Author's Note: Okay now I got four stories to manage and I don't think any of them are coming to an end soon, so I don't have much time to write so just go along with my weirdness in this one okay? Sorry if it's not good quality. I'll try harder.
So no one is confused, Kenshin had TWO lovers at different times. One was Enishi's sister in the past, and the other was Tomoe from a few years back before all of this happened. I just wanted to clear that out first.
Thanks for the reviews and I do hope that you all keep reviewing. ^_^
On with the fic.
Chapter Eleven: To Live
"Life exists to die,
Yet it is afraid of death."-Unknown.
Or so they say. Some are willing to throw it all away in a heart beat, for their country, motivation, ideals, and loved ones. Is it really life that's afraid, or the holder of it?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kirei stood there and looked into his red flames as his sword came down.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The sword came down on Kirei and struck her left shoulder, she didn't move, as time seemed to stand still for them.
Battousai threw the sword to the left as it landed with a clang on the floor. His eyes were covered by his bangs, as he stood before her, unsure of what he just did.
Kirei lifted her right hand as blood trickled down her right shoulder.
"You shouldn't punish yourself for something that wasn't all your fault. Time mend wounds, but you're going to have to let it," said Kirei in a soft voice as she caressed his left cheek with the back of her hand.
He looked into her eyes like a lost child as his eyes turned into a swirl of amber and red, yet there was yet a different color underneath it all.
"You're not alone in this world. No one is," said Kirei with a weak smile.
Kenshin smiled weakly at her.
Kirei suddenly fainted, but before she fell Kenshin caught her.
He realized that the wound had caused her to lose a lot of blood. Taking off his outer jacket he wrapped it around her left shoulder and hoped that it would stall the amount of blood being released.
Picking her up, he rushed down the stairs and into their apartment.
"What the hell? What'd you do?" Asked Takasugi as Kenshin laid her on the sofa and Enishi seeing the situation called Megumi over.
"We told you to go easy on her," said Sanosuke angrily.
Kenshin closed his eyes; he wasn't all that sure what he had done either.
"What happened?" Asked Sano as he grabbed his fellow assassin's arms and made Kenshin look at him.
He backed up when he saw Kenshin's eyes. Something wasn't right when Kenshin's eye color changed.
"Megumi's on her way. She said to clean the wound with a towel and hot water. Takasugi, get a towel for her head. Sano, you get the water. Kenshin do you think you can take her clothes off and clean the wound as I try and find her medicine from the government. Megumi said that it would be best to change her back to Kaoru," said Enishi as he left to get the pills.
They all did as they were told quickly.
Not wanting to expose Kaoru to the world, he only tore off her left shoulder area as Takasugi ran over with towel and Sano with the water. He delicately dapped the wound and forced himself to continue when he saw Kirei's pained expression.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Soujiro and Misao walked around the street for the fifth time that night, yet there was still no movement or sign of Kaoru.
"We haven't seen any sign of movement for last three hours. Where are those stupid Bafuko any ways?" Asked Misao as she leaned on the rail of a bridge.
"Well we can't really expect them to just show themselves to us," said Soujiro leaning on his elbows so he faced her.
"I just hope that she's all right," said Misao as she looked at the night sky.
"I know she's all right. Otherwise we'd have gotten information on a killer on the loose," said Soujiro grimly.
"You can't see the stars in the city like out here. It's no wonder they call this Midnight Street," said Misao as she looked at the winking stars. She didn't want to think about what would have happened if Kaoru didn't get her pills.
"Kaoru always loved going on the roof of the mansion and looking at the stars with Aoshi and me when we were little. I wonder if Okina's all right," said Soujiro looking out into the stars.
"Is that what you guys were doing when I was stuck doing chores for Master Okina?" Asked Misao.
Soujiro had on a guilty face and nodded.
"That's okay. I think Master Okina is doing fine in Kyoto. I've heard that he opened a dojo there, and had adopted two of the cutest girls you can ever see," said Misao smiling to him.
"Well they can't be the cutest," said Soujiro looking away.
"Why not?" Asked Misao as she cocked her head at him.
"Because I'm staring at one of them," said Soujiro with a grin.
Misao blushed and looked away.
They stayed in an awkward silence for a while until Soujiro broke it.
"I think we should call it a night. Aoshi will be worried," said Soujiro as he stood up straight.
Misao nodded and they walked back to the mansion.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"She should be all right soon," said Megumi as she sat up form the sleeping girl. They had decided that it would be best if Megumi changed her.
"So she'll wake up as Kaoru?" Asked Takasugi.
"Yes. She'll remember what happened these few days. I think that it would be best if you stopped the lessons for a while," said Megumi as she put away all of her materials.
"What about the tests you took?" Asked Enishi from his leaning position by the fire place mantle.
"The tests were just like what Kaoru said. Apart from the toxin in the DNA, it's all the same. Kirei is more golden in color, which is rare because of the toxics in her body, Kanna has the same thing, but she has less of it. Kaoru has the least.
"You should give her the pills once a day from now on. I think that those pills actually give her, as in Kaoru, he strength back. It doesn't effect the other two; it just blocks them," said Megumi as she stood.
They all nodded. Sano opened the door for her to leave.
Takasugi stayed on the stool; Kenshin sat down on his armchair, which was next to where Kaoru's head was. Enishi walked into the kitchen and made coffee for the group.
Sano locked the door and walked over to Kenshin.
"So what happened up there?" Asked Sanosuke as he sat on the top of the couch where Kaoru was.
"I attacked and she didn't block. Before I could stop myself, I had already attacked her," said Kenshin as he closed his eyes.
"Well you should learn that not all people are as good as you are," said Sano angrily, he felt like an older brother to Kaoru and that she his little sister. He didn't want to see her hurt in any way.
Kenshin's eyes were shadowed by his bangs with his head bent.
"I'm sure that when you do your crazy foutaiko what you call it, you can't stop the attack either. Kenshin's attacks are more powerful, so therefore it was a mistake," pointed out Takasugi.
"You probably couldn't stop any of my attacks either," said Sano.
"Your play punches are nothing," said Takasugi calmly.
"Why you..." began Sanosuke as he stood up angrily.
"Shut up," said Enishi as he saw Kaoru stir in her slumber
Kenshin looked up at her face as she slowly opened her eyes.
Lazy sapphire eyes met guarded golden ones and frowned.
"What's up Missy?" Asked Sanosuke as he looked down at her.
Kaoru wasn't looking at Sano; she was looking at Kenshin. She hadn't realized that he had such a deadly past, it made her want to rethink about becoming an assassin like her cousins. Tears filled her eyes as she remembered the images that Kanna had seen.
"Why are you crying?" Asked Sano as he kicked his legs over and landed on the armrest just above her head, making Kenshin back up into his chair.
Kaoru wiped the tears out of her eyes with her right hand and shook her head.
"I just need pain killers," lied Kaoru as Sano helped her sit up.
"I think I have some in my room," said Takasugi as he stood up.
His comrades gave him quizzical looks.
"Hey! I'm human and get hurt too you know," said Takasugi as he went into his room.
Kaoru fell silent as she looked at the men that helped her other sides. She found new respect for them, and knew that even if they were known as cold men they had a true heart.
Her eyes fell on the silent red headed assassin just a seat away from her. She wanted to just hug him and help him get rid of the pain. Tears fell for him, she didn't know why, but they were for him. They were the tears that he couldn't shed because that would mean weakness. She would do it for him.
"It must really hurt," said Sano as he wiped her tears away with a towel on the table.
"I got it," said Takasugi as he threw Sano the bottle.
"Here you go. Now it won't hurt as much," said Sanosuke as he opened the bottle and gave her one.
Kaoru drank the pill as Enishi gave her a glass of water to down it with.
"I need to take a shower," said Kenshin as he stood up; refusing to look at Kaoru.
"Well it is pretty dark. Why don't you go to bed Kaoru?" suggested Takasugi.
Kaoru nodded and stood up. She cringed as pain swiped over her from her left shoulder; she clutched the pained area with her right hand.
"Painkillers take a while to work. Want help?" asked Sanosuke standing to help her.
Kaoru shook her head.
"It's working now," said Kaoru with a smile.
"If you say so," said Sano as he sat down but worry still crossed his face.
Kaoru walked back to Kenshin's room slowly.
Then the phone rang.
"Hello?" answered Enishi.
He paled when he heard the person on the other line give them orders.
"What's wrong?" asked Takasugi as he hung up.
"We're giving back Kaoru to Aoshi. Katsura ordered one of us to go with Kaoru to Midnight Street and say that the Bafuko hurt her, and we saved her. Any of us can go, as long as it isn't Takasugi. They already know about you. Soujiro and that girl are at the place now. We just need to make her seem hurt, though that might not be a problem, and look like we're worried and helping her," said Enishi with a sigh.
"We don't really have to pretend on that," said Sano.
"So which one of you is going?" asked Takasugi.
"I'll go," volunteered Sano standing.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kenshin stepped out of the bathroom in a regular black t-shirt and plain black pants; he had his hair up in a high ponytail as usual.
He saw Kaoru walking back to his room, and decided not to pay any attention to her.
Kaoru walked on and suddenly side stepped to the hallway wall. Her vision was becoming blurry as she fell to the floor.
Before she landed she felt warm comforting arms around her lithe form. She fluttered her eyes open and smile when she looked into amber eyes; then she fainted.
"Kaoru," said Kenshin.
The others raced over at hearing him.
He picked her up and was about to drop her off in his room when Enishi stepped in the way.
"I think that you should be the one to take her Midnight Street to give her back to her cousins. Katsura just called. You need to say that you found her like that, you saved her from the Bafuko, and helped her out," said Enishi seriously.
Kenshin looked back down at Kaoru. He didn't want to let her go, but he looked up at Enishi and nodded.
He placed her on the sofa as he grabbed his sword, coat, and keys. Then he grabbed a blue pill bottle so to say why Kaoru wasn't Kirei.
"Take care of her man," said Sano.
Kenshin nodded and lifted the unconscious Kaoru up and left the apartment.
Sano walked over to the kitchen and took out a beer.
"Well at least we get to see her once a week," said Takasugi.
"I say we all grew attached to her," said Enishi with a grin.
"Yeah, like a sister to all of us," said Sanosuke as he sat down at the table.
"I think that Kenshin doesn't see her like that," said Enishi.
"What do you mean?" asked Takasugi.
"He can't see her as a sister, but as a friend," said Enishi, trying to hint them on.
Takasugi just blinked at his roommate.
Sanosuke walked over and hit him upside the head. The guy couldn't get a clue unless you paid him to get it. "Kenshin likes her, you moron," said Sano.
"Oh. I knew that, I was just seeing if you two knew it too," said Takasugi calmly.
The other two just rolled their eyes.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kenshin stopped at the very end of Midnight Street and parked behind a few trees so that no one would see them when he took Kaoru out, who was still sleeping.
He looked at her as he took off her seat belt and took her out.
It's all business. Though Kenshin as he locked his car and walked over to an alley.
He carefully plopped Kaoru on the wall and disarranged her clothes a bit to show that she was attacked.
A thumb caressed the bottom of her red lips. He was so busy looking at her beautiful figure that he didn't notice the two shadows coming over.
"I knew it. That's Himura!" yelled Misao as she ran over.
Soujiro raced along with her.
Kenshin whipped his head at them and stood up to see them.
"Kaoru!" yelled Misao with joy as she rushed over to her childhood friend.
Soujiro looked at Kenshin and bowed to him.
"It's twice that you've help us," said Soujiro.
"I found her here with a group of Bafuko; though I scared them off. If I didn't find that she was injured, I would have tracked them down and killed them. I've tended to her wounds," lied Kenshin, though the last part was true.
Soujiro nodded and took off his jacket and placed it over Kaoru's sleeping form.
"Oh yeah, I found this from some bum before I got here. He told me that he found it here, and that's how I came across her. I gave her one already," said Kenshin as he gave them the bottle of pills.
"Thank you so much Himura," said Misao as she took the bottle.
"Kaoru must have taken another one and hidden it. That would explain why we haven't heard news of anything strange happening," said Soujiro.
"It's getting dark, I think I should go. Be careful when you go back," said Kenshin.
Misao and Soujiro nodded with a smile to the man and then held Kaoru up to take her home.
Kenshin looked at Kaoru one last time before vanishing into the dark.
"We'd better call Aoshi for a car. I don't think she'll last in this cold. It is fall after all," said Misao as she tried to hold up Kaoru properly.
Soujiro nodded and took out his cell phone.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Aoshi was busy doing paperwork and was sure that getting good news was out of the question. He sighed and leaned back in his chair. Just as he closed his eyes, his cell rang.
Cursing at the timing, he picked it up.
"What?" barked Aoshi angrily.
"Guess what? We got Kaoru back. It was thanks to Himura. I guess he was patrolling the area for her, and found her. I'm just mad that we weren't there to help him kill the Bafuko that had her," said Soujiro with a smile.
Aoshi smiled as he sat up straight and then became serious.
"How is she?" asked Aoshi in concern.
"Only her left shoulder, as we can see, is in pain. Looks like the Bafuko bastards were trying to torture her, but luckily Himura was there to stop them," said Soujiro.
"If they have done anything else, I swear they'll pay," said Aoshi angrily. He would not let his cousin get hurt again.
"We're going to need a car to get her back. Tell Dr. Genzai to get ready to tend to her. We're at the end of Midnight Street," said Soujiro.
"Sure. What about her pills?" asked Aoshi.
"She must have taken an extra pack and drank one each day. Himura found a bottle out here near her," said Soujiro as he twirled the bottle in his hands.
"Good," said Aoshi as he leaned back in his chair.
"See you," said Soujiro as he hung up.
"Hannya!" yelled Aoshi.
"Yes sir?" asked the Oniwanbanshu member as he walked in with a bow.
"Get a car to the end of Midnight Street and bring back my cousin," said Aoshi with a smile.
Hannya smiled under his mask and bowed before leaving to do as he was told.
Aoshi sighed and then became serious.
"Now it's your turn Shishio," said Aoshi darkly.
~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: Well that's it. I know it's short, but bare with me. I didn't have enough time, and before I knew it, it was Saturday. School has started and my parents are breathing down my neck again, so I hope that you all still like it.
I'm not all that sure if I can finish this one, but I'll try.
QUESTION: Happy ending, or sad ending? You guys choose. Though I'm swaying to a sad one. I don't know why, but I'm getting into depressing endings, maybe it's because I'm in school again. Oh whatever. Just choose okay?
PLEASE REVIEW FOR THE SAKE OF THIS STORY!