STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY:

Rurouni Kenshin does not belong to me, I just borrow them. But I Love them a lot.

So PLS dun sue me… I am just a poor 16 yrs old student.. Thanx

AUTHORS NOTES: Kon'nichiwa… O MATASESHIMASHITA!! Sequel of Assassin's of Love for all my readers ^_^ I hope all of you would like it. I would strongly recommend new readers to scan through Assassin's of Love as this would help understand this sequel better. If not... just email me at (kenshin_kaoru_4eva@hotmai.com)...and I would try my best to summarize all the important points for ya.. ^__^. I hope you would enjoy this ne.. ^__^ Domo Arigatou Gozaimasu

Battle For Love

Chapter 3: Away From Me

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Previous: --

"I need you to kill someone for me...." Kaoru's eyes' widen shockingly. Soujirou had never told her to kill... he said that she shouldn't. SO why now? Why the sudden change? Did he really crave for his revenge?

"Kojirou's dead Sensei..." Kaoru answered as she saw Soujirou shook his head. It wasn't Kojirou? Then who was he talking about? Kaoru clenched her teeth tight and fisted her hand while waiting for her opponent.

"He is the legendary Hitokiri Battousai... or should I say... Himura Kenshin."

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Hiko had bluffed Kenshin to have a private talk about how he shouldn't act that way and to keep a low profile before they could really get their hands on Kaoru's information. Kenshin gripped his katana tighter as his hopes shattered. He never argued but silently cursed for the disappearance of Kaoru.

'What is Himura Kenshin if I cannot even protect you? What is Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu if I cannot stop this from happening?' Kenshin thought hatefully. Blaming himself no less. He sat on the blood-soaked carpet not bothering about the mess. He held Kaoru's white glove that was already caked with dry blood.

Megumi and Misao were not taking it lightly too. They had been crying for hours and demanding that they send out a search team to find Kaoru's whereabouts. Their tears soon dried up but inside they were grieving as well. However, after much persuasion Sanosuke and Aoshi managed to feed their beloved with some food.

But Kenshin allowed no one to trespass the room that Kaoru once was. Cold biting wind flew through the shattered glass; however, Kenshin took no notion of it. His eyes and senses were set far away, hoping to pick up Kaoru's ki.

"That's it I had enough from Kenshin!" Sanosuke boomed and exited the room to enter the opposite room. Aoshi blocked his way instantly.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Himura isn't the same, at least not now." Aoshi discouraged his hot-headed friend. Sanosuke not heeding his advice, pushed Aoshi away and slammed open the door, ready to reprimand Kenshin.

All he got was a rammed in the ribs sending him flying out of the room and back to where he came from.

"Sanosuke!" Megumi frantically got to his side. She was about to shout at Kenshin when she saw his eyes that made her throat dry and no voice crept though.

"I warned you. I cannot guarantee that the next time isn't your head rolling on the ground." Kenshin threatened menacingly as he glared at his subordinate. The cold amber eyes penetrated through Sanosuke's skull, leaving him cursing as he would be haunted by those eyes for weeks. With that Kenshin retreated back to the room silently and closed his door.

"Damn... Aoshi, why didn't you stop me?"

--~~==**==~~--

 "Battousai... Kenshin. Soujirou-sensei, I do not understand. Why Kenshin? Why?" Kaoru's head started aching terribly. She took a step back.

Why? Why Kenshin? What had Kenshin done to Soujirou before?

"Why Battousai?" Kaoru croaked once more. Her mind still swimming in the region of chaos.

"Why my dear? Because Battousai killed me." Soujirou whispered as he stepped forward and caressed Kaoru's cheek. She made no movements of rejection. Kaoru looked into the light blue depths of her sensei.

"If he killed you..." Kaoru was getting confuse, even if Kenshin did killed Soujirou, why was he standing her stroking her cheek? It made no sense.

"He killed me, the old Soujirou. I'm here again to make sure he gets what he deserve." Kaoru felt anger building, what did Kenshin really do to deserve this. Could she really hurt Kenshin? That would be the last thing she hoped to do. She loved him.

"Sensei... what exactly did Battousai do?" Soujirou leaned closer to her and hugged her so he could whisper to her ears.

"He took you away from me... and it killed me."

"What?"

"He doesn't love you... he only wanted to make use of you for his revenge... his sweet revenge."

"You're lying." Kaoru struggled to get out of the embrace but it only got tighter. Unknowingly, her heart was already starting to believe and absorbed what Soujirou just told her. Tears started brimming at the corners of her eyes.

"Revenge because I accidentally took his loved ones... his family."

"No... it isn't true." The embrace got tighter.

"My poor Kaoru. Knowing that your loved one had been making use of you, it hurts doesn't it." Kaoru didn't know what to think off, Kenshin was making use of her? She hid her face in the chest of her sensei, shut her eyes tight, hoping that when she opened her eyes all was back to normal.

She was having her wedding.

Tsubame came along with her boyfriend-to-be.

But her mind keep going back to the question. Why? Why did Kenshin make use of her. He was no better than Kojirou then! Kaoru's mind jumbled over reality to virtual and back to reality only to jump back to virtual.

Tears rolled down her cheek.

"But it's alright now. You still have me and you are not wed to Battousai yet. We still can take his life. Just like the past... you and me." Kaoru didn't know it... but her world had changed course and was tilting towards Soujirou's words.

"You shall bring me back to him and you shall take his life for me..." Soujirou whispered into her ears.

"Hai... I understand." Kaoru muttered unconsciously. With that her body went limp. Both tired physically and mentally. Her body gave way. Soujirou caught her effortlessly.

"Prepare the car... we are leaving for the stage where Battousai dies." One of the subordinates went to pick up Kaoru from Soujriou and dragged her into the prepared car. Yumi strode forward. Soujirou smirked and grabbed Yumi for a steamy kiss.

"I shall destroy both Battousai and Kageyuki... at the same time."

"My... Shishio-sama, you are a genious." Yumi complimented only to be glared by... Shishio.

"I'll forgive you this time for calling who I am... but remember my dearest, its Soujirou. Seta Soujirou. The creator for shukuchi, shun ten satsu and kodachi nitou ryuu."

"Hai.. Soujirou-sama." Yumi complied.

"Kageyuki... my dear Kageyuki. Who would have known that the feared assassin had such a weak point? I shall feed the evil within you to motivate your killer instinct. And by the end of the day... you would be a better assassin then that weakling you once used to be and that weakling Battousai. You will be the perfect assassin... working for me." Sinister laughter echoed through the hall, while Yumi just smiled hugging her one and only...

Shishio-sama....

--~~==**==~~--

"Baka deshi! We might have news on where Kaoru might be kidnapped to." Hiko voice reverberated through the silent room.

"Shishou, if this is one of your stupid jokes, I prefer to stay alone." He heard arguments outside. From the voices he presumed that it was Katsura and Hiko. Kenshin gripped the hilt of the katana tighter. His blood boiled and he needed to find where was Kaoru. Just then the door sprang open by the constant kicking from the coutersy of Hiko Seijurou.

"Shishou..." Kenshin growled warningly. He didn't have time to listen to his teasing or jokes.

"Himura-san. I think the disappearance of Kaoru might link to one man." Katsura spoke seriously as he saw that he had caught Kenshin's utmost attention.

"Who?" It was more of a demand instead of a question.

"Shishio Makoto." Katsura replied, eyeing how Kenshin's breathing started to become haggard when he knew one of the suspects.

"I'm going to take him down." Kenshin announced as he stood and walked out of the room. It was then he heard a screeching of a car. He sprinted to the shattered window and saw a black limo at the doorstep of the mansion. A man slightly taller than him stepped out with a bundle in his hands. Kenshin squinted his eyes to have a closer look. Instantly after recognizing who it was, Kenshin widened his amber eyes.

"Kaoru!"

Without hesitation, Kenshin ran out of the door and jumped down the stairs to the first floor. He wanted to waste no time seeing her. He wanted to hold her; he wanted to feel her skin under his calloused hands. He wanted the most was to see if she was all right. Soon, the entrance was insight. He could see the butler opening the door for the man who was carrying his beloved.

"Kaoru!" Kenshin grabbed Kaoru from the stranger and cradled her limp body in his arms. He glared fiercely at the stranger who had brought Kaoru back. Soon the others finally came and surrounded round Kenshin to see whether Kaoru was fine. Kenshin snapped his head to Kaoru all of sudden as Kaoru fluttered her eyelids.

She was awake.

Her blue eyes seemed to lit at the sight of him, however the fire died and some sort of emotions took over that made Kaoru's eyes hollow. They just weren't the same anymore.

Instantaneously, Kaoru pushed away from Kenshin to escape from his embrace. Kenshin slipped his hands and Kaoru quickly ran to the stranger who wrapped his hands around Kaoru's shoulder as if calming her down.

"Kaoru?" Kenshin queried. Not understanding the situation.

"Don't come near me." Kaoru declared as she averted his gaze while she hid behind the stranger's back. Kenshin didn't know what to do. His mind couldn't register anything anymore, after what Kaoru had said.

Why was she running away to another man's arm?

Why was she even escaping from him as if he was some sort of monster?

Why?

Why was she running away... away from him?

TBC

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Author's Notes:

Kon'nichiwa minna sama…

Do R&R… Arigatou Gozaimasu…

Suggestions are welcome….

Minna sama! How's the chappie 3?? HAI~! I think now part of the mystery is revealed *sinister laughter* hehe~!! OK!! Enough of my blabber. Sorry that this took long... but i had to manage with my work (-_-) haix... anywae... hope you enjoy this chappie and like it too! Remember to R&R ne~!!

Thank you to those who reviewed Battle For Love... gomen ne~ i took so long. I would thank you all in the next chappie ne~!! ^__^x RnR nE~

Review and make Kamimura Kaoru-chan HAPPY!! ^_^