretty much intact, she winded up giving a pretty nasty punch to Domon who slammed against the wall.

Kenshin cleared his throat then and said when the three newcomers turned to face him. "Sessha wa Hikoshichiro Kenshin," he said bowing briefly before standing up and moving a more respectful distance away from Kaoru. Recca glanced at him speculatively before acknowledging his presence as an ally.

"Moshi moshi," said Recca before picking up a shuriken. His eyes narrowed as he looked questioningly at Tokiya, "Is this actually an Uruha shuriken?" he asked. Tokiya nodded tightly as he watched Yanagi heal Fuuko's shoulder.

"Doko wa Misao-chan?" asked Domon as comic tears dripped down his face. "She hasn't gone back yet..." said Tokiya grimly. "Demo... she's alright, I know. I would have heard her call if she wasn't," said Kaoru as she struggled to sit up.

Yanagi placed a hand on her shoulder as she smiled, "Yamate Kaoru-san, I will heal you so onegai sit a while," said Yanagi. As she healed Kaoru, her eyes looked into Kaoru's own. "I believe you Kaoru-chan when you say that Misao is fine," she said.

Recca walked over to the broken glass walls where hours ago Misao and Raiha had fallen down. He gazed at the night as he gripped the shuriken. "If Misao-chan isn't back by morning... I'm going to pay a little visit to my brother Kurei..." he said grimly.

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The silence was deafening. Misao was clad in an oversized shirt courtesy of Aoshi who has stayed as far from her as possible while staying in his unit ever since she told him her name. Her arms were wrapped around her drawn-up knees as she sat in his bed.

Misao was feeling confused and somehow... terribly hurt too. Why? Was it her American accent that pushed him away? Somehow, his gentle touch hours ago seemed so anticipated and so sweet... as if she'd been waiting for it all her life. She hated his silence with a vehemence that even startled her.

Why? He seemed so open to her before... why was he shutting her out again?

Why do you turn away from me? I have you back with me again but you only push me away?

Misao paused from her thoughts as she scowled in the darkness. 'Crap! Again? AGH! I don't even know that guy, how can even say again?' she thought furiously and winced when she jolted her ribs.

From the corner, Aoshi tensed and felt as if he can also feel the extent of Misao's injuries. 'Stay away from her," he reminded himself silently. "would you rather go to the hospital Misao, I could just call up Dr. Genzai and tell him to go back home," he said his voice carefully toneless.

Misao stiffened at the tone of his voice. Swallowing her complaints, she shook her head, "Iie. At 2 o'clock in the morning? I'm not up to answering how I got these shuriken cuts and vine burns around me neck and arms," she said a little weakly. "Besides... I don't think I can walk right now... unless you'll carry me of course..." she continued holding her breath as she waited for his answer.

Aoshi didn't answer as Dr. Genzai bustled in, as if no stranger to late-night personal medical attention. He was all kindness and warmth, having gotten used to strange instances such as these since he worked for the Shirofuji family all his professional life. "All right Aoshi-sama, I take it that you rescued this young lady ne? Hmm, come now, let me examine you," he said smiling reassuringly as he sat down beside Misao and began putting salves and bandaging her injuries.

Misao would wince ever now and then and bite her lip whenever it stings terribly. Aoshi stood in the room's shadows, watching Misao's stoic acceptance of her state. He started when Dr. Genzai said in a very fatherly voice, "Now my dear, I have a feeling that your ribs were injured. Why don't you pull your shirt up so that I can treat them?" he said. Misao blushed sand sought out Aoshi's gaze in the darkened room. Seeing slight comfort in his icy blue eyes, she bit her lip as she slowly pulled up her shirt a bit to reveal her ribs.

The first thing Aoshi saw was her tiny waist, her stomach smooth and very soft-looking. He swallowed nervously but when his eyes drifted upward, he saw the dark purple bruises on her ribs. Rage pounded in his mind as Dr. Genzai carefully touched Misao's ribs trying to determine if it was broken.

"Tsk, a little sore here my dear and your ribs are terribly bruised. You got banged up pretty badly. I would prescribe as little movement as possible all right?" he asked as he finished tying the bandage around Misao's ribs tightly.

"Hai," said Misao softly, still catching her breath after that awfully tight bandage. She slid down the mound of pillows Aoshi gave her and inhaled the unique scent that still clung to it. "Aoshi-sama, she has beent hrough a terribly rough time, I gave her a few tranquilizers and pain killers so that she can sleep, I trust that you would take care of her," said Genzai before leaving.

"I fell out a twenty-story building you know..." slurred Misao sleepily in the darkness before she fell asleep. Aoshi released his pent-up breath. 'Great, he has finals and he can't even sleep in his own bed!' The girl he was asked to kill was the girl he saved... what a night!

Aoshis stopped undressing when he heard Misao speak again, "I hate your silence Aoshi-sama..."

Her own silence and even breathing greeted him when he gazed at her sleeping face. Strange... how odd life could be...

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Smoke filled the air, so thick that Misao could barely breath. Even as she dreamed she knew, Kaoru was also dreaming the same dream.

"Kaoru-neechan!" cried Misao as she hugged Kaoru in a dream that wasn't a dream, in a reality that was over long ago.

"Kaoru hugged Misao as they hovered in the strange space that was neither dark nor light nor warmth and cold. It was just.... endless. Suddenly they heard two female voices, achingly familiar as those voices, scratchy with unshed tears and despair chant...

Two bodies and one soul

Always seeking

Always incomplete

May my soul find yours...

A brief flash showed a devastation that made Misao and Kaoru's eyes fill with tears. Below them are two girls with linked hands and blood-splattered kimonos. As Misao and Kaoru looked closer, they saw that those girls were holding on to something.

But then the world began to shake and reshape itself into the present day reality. "No!" shouted Kaoru as she struggled to see.

"Use the Book of Binding Spells to ensure your future happiness.."

"May my soul find yours..."

And then, a blinding light that ripped Misao and Kaoru's hands apart.

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"Misao!" screamed Kaoru as she sat up in her bed. Fuuko fell of the bed at Kaoru's shout. "ITAI!"

Blinking, Kaoru realized her surroundings. She looked at the digital clock by her bedside and scowled at the time. Kuso, five o'clock in the morning! Fuuko rose above and placed her chin in the bed, wearing an ugly expression. Kaoru sweat-dropped and tried to smile at her cousin's harassed expression.

"Chikusho Kaoru! I was having a nice dream!" grumbled Fuuko as she flopped back in their bed. "Heh he. Gomen ne Fuuko-chan," said Kaoru as she dropped back on their bed beside her cousin. She sighed loudly in the darkness as Fuuko turned to gaze at Kaoru's face in the dim light.

"Don't worry about Misao, Kaoru. I'm sure she's fine," said Fuuko soberly as she pillowed her head between her arms. Fuuko felt Kaoru shake her head as Kaoru answered, "Iie, I'm not. I just confirmed that Misao was all right." She kept silent for a minute before she spoke again, "It's so strange Fuuko. Being sisters we're close right but I think I know where she is, what she's thinking and feeling almost all the time," Kaoru said.

Fuuko said nothing at all, not being able to understand the bond that her cousins share. Ever since they were young, the sisters were uncommonly close, often feeling each other's pains and happiness so acutely that Fuuko feels left out. A timid knock sounded on their door.

"Fuuko-dono, Kaoru-dono, daijoubu?" asked Kenshin through the door. Fuuko turned and gave Kaoru a teasing smile about the shy redhead. Kaoru blushed but clapped her hands above Fuuko's mouth to still Fuuko's teasing. "Hai, Kenshin. Daijoubu desu," answered Kaoru grappling silently with her cousin.

"They're all right Mikagami-senpai!" called out Kenshin and a slight scuffle was heard outside Kaoru and Fuuko's room. This time, Fuuko and Kaoru paused in their wrestling in the bed. Kaoru could feel the heat of Fuuko's blush through her palm. Kaoru turned to grin evilly at Fuuko and this time, Fuuko retreated behind her blankets.

"Chicken!" teased Kaoru before lying back down on the badly disheveled bed. Fuuko flipped her blanket off and stuck her tongue out at Kaoru before pulling her blanket above her head again.

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Something slammed on Misao's fist as she lashed out, shouting, "Kaoru-neechan!"

"Itai!" exclaimed Aoshi as Misao opened her eyes in surprise, finding that her left fist was firmly planted on Aoshi's nose. With a gasp, she jerked her fist away. "Gomen ne, gomen ne Aoshi-sama!" she exclaimed coming up on her knees in the bed.

Aoshi scowled at her as he sat down heavily on the bed. He rubbed his nose while Misao hovered anxiously behind. "You were yelling and I went up to wake you up from your nightmare," he said crossly. "Nightmare? Ai, gomen! I'm sorry I woke you up," said Misao before dropping back on his bed.

Aoshi said nothing as he glanced back and saw Misao reclining contentedly in his bed. Hearing Misao's loud yawn, he got up from the bed and turned to walk back to his unit's study where he was finishing his term paper. "Matte Aoshi-sama," called Misao.

"Nani Misao?" he asked, crossing his arms above his chest. Misao flushed a little as she answered, " I'm afraid. Can you keep me company for a while? Until I go back to sleep?" Aoshi gave her an unfathomable look before giving in and sitting in a chair near the bed.

"All right," he said shortly as he got comfortable in his seat. A long silence ensued before he himself spoke to fill it, " You speak with an American accent, naze?" he asked.

In the darkness of the room, it was rather easy to pretend they were friends and Misao found his curiosity heart-warming. "I'm Japanese mainly, my okaa-chan and oyaji are Japanese but my sister and I traveled all around the world with my okaasan. She's a businesswoman you know, " answered Misao drowsily. "What about your family?" she asked.

Aoshi kept silent but then words began spilling out of his mouth before he knew it. "Oyaji raised me. My okaasan died when I was young. But I'm close to my relatives on my mother's side despite everything..." he said quietly.

Misao's breathing slowly evened out, indicating that she was asleep. Something about watching over her sleep made a distant memory in Aoshi stir but he couldn't remember ever doing anything like that. He got up and covered Misao more properly with the thick blanket and smoothed the bangs that fell haphazardly on her face. "Oyasumi..." he whispered before leaving his bedroom, strange emotions rioting in his chest.

TBC

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Author's notes:

C&C's are very much welcome. Some lines from the dream above came from my fic, "Binding Hearts", arigatou gozaimasu to Mrs. Mean Osment, Ginarae and Nina-chan for the support. Minna, if you want to read Binding Hearts or the first few episodes of my Intricacies, just e-mail me ne?

Ja!