Kyaa Kyaff here! Hiya ^o^

Disclaimer: You know and I know that Rurouni Kenshin does not belong to me.

_____________________________________________________________________

'…' Kaoru thoughts

*…* Kenshin thoughts

"…" Dialogue

An Alternate Place and Time

Chapter 13: An unexpected encounter

"Saitoh," he growled.

"You remember me," Saitoh said pleased, "I see you have become strong."

"I will kill you," Kenshin said.

"I don't think so. Unfortunately, you are now poisoned. You will start feeling weak really soon. I would not fight you in such a weak state."

"Hey, Fujita what do you want me to do with the girl?" Takasugi spoke up.

Saitoh looked over his eyes widening, "Kaoru? What are you doing here?"

Kaoru did not reply, glaring at him. Kenshin looked between the two, noticing Saitoh genuine surprise, and could it be concern?

"Takasugi, release her at once."

"I don't think so. If I do, we have no control over Himura." Takasugi replied.

Takasugi's shift of attention was enough to give Kaoru the opportunity to get away. Grabbing hold of his sword arm, she pulled it further from her throat before ducking under his arm and twisting back using the control sankio and snapping his wrist. His sword clattered to the ground. In a flash she kicked at the back of his knee causing him to fall painfully to them. Releasing him, Kaoru picked up her sakabatou. Looking at the group of men that inched closer, she turned with a fierce expression on her face.

Once Kenshin saw Kaoru's first move he was attacking the men suddenly blocking his way to Saitoh. One after another fell to Kenshin's blade. His vision began to blur slightly, but he didn't allow it to faze him. He stabbed the last man in his way through the throat. Pulling it back, he chanced a glance behind him to see Kaoru taking good care of herself.

"Now Saitoh. No more excuses. Fight me. Either way you will die by my hand."

Kaoru hit one man on the back of his neck, only hard enough to knock him out. Another fell grabbing his broken fingers. Jumping high to avoid a simultaneous attack from two of her attackers, Kaoru targeted the back leg of the one man before crashing the hilt of her sakabatou into the jaw of the next. She quickly turned surveying the scene. All the men around her were unconscious. She felt no other threat. Her attention was now riveted on Kenshin.

"I told you already, boy, I will not fight you." Saitoh said with finality.

"You have no choice."

As Kenshin stepped forward, his knees gave out on him. His vision began to blur worse. He faintly heard Kaoru call out to him in concern.

*No…no. I have been waiting for this moment for too long.*

Kenshin forced himself to stand. His sword felt heavy, his body did too. Kaoru ran up to him, pulling his sword from him and placing it back in his saya.

"Stop it, Kaoru." Kenshin said weakly.

Kenshin struggled to stay awake. Kaoru watched Saitoh carefully.

"Take him and go. You know what he has been poisoned with. If you hurry you can counteract the poison. Now go." Saitoh said facing his back to her.

Kaoru was confused, "What? Why?"

"Just go now, before I change my mind."

Kaoru held onto the sagging Kenshin as he lost touch with this reality. Kaoru had no idea where to go, but she had to bring Kenshin somewhere warm. Kenshin was not too heavy as she began walking away from her Uncle.

"Kaoru," Saitoh said. Kaoru looked over to him, "You have grown."

Kaoru did not know how to respond to his statement, so instead she remained silent. She should be anger with him. Hate him. He had thrown her out the house, and had the town she considered a home destroyed, but there was something about his demeanor that had caught her off guard. She shook her head, and felt Kenshin go completely limp. He was not a heavy man, and right now she was silently thanking him for it. Picking him up she frantically began to search for a place to take him. A few raindrops began to fall from the sky.

________________________________________________________________________

Kaoru saw a small house in the distance that could be considered a shack. She continued to carry Kenshin her arms weakening. She couldn't go much further like this. Rain was pouring down and she could only pray no one lived in the place. Making her way to the door, she sat Kenshin down and opened it up. The wind blew the door in with a bang. Grabbing Kenshin, she dragged him in before closing it.

"Oi, what the hell do you think you're doing," a disgruntled voice asked from across the darkened room.

Kaoru jumped in surprise, "My friend is sick. I need to take care of him. Please let me stay, it's raining out there and…"

"Jou-chan?" The voice interrupted, "Is that you?"

"Sano?" Kaoru asked.

Before she knew it, she was enveloped in a big bone-crushing hug. Setting her down he messed with her hair with a big grin on his face. She saw him dimly in the darkness.

"Hold on a sec," he said.

A little light came into the room from the candle Sano had lit. Kaoru went over to Kenshin.

"Do you have a bed I can put him on?" Kaoru asked.

Sano nodded. Kaoru went to pick Kenshin up again, but Sano moved her out of the way picking him up instead. He placed him on a futon, and looked at Kaoru questioningly.

"He's been poisoned. I have the antidote, but I need you to go boil water. It is to late to give it to him the other way."

Sano nodded and left to go do what she asked. Kaoru watched as Kenshin shook slightly. She needed to change his clothes. Her face flushed at the thought.

'I will just take the top off. Sano can get the rest once I give Kenshin the medicine.'

She struggled a little with it but got it off. She went to take his sword, but she noticed he had a strong grip on it. She found a dry piece of cloth and began to wipe his face. He began to whisper something she could not hear. She leaned closer, but still she could not hear him. She frowned and leaned so close his lips just barley brushed her ear.

"Kaoru," he said.

He kept saying her name in broken whispers. She pulled back hearing Sano enter.

"Water's almost done," Sano said.

"Good," Kaoru replied.

Kaoru reached into her gi pocket to find the antidote that every Shinsengumi member had with them. Sano left the room once more to go check to see if the water was ready. It was and he brought it over to her placing it on a small table he had brought over. She poured half the contents into the water before stirring it up.

"I need a cup," Kaoru said.

"Sake cup good?" Sano asked.

"Yes," Kaoru said taking it and dipping it into the hot water.

She blew on it lightly.

"Prop him up."

Sano leaned Kenshin against the wall in a sitting position. Kaoru came forward lifting Kenshin's chin up and opening his mouth. She slowly began to pour the liquid down his throat. A couple of times he began to cough it up, but Kaoru finally got him to take the amount needed.

"Sano, do you think you could undress him. He's going to catch a cold wearing those wet clothes."

"No problem Jou-chan, but you need to take care of yourself too. There's a blanket over there. I promise not to peek."

Kaoru watched him. "You better not or else."

Sano went to remove Kenshin's clothes as Kaoru walked over to the blanket.

"So have you seen Megumi lately?" he asked casually or tried to.

"Yes, she is…"

Sano stood abruptly. Kaoru tensed also.

"I am going to see who that is. You stay here Jou-chan."

Kaoru went over to Kenshin. Sano had not removed his clothes yet. He sat leaning against the wall shivering still. A loud noise was heard before Sano came crashing through the flimsy wall. He shook his head and went to stand when a shelf of books, loosened from the impact of him slamming into the second wall, began falling on his head. Then the whole board fell. Sano fell swirly-eyed to the ground. Kaoru grimaced pulling out her sakabatou.

"Who's there" Kaoru called out.

"It is I, Kamiya, your sensei."

"Amakusa-sensei," Kaoru said alarmed.

He stepped into the house.

"How did you find me?' Kaoru said.

"I saw you as I was heading somewhere and decided to follow you," he looked at her with contempt, "You know what happens to traitors, Kamiya? Of course you do. They die."

He came at her quickly. Kaoru deflected his blow. She knew he was playing with her. The strike had held half the power he could have used.

"I am disappointed in you. I had high hopes for you. I should have known your fickle nature. You are a woman." Amakusa said.

He was clearly angry. "Taking Yahiko. That was a bad mistake. But no matter. Right now the Shinsengumi are attacking the main place of the Ishin shishi. Yahiko will be in our control again. And unfortunately I will have to kill you."

"Yahiko!"

"Enough of this idle chat though. Fight me."

Amakusa came at her with no mercy now. Faster than she could blink he was on top of her. The only thing that saved her was her instincts. Ducking low she rolled out of his way jumping to her feet, only to find him striking at her again. She blocked jumped back, then jumped into the air as he slashed at her legs. Followed by an upward sweep that would have split her in half had she not brought her sword down to meet his. It was an awkward position and he easily threw her off balance.

"Kamiya, letting your guard down. I taught you better."

Kaoru made no reply, focusing fully on him. She made no offensive strike. That would be a fatal mistake on her part. Amakusa noticed Kenshin leaning against the wall.

"Battousai," he hissed.

Kaoru's eyes widened.

"I can get rid of two problems at once."

Kaoru jumped in front of Kenshin. She would not let him harm Kenshin. Never. Amakusa slashed at her using all the strength he possessed. Her sakabatou fell from her hands.

'He is going to kill me! Then he will kill Kenshin.'

"I am sorry it had to come to this Kaoru."

Closing his eyes he took a deep breath. That was the wrong thing to do. Kaoru looked desperately behind her. Kenshin's sword! Kaoru grabbed it hastily, and without considering the consequences swung it at him with all her strength. Blood sprayed across her face as she sliced through the man. He fell to the ground not quite dead yet, eyes widening in wonder. Then he chuckled softly.

"My fault for hesitating. What happens to your ideals now Kamiya? Hm… never thought…" he trailed off as he convulsed considerably before laying still.

Kaoru watched stunned looking at the widening pool of blood around Amakusa. Looking down at her hand she watched the blood drip off of Kenshin's sword. She dropped it in shock. His blood was all over her. On her gi, her face, her hands. She was disgusted and felt faint. She had just killed a man that had taught her all she had known. A noise brought her out of her stupor. Sano was pulling himself from the books. He caught sight of Kaoru.

"I killed him, Sano. I killed him," she said in shock.

"Jou-chan," Sano said sensing her distress, "It's not your fault. Shhh, you did what you had to do."

Sano went over to Kaoru, avoiding the dead man lying in the center of the room.

"He taught me everything I knew. I… I didn't want to kill him. I killed him. I never wanted to kill anyone."

"Kaoru stop. It couldn't be helped," he pulled her into a hug, "Focus, focus on the people that need you now. So stop, that's enough."

"Yahiko!" Kaoru exclaimed.

Kaoru yanked away from him going for her sakabatou.

"Sano, please take care of Kenshin. I gave him the antidote in time. He should be fine. He will become feverish most likely."

"Wait, where are you going?" Sano asked.

"I have to go bring Yahiko here. Please, stay here and take care of him."

Sano nodded, "Be careful Jou-chan."

"I will."

______________________________________________________________________

Kaoru did not take long before she arrived at the Ishin shishi hideout. The sounds of battle could be heard.

'Yahiko, I must find Yahiko.'

Kaoru crept through the chaos toward his room. She could go to his room from the courtyard. She stopped short when she heard Yahiko's voice. She moved closer to assess the situation. Yahiko was being held by two men. Tsubame by a third.

"Let her go!" Yahiko yelled.

"Who's she?" one man asked the other.

"No one, kill her."

One of the men holding Yahiko pulled his sword free; stepping forward he went to stab Tsubame. Yahiko screamed at them to stop. Kaoru ran forward to help.

'I am too late, too late.'

The man let go of Tsubame, who fell and lay unmoving on the courtyard ground. Yahiko stood perfectly still for several seconds.

"How could you? How could you do such a thing?" Yahiko asked in a low dangerous voice.

Yahiko slammed his foot onto the man holding him followed by a sharp elbow to the ribs. The man let go with a yelp of pain. Yahiko turned to the man that had stabbed Tsubame.

"Slice your own heart out." Yahiko commanded.

The man stilled suddenly and to Kaoru's horror commenced to do as commanded.

'Yahiko didn't even touch him! He has to touch them to do it. He has to.'

Kaoru watched as the two men advanced cautiously on Yahiko. He began to laugh. His laughter sent a chill up Kaoru's spine.

"Stay still both of you. Now you cut his arm off. And you cut his leg off. And I better not hear a word of noise from either of you. That's good, now slice each other apart."

"Yahiko stop," Kaoru cried as the men began hacking each other to pieces.

He turned to her, eyes devoid of emotion.

"Come here."

Kaoru felt her legs start to move toward him against her will.

"Yahiko, it's Kaoru," she cried desperately.

His eyes were scaring her. He didn't seem to recognize her.

"Yahiko," Tsubame's weak voice uttered softly in pain.

^_________________________________________________________________^

*Kyaa Kyaff smiles at everyone*

Wow! I am so excited. I am just brimming with ideas, I was going to make the chapter longer but decided to split it up. So expect Chapter 14 Sunday or Monday!

Now I have to tell you, Saitoh has some reasons for what he is doing! Don't be too quick to judge. I have some surprises and twists for you, so please be patient. And he is going to be a little ooc! Please bear with me!

There will be kxk just not yet. And I have another surprise for you guys in the next chapter.

*Kyaa Kyaff looks around and sees Joey in the distance*

Hiya! See I updated! *gives Joey a hug back*

*smiles at Cyrstal*

Oh come on! You know you like cliffhangers in all their annoyingness. He! he! I think!

*winks at Chiki* Trust me with Tsubame kay!

I would like to thank Joey, SailorLoneStar, Vesca, Marwolv, Gypsy-chan, moonblossom, Isis 13, marstanuki, lizzie, Crystal, Chiki, Jim, Alannah, kawaii sakura-chan, and Mango for your reviews!