Chapter 12

Disclaimer- Standard disclaimer applies, me too lazzzzy!

A.N- Yeehaha! Okay so here I am again on chapter twelve, This chapter promises to be good! (I hope) Wink wink! And to some of the complaints I've been receiving Do Not Fear! This chapter is chalk full of KxK and AxM (my personal fav) Oh kay now on with the show!

~*~*~ What a rush! The giddy and adrenaline high girls jumped into the backstage area each trying to muffle their screams of delight.

" I wish I could do that every night!" Kaoru cried out over the wonderful chaos of backstage.

"Well judging on the reactions we received from our extraordinary performance, I say we can expect more of that!" Kai laughed loudly, who had Misao on her back for a piggyback ride.

"Do you think they would mind if we went on again!" The carried girl asked with the glimmer of hope dressed in her eye, "Did you hear the awesome beat I had going on?" And started to recreate it on Kai's head, Kai responded in irritation by dropping the little weasel right on the floor.

"Itai. " They both muttered, one rubbing her head and the other rubbing her rear.

"Well that's what you get for being an Itachi and for carrying one! Ohohohoho!" Megumi who was always a participant in mocking friends who fell on their arse, laughed loudly drunk with excitement aswell.

" Shut up foxlady! Why don't you go flirt with your chicken head boyfriend?" Misao retorted venomously.

" BOYFRIEND!?!?! HE IS NOT MY BOYFRIEND, ITACHI! And atleast I could get a man if I tried! Unlike some little weasels I know!" That definitely struck a nerve and the next thing the stunned Kaoru or Kai saw was a cloud of dust going out into the club as Misao chased down Megumi seeking vengeance for the insulting comment.

"Phew! I'm glad I didn't get dragged into that catfight!" Kaoru sighed in relief to herself. Kai instantly noticed the fidgety nature Kaoru had adopted as they made small talk. A grin grew on Kai's face,

"Kaoru go find your beautiful stranger and quit idling around your spacey sober bassist!" Kai winked as Kaoru looked at her in shock, was she that transparent, Kaoru wondered to herself.

"Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself? I don't know where Misao or Megumi went. I'd feel bad if I knew-"

"Would you just go already? Sheesh by this time Kenshin probably has some beautiful super model rubbing up against him!" Kaoru smiled warmly giving the bassist a warm hug and jetted off leaving a cloud dust in her trail. Kai was alone. Yet again.

"Ah, young love." She muttered happily to herself, she never wanted to go on that roller coaster again. She felt a stiff could breeze pass by her making the hairs on her neck stood on end. She knew somebody was there and she knew exactly who that somebody was.

"Hello, Shinomori-san."

"Hello Ryusaki-san."

~*~*~

If Kaoru had time to bite her nails in nervousness she would but there were more pressing at "hand" (A.N bad pun) One concern was on the possible theft of her very own redheaded wonder. One would think it would be an easy task to hunt out a flame red mane in a crowd, but alas no, it was not and Kaoru cursed her rotten, rotten luck. She stomped her foot in fury and frustration and then in a moment felt an arm slither around her slender waist. Kaoru jumped about a mile and turned around to see a squinty-eyed drunk with a sloshing drink in his hand.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF KAMI-SAMA DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING!?!?!" She howled in a bloody rage.

"Common' baabeeeeee jush won dansh." Kaoru began to crack her knuckles, her lecherous little grabby drunk friend was going to get a Kamiya sized helping of bottled up anger dished out to him, yes it was time to open a giant can of whoop ass. Just as she pulling back to deck him her arm was seized. Kaoru quickly swirled around the drunk still locked around her waist only to find ANOTHER squinty-eyed drunkard with a sloshing drink in his hand. The only thing different about this one was he was a bit taller.

"WHAT IN THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING!" She screamed at the drunkard who was wearing a perverted sort of smile on his ruddy face.

"How a bowt a lil bump n grine jush you n mee baaaabeeee." Now Kaoru was pissed! And about to dish out an extra serving of Kamiya whoop ass, unfortunately her mobility wasn't the greatest now that she had two men hanging off her. The drunk wrapped around her waist yanked violently letting the arm the drunkard was holding on twist in its socket.

"Get Losht buckoooo! She's mines I shaw her firsh!" He stated getting ready to duke it out for Alpha male with Kaoru stuck in the middle. Then there was another violent yank once again making shoulder scream in pain as she flew towards the drunkard holding her arm.

"I dun tink sho! Sheesh mine!" And so the tug a war began, it was an interesting show to watch as both discarded their drinks, trying to get the girl to rip into two equal shares and the girl try to deck both and kick with both arms and one legged pinned. 'GO FOR THE GROIN!' Kaoru's mind cried out frantically as she kicked into empty space. What she would give for a shinai right now! The fight for Kaoru seemed like a never end power struggle until a third party entered.

"Eckhem." A voice interrupted the drunken slurs, arguments and "GET THE HELL OFF A ME"s and the drunk, the drunkard and the Tanuki halted their thrashing.

"Wut tuh hell du you want ?!?!" Demanded the drunkard chained to Kaoru's arm.

"YUH!" The drunk gripping Kaoru's waist cried.

" I believe the girl would prefer to be let go of by both of you." Kaoru recognized that voice! She couldn't see account of the drunkard's big chest was blocking her view, but she still knew that voice anywhere. It was her knight in shinning armor, it was.

"KENSHIN!" Cried Kaoru brimming with relief.

" En wut are you goen to do if we dunt let er go, lil maaaaan?" The drunk taunted. Kaoru had to admit he was right, even though Kenshin was sweet trying to save her all, he was still a pretty small guy and up against two burly drunks.

"I won't ask again, de gozaru. Let Kaoru-dono go." Kenshin's voice sounded very menacing. The drunk spoke up again.

"HA! Wut could a lil twerppppp-" Before the drunk could finish his sentence, Kaoru was safely in Kenshin's strong arms and the drunk was eating the floor with the drunkard. Kaoru looked at Kenshin's instantaneous handy work as he pulled her out the door and all she could muster to vocalize her awe was,

"Whoa"

~*~*~

"Well, well! What luck you actually did get Hannya's message." Kai gave a warm smile coldly. Aoshi hated that. He also hated the fact that she knew whenever he was around. He hated the fact that she had his bestfriend's home phone number. He hated the fact that she knew Misao better than he did and he hated the fact that she could see right through him. Kai had the marvelous talent of being able to hit a nerve with Aoshi, because she knew what he was in denial about,ever since Misao had come home from that vacation with Kai to Caribbean for spring break when she was sixteen. Shinomori Aoshi was in love Makimachi Misao and Kai knew it. And Kai always enjoyed reminding him that every time they met, even though he was still in deep, deep denial about it. So much so that he didn't even know himself.

"." Was the only reply Aoshi could muster at the time.

"Still as talkative as always I see. So are you going to make sure Misao doesn't get blasted out of her mind with booze and kidnapped by some sex crazed maniac or do I have I tell her I saw you here and spend the rest of the night listening to her gripe and cry about you?" There was a moment of absolute still as the stare down went on and then Aoshi quickly walked out into the club. Kai glowed with pride. 'My work here is done.' She thought, and grabbed her bass and made her way to the nearest exit.

~*~*~ Kaoru was still being lead by her good arm her, the other one was in a lot of pain. Where was he taking her? She wondered not really caring all that much. They strolled up to a sleek blue BMW, the type James Bond would drive. 'Sexy' She thought scandalously to herself as Kenshin turned of the alarm with his keychain. He quickly opened the passenger side door and gently guided Kaoru into her seat as if she was fine china. As he closed the door she caught a glimpse of the eyes under the red fringe and could of swear they were a glowing Amber. 'How strange'

Kenshin quickly sat down at the wheel and looked at her with his once again warm violet eyes,

"Are you alright Kaoru-dono?" There was still some flecks of amber blazing as he scanned her for "injuries", but there was something rather suggestive the way her looked at her. Kaoru could sworn he was checking her out, but the negative doubtful part of her mind told her otherwise, 'Why would he check out a little Tanuki like you?' It did have a point.

"Yeah I'm fine. I'm just disappointed with myself that I couldn't handle two measly drunks." Kenshin looked a little shocked at her statement and made his trade mark "Oro" in response. She giggled lightly and got a very soft stare from Kenshin, his eyes almost a fuzzy lilac. He had the most wonderful eyes, she thought dreamily. But all to soon he quickly snapped out of his trance like state and said,

"Why don't we go get some coffee?" He gave a big Kenshin sized grin.

" That is something I can do." Kaoru smiled in response. And with that the car started and the two sped off not really sure of what just happened.

~*~*~ Misao was definitely into her cups. There was about 5 different stages of drunk Misaos, the first being Professor Misao, where she generously shares her vast knowledge and experience to anyone and everyone. Next there was flirty Misao where shares her vast love and affection to anyone and everyone. Then there was depressed Misao where she shares her melancholy and heartbreak to anyone and everyone. This is the stage Aoshi came upon Misao at. It was a sorry sight indeed. There was red-faced Misao banging her head on the bar top.

"Why are you doing that to your head?" Inquired Aoshi gently.

"Because yet again, I have been abandoned by my comrades to rot at this bar stool because I am a drunken fool!" She whined miserably. She had a tendency to get very over dramatic in this stage.

"." Aoshi made no reply intrigued to where she was going to take this rant.

"Everybody abandons me eventually! First my parents, of course that wasn't their fault that they died, but that's not the point. The point is - what is my point? Oh yeah my point is that nobody likes me! Everybody hates me! Going to eat the garden to eat worms! Hehehe I love that song. But that's not my point."

"Then what is your point?" Aoshi raised a slender brow.

"My point is. My point is. OH WHO AM I KIDDING I'M NOT SMART ENOUGH TO MAKE A POINT!" And with that the rather sad drunk that was Misao began to bang her head against the bar. 'At this rate she's going to get a concussion' Aoshi thought with exasperation.

"Misao stop that." She stopped immediately at the commanding tone then limply rolled her head in its direction.

"AOSHI-SAMA YOU CAME!" And quickly glomped onto the ice-man. Here we observe faze 4 of a drunk Misao: Super Happy Hyper Jumpy Misao! Sharing her joy and enthusiasm to anybody and everybody. Aoshi managed to get the mercurial girl off of him but getting her to stand up was a whole separate battle. The girl was like canned cranberry sauce. Wobbling all over the place.

"Hey Aoshi-sama can you tell them to make the room stop spinning." She laughed with a hiccup. Another exasperated sigh exited Aoshi,

"Alright Misao, I think you've had enough, lets get you home."

"Ooo! You haven't seen my new apartment have you its really cool, itgotthesehighceilingsandtherearesomanyroomsverychicithinkyou'dlikeit." She rambled at this incoherently fast pace about this and that as Aoshi was forced to take a scene from "The bodyguard" and actually pick Misao up bride style and make his way out of the rather cramped club.

It was a struggle as Misao wiggled around in his arms trying to get loose to run and play as she pleaded with him to let her do. He gently sat her down in his spic and span car praying to all spirits above that she didn't throw up all over it.

"Now Misao, I'm going to drive you home, but you have to tell me where your apartment is. Can you do that for me Misao?" She nodded enthusiastically in response. Good, he was making progress

"Now Misao, can you tell me where exactly you live." To that he got an enthusiastic shake of her head in No.

"Why not?" A huge grin spread to her face and she merely said,

"I forgot." Now Aoshi was in real trouble, because the only solution he saw plausible was taking Misao to his apartment. Which would be something indeed. Aoshi sighed reluctantly 'The things I do for you Misao.'

The golden glow of streetlights rolled through to car and Misao seemed to have calmed down, her eyes were half open staring lazily out the front window. Aoshi watched the light flash over her face. Even tanked as she was, she was still adorable. A half smile found its way to Aoshi's face as he observed her. The car quietly came to halt in Aoshi's designated parking space, and he was pretty sure Misao had fallen asleep. As he delicately picked her up into his arms he felt his shirt seized in two small fists and a pair of bluey green eyes flash open.

"NEVER LET ME DRINK AGAIN!" She yelled into his face.

And we observe the 5th and final state of a drunken Misao, The vengeful Misao, where Misao shares her fury and wrath to anyone and everyone in the area and fortunately or unfortunately Aoshi was the only one around at the time to experience it.

TBC

~*~*~ So I'm going to leave it here! Phew that was a real easy one I think. Good ol' fashion fun and drunken foolery! Okay Kaoru was a tinsy bit OOC because the Kaoru we know and love would have taken those guys down! But where would be the darling Kodak moment® without a little OOCness. Next Chapters! Dealing with an Angry drunk of a weasel, Coffee between Kenshin and Kaoru, and in the farther future Sano's birthday which I have a hilarious idea for!

So feel free to give me your input because your input equals my inspiration!

Review! It's good for your Karma! Thanx

Til' Next Time!