Alright, I'm done chapter 2.  I edited chapter 1 because I originally wrote it at like 12 PM so it was a little….. what's the word?  Badly written's too strong but I don't know, I don't think it was up to par with this chapter.  The changes weren't too huge.  I just corrected some grammar mistakes and improved the flow of the story.  But here's chapter 2.  It's bigger, better and has more characters than the first one.  *Gives everyone a big thumbs up.

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Chapter 2

Left Me in the Dark

            Everyone is staring at us….. We shouldn….. I'll never hear the en…..  Oh, Kensh….. Kaoru was in ecstasy but she couldn't help but fell like something wasn't right.  Finally she just closed her eyes and took it all in.  Sparks seemed to flow through her at his touch.  The house could've started to burn down at this moment and it still wouldn't separate her from her beloved rurouni. 

***

Sanosuke stared in disbelief. Wonderful, just when I was getting somewhere with Megumi.  But anyways, what the hell are you doing to Kaoru?   Sano's thought didn't expect a reply but he kept going.  After the countless times I've encouraged you to make a move you do it now?  I've heard the same tired old excuses a thousand times: Kaoru-dono deserves much better that she does, I wouldn't want to offend Tomoe's memory that I would not, Kaoru-dono wouldn't be interested in simple rurouni like myself that she would not, blah blah blah: the same old BS every time.  Ah, I just want to strangle you sometimes.  It's so obvious that Kaoru is head over heels for you. And despite everything you try to deny I know you're madly in love with her too. 

Heh, but at least you finally did make a move.  You could've perhaps chosen a better place and time. Hell, anytime but now would be good.  Now all Megumi is going to talk about is you!

            "Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing," Megumi finally uttered.

            Heh, speak of the devil.

            "Yeah, I think so,"

            "Well, it's about time.  I've been trying to set those two up for ages!"

            "Wh-what?!" Sano almost screamed in reply and with the silent state the room was currently in, it sounded like he did.  Sano's voice returned to a loud whisper. "You're always all over Kenshin."

            Megumi lowered her voice as well, noticing that those who weren't staring at Kenshin were now staring at her and Sano. "Ha, well I wouldn't expect a chicken-head like yourself to see through my ingenious plan."  

            Sano gritted his teeth and uttered, "Just when I thought I was getting somewhere," under his breath.  Megumi was too consumed with her genius to notice.

"I was simply trying to get a rise out of Kaoru so Sir Ken would catch on to her affections." 

Sano smirked.  Heh, I guess I should expect no less from a fox. He glanced back towards Kenshin and Kaoru and smiled.  He was glad that they had finally gotten together, they both deserved it, ever if it did interfere with his fox hunt.

***

Oh no, what have you gotten yourself into now rurouni? His lips were now locked with Kaoru's. 

You let me gain control!  The battosai was ecstatic, he'd been longing for this ever since he had first laid on Kaoru's strength and beauty.

Oh no, I'm getting feverish…  Heat rushed through Kenshin's head.

Admit it; this is all you've wanted since you first saw her. 

Oh, Kaoru-dono is going to kill me.  Oh, but I can't stop now…  I've already gone so far… and this feels so, so… good.

Ha, I knew it.  But I guess that means I was giving myself too much credit…  You want it too rurouni. Well, I wondering why after all this time I was finally able to gain control now but I haven't at all have I?

Kenshin snapped back into reality at the battosai's blind but accurate words. This is wrong; Kaoru-dono deserves so much more and I….. I have no right to her. 

It took more than Kenshin every thought he had in him but he broke off the kiss.  Slowly he opened his eyes expecting to see Kaoru glaring at him angrily but to his surprise, she didn't look angry at all.  In fact she looked almost disappointed; the sadness in her cobalt eyes made his heart weep.

Is she so disgusted by me that a kiss would send her into the depths of depression?  Kenshin broke her gaze and jerked his eyes to the floor in shame.  Oh what have you gone and done now rurouni?  Sh-she'll probably lock me in the shed again but every night. O-or worse, she'll kick me out of the dojo.  Kenshin heart sunk at the thought of never seeing Kaoru-dono again.

"I-I'm very sorry Ka-Kaoru-dono that I am."  Kenshin turned away and quickly scurried to the door.  Luckily, the path was pretty much clear as most people had moved to the side of the room after Kaoru bodychecked that man to the floor. 

Kaoru was too far shock to call after him; all she could bring herself to do was stare.

"Kenshin!  What the hell are you doing?"  Sanosuke yelled after him.

It barely registered in Kenshin's head; all her could think, see and hear was Kaoru.  He flung the door open and quickly dashed outside. 

"My apologies, milady." Sano bowed cheesily to Megumi.  "But I must be off."

"Go!" Megumi practically pushed Sanosuke out the door after Kenshin.

***

Kaoru gently touched her lips in disbelief.  She tried with all her might to rebuild what she felt when Kenshin- when Kenshin kissed her.  It was like nothing she had every experienced before.  Her heart ached to experience his tender touch again.

Then, it hit her, Kenshin wasn't here anymore.  A glass seemed to pierce her stomach at the realization.  Her knees grew weak and gave way to the floor.

It must have just been a mistake.  His eyes, his eyes were still coloured slightly with amber; the battosai must have been in control.  Of course, how silly it was of me to think that Kenshin would actually want me; it was only the battosai that wanted me.  But she loved every inch of Kenshin including the battosai.  Maybe that was okay; at least she had part of Kenshin. 

But Kenshin had added a "that I am" to the end of the last painful yet beautiful words he had spoken to her.  The battosai never says that…..  Maybe Kenshin didn't like the kiss.  Maybe that's why he ran out.  Was she that bad?  The thought made her stomach clench.   Emotions swirled through her head.  Tears streamed down her soft cheeks.   Everything suddenly seemed to click in, the one person she loved more than anything else had left her.  Suddenly the pain she had felt all the times she thought Kenshin was going to leave her surfaced once again leaving her heart torn and battered.  Her mind couldn't take it; she didn't want to remember so it just shut off.  The room began to spin and then everything went black.

***

Kenshin first instinct when he got out the door was to disappear but despite his shame, he didn't want to leave Kaoru.  He had to be near her if he could help it.  So in a frantic frenzy, he decided that the roof would serve as the best hideout.  Effortlessly, Kenshin leapt onto the roof, barely making so much a squeak.

You're such a fool rurouni snapped the battosai.  Kenshin positioned himself in a sitting position midway up the roof.

I am?!  You're the one that engaged the- the kiss.  A fuzzy feeling flowed through Kenshin at the thought of touching his koishii in such an intimate fashion.  Now, Kaoru-dono probably hates me that she must…  Sighing, Kenshin buried his face in his lap.

Baka, for the calm and collected side of me, you really are an ahou.  Kaoru didn't look sad when you broke off the kiss because she was disgusted by you; she did so because she didn't want to stop.

Kenshin lifted his head and smiled at the thought of Kaoru being disappointed at the loss of his touch.

So, what do you say we go back in there and whisk Kaoru up to one of Megumi free bedrooms and have a little fun? Kenshin could easily picture him smirking.

Kenshin's eyes narrowed in anger.  I should have known better than to take your advice seriously that I should have, thought Kenshin in spite directed towards the wilder more instinctive side of him.  The battosai just wanted his sweet, beautiful, innocent Kaoru-dono in bed.  The thought of tainting Kaoru's innocence made him furious at himself but at the same time made his heart burn with longing.

"Kenshin!  Kenshin, where the hell are you?" Kenshin was so lost in thought that the sudden sound of Sanosuke's voice almost startled him into falling off the roof.

What is Sanosuke doing out here?  I guess he's probably came to tell me how Kaoru-dono hates me and what a fool I am.  A tear nearly fell from Kenshin violet eyes but he shut them tight before it had a chance to form.

***

"Oh my gosh, Kaoru!"  Megumi rushed towards the fallen raven haired girl.  She looked her over to make sure she hadn't bumped her head or anything.  Luckily she seemed to be alright.

Yahiko walked up beside her, he had been quietly watching the whole scene with Tsubame.

"Is she alright?" he questioned.

"Yeah, just a little shocked I think."

"Help me carry her to another room.  Everyone else, I could hear a pin drop in this silence.  This is supposed to be a party."  Silence.  "I -said- this is supposed to be a party!"  Suddenly, the room was alive with conversation.

***

"Dammit Kenshin, you went all the way back to the dojo didn't you?" yelled Sanosuke to what he thought was an empty street.  "You know, for the battosai, you're quite a coward,"

Kenshin sighed; he wouldn't want Sanosuke going all the way back to the dojo on his account that he would not.

Sano was just about to dash when he heard a meek little squeak of an attempt to yell his name.

"Sano….. suke."

Sano twirled around.  That couldn't have been Kenshin; Kenshin had many traits, some of them contradictory but meek was never a word he'd use to describe him.  Flipping his head from side to side, Sanosuke scanned the whole street but saw no sign of Kenshin.  Rubbing his neck, he just assumed that he was hearing things.

Kenshin gulped.  Alright, get a hold yourself.  You're the battosai.  You don't let silly things like this get you down.  You have to show Sano you're strong.

Standing up, Kenshin yelled in the most macho voice he could fathom, "Sano, I'm up here."

"Oh there you are Kenshin.  I thought I heard you."

In a valiant attempt, Sano tried to leap onto the roof just as Kenshin had but ended up falling flat on his face and then to the ground, taking a couple shingles with him.

For the first time that whole night, Kaoru wasn't the center of his thoughts.  Laughing, Kenshin leapt off the roof to help Sano, who was at the moment, twitching on the ground.

"Are you alright there Sano?"  Kenshin questioned as he helped pick him up off the ground.  "You should be more careful next time that you should."

"I'm fine, barely a scratch on me," Sano said as he rubbed the newly made bump on his noggin.  "Now, about what just happened-"

"Oh nevermind that," replied Kenshin then gave one of his famous smiles.  "I simply let the battosai gain too much control.  I certainly hope Kaoru-dono isn't too upset with me that I do."

"Yeah, I think she is Kenshin!"  Kenshin's heart sunk.  "running out like that after, after you…  I can't believe you would do something like that to her.  She loves you so much; I would kill for girl to be that crazy about me.  And you, you just abandoned her!"

Sano's so silly, thought Kenshin.  I saw Kaoru-dono's eyes; she was….. disgusted by me.

"Sano I thought we had gone over this.  Kaoru-dono would never be interested in a simple rurouni like myself, she deserves much more."

"Ugh, you're so pigheaded sometimes!  All Kaoru wants is you, why can't you see that?"  Kenshin had had enough of Sanosuke's blindness.  He was just trying to get his hopes over a lost cause which would only hurt him more in the end.

"No, Sanosuke!  It's you that's being pigheaded!"  Sanosuke stared wide-eyed at Kenshin, this was a side of him that he'd never seen.  Are those….. tears in his eyes?  "I saw Kaoru's," he'd forgotten dono, "eyes afterwards.  She was- disgusted by me!"  Kenshin stepped backwards, it had pained him to admit it out loud.  "Don't follow me Sano," Kenshin looked directly into Sano's eyes, the tears were gone, he now looked, angry almost.  "I won't be found."  And with that, the battosai disappeared.

Sano started rubbing the bump his head again.

"You know, you really are an ahou sometimes."