Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the creation of Nobuhiro Watsuki, with the manga and anime rights belonging to Jump Comics and Sony Entertainment, respectively. FF is non-profit, meant for entertainment only.

FF can be archived anywhere, just let me know where. Please send no flames, I'm sensitive. For all other comments 0_o you may contact me at kaoru_koishii@yahoo.com

Chapter Five

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The battoussai stood in the middle of the clearing. His eyes were closed. His sword lashed out, striking down his imaginary opponents. The moves were in perfect rhythm to the song of death performing a deadly dance reaching out to mortal men. His sword cut through the air at an amazing speed. He dodged and leapt, slashing a tree trunk in half. He jumped backed and with a click his sword was re-sheathed.

Kaoru stretched happy to have woken up alone in their room. It wasn't that she didn't love the man. It was just weird that's all. Now that she was sure he wasn't going anywhere she could rest in peace. She could eat and most of all she could yell at him. She smiled at the ceiling. He wasn't who she was familiar with but he was still Kenshin. She would just have to learn to love this part of him too. To be honest this side of him did excite her a bit. I mean he scared her but not because he would hurt her. No, what scared her was the way he reacted to others. It's like he was constantly looking out for a threat. Ready to strike anyone down. Ready to kill someone. Her smile disappeared. She really did have to be careful no one crossed him. Her thoughts trailed off the danger he posed to something more appealing. Like the color of his gi. She would admit he did look better in the blue gi then in the pink. Though he always said 'it's not pink.' She smiled even wider at the memory. She'd finally kissed him and it had been more than she ever hoped. It was more like what she had fantasized about. Her face flushed a bit. She turned her head to make sure he wasn't in the room. He liked staring at her. It was . . . uncomfortable, to say the least. She turned her face back and continued staring at the ceiling. Suddenly the idea struck her. Maybe this Kenshin didn't cook. With a groan she kicked her blankets to the side. She propped her self on her elbows and tried to kick it off with her foot. Stupid blanket.

The blanket was suddenly removed by a slender hand. Following the hand she made out the blue material she knew was of the gi. She bit her lip as her gaze traveled from the arm to the shoulders finally too the face. Her heart began to race. His eyes were that eerie blue again with amber specks. Her eyes turned back to his hand when she felt his hand move from her calf. The tips of his fingers trailed up, stopping at the knee. Suddenly she noticed her yukata was more than half open. "Hentai." She screeched quickly rolling away and standing up.

He laughed from somewhere behind her.

She fixed her yukata while her back was turned to him. Of all the nerve. She felt his hands on her waist and she turned around quickly. "Now Kenshin." She began. "I don't know what kind of vacation you think this is going to be but . . . ." She trailed off as he nuzzled her neck. He pulled away and smiled at her. It took her a minute to focus. Her eyes narrowed trying to pull away. "There will be no more of that." She said.

He leaned in and she closed her eyes. So she said no more of that but she really didn't mean it. He kissed the side of her mouth and let her go. She looked at him a bit confused and a bit disappointed. "Come eat." He said.

She shivered a bit, a reaction to his voice. As the battoussai his voice seemed deeper, more commanding. She felt her eyes glazing over as she fell into a fantasy she once had about him. She never thought she'd actually meet the battoussai. Not on such terms. Still her mind must have wandered one night because she'd ended up dreaming about him. She'd been extremely flustered when she woke up. The whole week after had been hard to look at Kenshin without blushing a scarlet red.

He helped her sit when they got to the table, seeing as how she just stood there apparently lost in thought. She'd been blushing obviously remembering something that'd gone on between them. He wondered just how much stuff she hadn't said.

Her eyes looked at the food in front of her. He'd been back to town, this was restaurant food. There was so much she didn't know about him but would he ever confide in her if she asked. She didn't think so, the rurouni had been so protective. It was hard getting him to talk about the past.

She ate her meal silently. While he kept glancing up to look at her from time to time. They had spend the entire day yesterday cleaning the house. It was now spotless fit for human living. It seemed like the house had been abandoned for a long time. The moment he'd seen it had given him a feeling of familiarity. Like he'd seen it before. Maybe not this house but one that looked just like it. Hidden deep in the middle of the forest. standing tall. He half expected someone to jump out at him. There had been a face. A face he was almost sure he knew a name to. It'd been another hitokiri. This other man had come here, while he'd been in the house. He'd been defending someone from within the house. No, not just one. There had been two people. He'd stared at the house for a long while before Kaoru had regained his attention. He'd shaken off the feelings and had gone inside to help her clean.

Feelings from the past kept reemerging. Kasumi, Akane and Sakura. The three women from his past. The ones that had tried to keep him alive. The ones who'd saved him.

"Kenshin?" She noticed his mood had darkened considerably. The air around them had cooled considerably. She reached out for his hand and he snapped back into focus.

He'd forgotten about her for a moment. She looked worried. "I'm fine." He said rising to his feet.

Kaoru had a really bad feeling. Maybe leaving the dojo was a bad idea. What if he lost himself in the battoussai? What would happen . . . . "Kenshin, please. I was hoping we could go shopping today?" She didn't really want to go shopping. But this was maybe he'd feel obligated to go and she'd keep and eye on him. It was stupid of her to think that she could rest now that they were here, together.

He turned to look at her. Maybe he should stay. Her presence offered comfort. He seemed to forget everything when he was close enough to touch her. His dark thoughts trailed off just looking at her. She wanted to go shopping during the day. He shook his head, things were different now. Of course she'd be safe during the day.

She watched him shake his head and felt her heart shrink just a little. "Alright I understand if you don't want to go." She said lowering her gaze. Shopping had always been fun with Kenshin but this wasn't . . .

"I didn't say no." He told her. He watched how she turned hopeful eyes to him. There was something about her eyes. It tugged at something in the back of his head. Something he couldn't remember. But was at a loss at what it could be.

"Can we go, then?" She asked.

He nodded and she almost ran at him. She restrained herself however. "Alright. I'll change and then we can go." She gave him a large smile and rushed back into their room. She put on the first thing she pulled out. A lavender kimono with a deep wine obi. She had bought it thinking of him once. She ran all the way back to the hall and slowed her pace just as she entered the room. His form stood in front of the door looking out. She walked to his side and waited for his acknowledgment.

He spared her a look. She looked beautiful. He stepped outside and together they headed back to town. They were both quite as they walked.

She started the walk a couple of feet apart but in the end she ended up less than a foot away. She really wanted to hold his hand. It was weird walking with him. She wasn't used to seen him in such dark moods. The rurouni had a tendency of hiding his real feelings. She stopped suddenly. She'd been in such a hurry she'd forgotten her money.

He glanced back to noticed she'd stopped. He walked back and touched her cheek. He liked how she felt. Her face turned up at him. She was starting to blush. "What's wrong?" He asked her. Her face turned a little brighter. "I forgot my money." She said, her voice was a bit more than a whisper. "I'll buy." The words left his mouth without thought. Her eyes were drawing him in again. We're still in the outskirts of town. he thought. He leaned in closer and kissed her. Her eyes closed and her hands clutched his gi. He felt someone coming and he drew away from her. She opened her eyes slowly. "Let's go," he said with his back to her. She stepped closer to him and together they continued their way into town.

*************

The hitokiri battoussai is for hire.

Yamagata fisted his hand around a note. Their had been rumors over the years. But this one. He had a bad feeling about this one. The note had been bought by one of his officers. There was a man, they only knew him by his nickname. Snake. He was selling information on Himura. If someone didn't shut him up, there would trouble for Himura.

*************

'Kenshin's been quiet the whole day,' she thought. She had been cooking for the last hour. Being careful in measuring all the ingredients. She had to make this meal count. She had to make an impression. The knife cut her finger again and she bit her lip. That was the sixth cut. His wife had been someone who could cook. A lady. She was not going to show him she was just a tanuki like Megumi like to call her in front of him. Her eyes teared up a bit. She had to show him. She stirred the food one last time and washed the blood of her hands again. She took the tray into the room and sat it down gently. She kept her eyes on what she was doing. She griped the towel one last time so her hands didn't bleed while she served him. She did as fast and as careful as she could. She withdrew and watched him take a bite out of the fish. She held her hands together watching him for any sign of like or disgust.

He took a bite and chewed for a moment. His eyes lifted to watch her staring at him. "It's good." He said just before his eyes fell on the small pool of blood underneath her hands. His eyes narrowed. He set his bowl to the side without looking and took hold of her hands. He turned them over and saw all the cuts. He felt anger bubble to the top. His raised his eyes to hers. She was a scarlet red. "I'm not very good with the knife." She said in embarrassment. He took the small towel she had to the side and cleaned her hands. He couldn't be angry at her for cooking for him but still. He felt the emotions swimming around. 'I never want to see her blood,' he thought. 'Never hers.' He finished cleaning them and watched as she drew back a bit. He took his seat again and started eating.

She ate quietly. To embarrassed to ask him anything. She wasn't about to tell him she couldn't cook. He'd actually compliment her cooking. So if she had to cut her hands everyday to present him a good meal than that's what she'd have to do. She nodded to no one in particular. If she could make this one fall in love with her than maybe he'd marry her. That would be a real shock to the rurouni though. She couldn't do that to him. She sighed and stirred the last couple of rice in her bowl. She couldn't trap him. That's what it'd be a trap because he'd already said no to her. She sensed him getting up and she started collecting the bowl. She might as well wash them.

It had been four days so far. She stood there scrubbing the bowls while her mind wandered. Exactly what had she wished for. She racked her brain for the exact phrase.

She had turned her face to the heavens. She'd been crying after or since he'd rejected her. She'd noted the inky blue color surrounding the moon almost like it was trying to fill it. She'd said, "I wish I could have met you then, when your mind was at ease." She had choked something else. 'I wish it were so.'

That's exactly what she'd said. That didn't give the wish a time limit. Although the word met. Doesn't that refer to a brief meeting. Because met didn't mean forever right? She scrubbed the last bowl extra hard. He couldn't get stuck this way. But what if her wish had been granted on one of those 'once in a life time' happenings. If that was the case. Then he might wander off to where he thought he could help. She wouldn't be able to stop him. But his wife might, a little voice in her head spoke. If you were his wife he wouldn't leave you. We know how he feels on that sort of commitment. It insisted. She shook her head unwilling to listen. She was not going to take advantage of the situation. No, she'd learn as much as she could about him and then when he was back to normal he'd see that there was no need to hide from her. She'd still love him. With that last thought she took the plates and put them away. She knew when she got there he'd be lying in the futon. Though it's not where he'd sleep. No he seemed to like lying down with her till she fell asleep. She made her way into the room and sure enough there he was. His arm over his forehead, shielding his eyes.

He moved his arm so he could look at her. She froze with her yukata in her hand. "Why don't you change here?" He asked her as he propped himself on his arms. She fisted her hands. She didn't want to take advantage of the situation but it seemed he had no qualms about it. She was seething inside. But it was her fault he was like this. She took calming breaths. She was twenty she could control her anger.

He watched her simply amused. He'd been lying down for the last half hour trying to figure out how intimate they were. She was getting a brilliant shade of red. Sometimes she really made him wonder. She was sputtering unable to make an excuse.

"I am not going to change here." She said trying very hard to suppress her rage.

He stayed as he was waiting.

She wondered for a brief second what he'd do if she did start to change in front of him. The rurouni of course would run away. But this one. Her narrowed eyes took in his appearance. "Turn your face." She ordered.

He turned his face just before the smile appeared. There was just some reason he found it amusing when she was angry. He was disappointed he couldn't see her. He wanted to talk this out though. She'd avoided talking about this in Tokyo and he'd left her alone on the first night here. But now. Now she was going to have to talk.

Kaoru finished changing and she made her way over to the futon. She laid down quickly and turned on her side so she wasn't facing him.

He hugged her from behind and just held her. "There are some thing I want to ask you and I need the truth."

She squeezed her eyes shut. Questions again. She didn't want to answer him. If he didn't like the answers he'd accuse her of lying. What if she said something she'd later regret. Something embarrassing. He'd always remember even if he didn't say anything.

"Why aren't we married?" He asked her from behind.

Kaoru felt the world fall from under her. Her hands become ice cold and trembled just a little. She blinked back the tears. They had no reason for being, she told herself.

"Kaoru?"

"You never asked." She told him flatly. But there was an under current to her tone. She was angry about it.

He dropped his face to her neck and she tried to get away from him. But he was stronger and held her in place. "Are you angry that we're not?"

"I don't want to talk about this. Just leave it Kenshin." She said trying to hide her face into the futon.

"Why?" He asked her.

"Because it's what you do. Let me go!. Every time I want to move on you ignore me." She turned into him instead. There were angry tears in her eyes. "I don't want to talk about this."

He moved slightly back so he could look down on her. She kind of looked like . . . . His thought trailed off. He never wanted to make that kind of comparison. For some reason the thought of her dead brought a great feeling of anguish and despair. It seemed like it could overwhelm him. "I need this." He told her. He had to understand where all the feelings sprang from. "Tell me about Jineh? "Why did he take you from me?"

She blinked at him surprised he'd changed topics. "He wanted to fight the hitokiri. I've told you before. You as the rurouni would never fight to the level he wanted. So he thought if he took me it would make you angry."

"Did it?" He inquired.

She hesitated. "Yes."

"What would you say is my greatest fear?" He watched her tremble a little before she tried to turn again. "Tell me."

Kaoru was afraid of answering him. If she lied he'd know. Though she had no real idea, she couldn't help but think about what Sano had said to her once. 'Kenshin's only real fear is of someone killing you, Jouchan. The only thing worse would be him killing you himself.' She was afraid to answer him. "Tell me." he repeated. Her mouth opened. "My . . .my death." She stuttered out.

His eyes widened. Of course. Of course it was. He kept his eyes on hers wanting them to convey the rest. Everything pointed to what he suspected but why had he hesitated then. What had kept him from asking? He hugged her again and let it drop. He held her until she fell asleep. He held her even after that. Sometime before sunrise he got up to his sitting position for some rest. He fell into a restless slumber.

Kaoru opened her eyes and found herself alone in the room again. She rose quickly wanting to know where he was. It seemed dangerous for him to be out alone. Plus it gave him too much time to think. She ran to the front door wondering which way he'd gone. She listened closely for any sign of him. In the far distant she could hear a something resembling thunder. She took off running, she had to be sure. She got there just in time to seem him slash a tree in half like it was tofu.

He look at her a bit worried. "What's wrong?" He looked behind her to see if she'd been followed. "Were you attacked? Are they at the house?" He asked ready to fight.

"No." She said drawing breath. She felt a little dumb now that she saw he was just fine. "Just worried." She mumbled out.

He had a funny feeling at the sound of that. It lightened his mood.

"I'll just go and make breakfast." She said as she turned and left. She was very aware of his gaze as she made her way back to the house.

*************

"Look that's my prize." A small, lithe man with greasy hair and small beady black eyes said stubbornly.

The taller man looked down at him. His job was to attain the information. He had half a mind to kill him. But the bastard would give him the wrong information just out of spite. He drew a pouch out of his gi and tossed it at the man. The man in turn handed him a note. "I'm not paying you for a note."

"Well that's what you're getting." He turned and walked off.

The taller man fisted his hand. He could still kill him from here. He threw one last look at the snitch before walking back. The man made his way down the alley to the main road. He wasn't to far from the main house. He looked around him from outside the gate. No one had followed him. He walked past the guard and into the inner house. The meeting was today. They should all still be here he thought. He made his way past the hall and into Kawamori's room. "Kawamori-san." He said presenting him the note.

"Kazuki." Kawamori said in a way of thanks. He took the note and read it.

The Hitokiri Battoussai is back. The Ishin Shishi have sent people to retrieve him.

Kawamori stared at his followers for a moment. The man that had almost completely destroyed the Mimawari-gumi. He was back. Still alive and a threat again if he should side with the Ishin Shishi.

"Ono, you need to find out the whereabouts of Himura battoussai. Immediately." Kawamori ordered.

The rest of his followers stared at him confused and worried. murmuring amongst themselves.

Kawamori raised his hand a gesture that brought silence. "Tonight I have received word." He paused looking around the room. He raised his voice so all the followers could here. "The battoussai and the Ishin Shishi are again a threat to us. Fate sided with him once, allowing him to survive the Bakumatsu and win glory for his group. A glory that should have been ours." Some of his men yelled in agreement. He raised his hand again. "We will once again have to fight. This time we will succeed in taking the government. Those Shinsegumi are nothing but their dogs and are of not threat to us. We are Mimawari. We fight to the last man."

Cheers erupted all around the room. About two hundred men clapped and whistled at the speech. He hadn't expected the battoussai. This would make things harder. It would mean both groups would now fear assassination not just the Ishin Shishi. The battoussai had not survived this long out of luck. It had been his skill. He'd seen him fight. His ability was unbelievable. This time he would send twenty men to kill him. He had to get him while he was still alone.

Kawamori raised his hand and they all settled down again. "Back to the business at hand. Izubuchi, Takanashi, Masashiko, Minami and Kazuki. You are the proud captains of fifty men. As I was saying earlier. We have learned of Shigeru's mistakes. We will not take Yohohama out first. We will try and bring discord to the major towns first. We will set fire to Kyoto, Tokyo, Hyogo, Osaka and Nagoya. We will leave Aizu alone in respect to Shigeru who tried to bring them down. We will attack Yokohama last. But only after the Battoussai is dead. Captains step up." He watched five men all with similar builds come to him. Theses captains were children of the original captains. Raised to hate the government and to one day over throw it. He handed each of them a piece of paper. The paper had the name of city and further instructions. He waited till they joined the line again before speaking. "You have one week. May the fates be with you." He said dismissing them. He felt cold. It meant death was near. The wolf would most likely want dibs on the Battoussai but like with any meal. First come first serve.

There you guys go. See new chapter right after the twenty third. I finished my book about six am monday morning. Very sad. But lets not talk about that let's see how you liked this chapter and please NO notes on how they're OOC. I'm not writing for the show. I'm writing them how I envision them. Let's move on.

Small Note: All right the first question might rise from when the battoussai's looking at the house in Izu. Who does he think he sees? He sees Hitokiri Gentatsu a member from the Sanba Garuso. If you've seen the movie. You will recognize names, cities and some other references. If not there are always the small notes you should be referring to.

Kasumi, Akane and Sakura. The three women from his past. The ones that had tried to keep him alive. The ones who'd saved him. That refers to the women from the Ova. They tried to keep him alive by shielding him with their bodies. I believe their murder was one of the reason's he later on goes to become an hitokiri.

Yamagata Aritomo. A friend from Kenshin's past. Now a high ranking official within the government. In Episode 3 He tries to get Kenshin to come back and work in the government but Kenshin refuses. Still the loyalty remains, he's willing to help Kenshin anyway he can. He's just waiting for Kenshin to ask. (Also in the movie.)

Did you guys recognize the snitch. He's making a killing with what he's overheard.

Lastly, the Mimawari-gumi. Again you would recognize them if you'd seen the movies. They fought against the Ishin Shishi during the Bakumatsu.

It looks like Kawamori has found followers but there's a hitch in his plans. One he hopes to eliminate real soon.

Thanks for reading. Please remember to review.