Two chapters to Drop the Bomb (I think)!! Went to Knott's Berry Farm today! It's the only one of its kind (it's an amusement park in California). I had fun going on Supreme Scream and Xcelerator! Enjoy! Oh yes, and this hotel and place they are in is modeled after a crappy hotel I stayed in in Fairbanks (I think that was the town), Washington. Of course this hotel in the story is a bit different from the one I stayed in since I thought the characters needed something… nicer…

-_-

PLEASE REVIEW!!!

Chapter 27

Decided to put sounds in * (well in this chapter anyways)

*Knock, Knock*

Kat paused in the hallway of the hotel waiting for Vash to open the door. Saku barked and Kat looked at the wolf questioningly while continuing to knock.

The door had opened with out her knowing and Vash sighed as Kat rapped his head, "It's open."  

Kat blushed with embracement and tried to cover it up with humor, "I couldn't tell. You're head sounds just as hollow as the cheep door."

He sighed knowingly, "Did you get the ice?"

Kat handed him the bucket, "You're welcome."

"Uh thanks," Vash said.

Saku jumped on to the couch next to Kurama who sat there in fox form channel surfing. Vash put the bucket of ice on the one lone table in the room while Kat attempted to open the window.

Vash was watching her from the corner of his eye so he came over to help, "Here."

There was a click as Vash unlocked the window.

Kat slid it open and hid her rending face from him, "Thanks."

When the blush subsided she stuck her head out the window and sucked in a breath. It came out in a puff since it was still cold but at least it had stopped snowing. The street below was deserted as were the surrounding shops. Lights of an empty dance studio flickered on and Kat wondered who had turned them on when it was obvious that no one was up this late…or early as you might call it.

"You might want to close that," Vash suggested when a cold breeze swept in.

Kat pulled her head in and shut the window, "Want to go outside?" Vash frowned at her. "Oh come on!" Kat urged. Vash shrugged and grabbed his new fluffy jacket. "Nice jacket," Kat laughed.

It reminded her of the puffy pink one Spike wore in Jupiter Jazz. Kat grabbed her coat and walked out to the hall with Vash at her heels. The door shut behind them and Kat asked, "You have the key right?" Vash smiled sheepishly. "RIGHT?" Kat almost yelled.

Vash made a calming gesture, "No need to worry!" He turned around and slipped the spikes out of the door hinges. Then set the door aside.

Kat muttered, "They paid for the tickets and I'm grateful for that but you'd think they'd at least be able to snag a better room." Vash came back a few moments later with the key and they headed to the stairs. "You'd think they'd have an elevator but no! What kind of hotel uses stairs for transport?!" she grumbled. Kat didn't complain often but she had a right to, after all, they were on the fifteenth floor. They finally reached the lobby where Kat was startled by the clock that chimed three o'clock in the morning.

Vash opened the door for her and Kat was hit with a cold blast of air, "Gee thanks." Kat's boots crunched in the snow as she walked out into the center of the street. No cars came up the road of the small street one of the reasons being that it hadn't been plowed yet.

Her gaze landed on Vash who was staring at the snow like it was some kind of magical being. Kat knew it was only his second time seeing it but he hadn't been freaked out when he had first seen it with her. She laughed at the way he stared at it like it would bite him. An evil thought ran through her head and Kat grinned.

Vash was still staring at the snow when Kat threw her snowball. It flew straight for him but he absently dodged it. Kat stared at him stunned before he snapped out of his trance and yelled, "SCARY!"

Kat sweat dropped as Vash took off running. She eventually got over the shock and balled up another snowball. Vash dodged it and Kat began to throw them as fast as she could make them. Each one missed its target until Kat stopped throwing them. She panted heavily and made it look like she was tired.

Vash grinned at her and laughed, "You mi-" a snowball hit him in the face, "ssed." He stood there cringing inwardly before he was sure the snow was harmless. He wiped it away acting angry. Kat saw his expression and knew he was joking. He reached down to ball up some snow when Kat hit him again.

"You didn't…but I," he stammered.

Kat stood there watching him with mild interest. He growled and attempted to make his first snowball again when he was hit by yet another snowball. When he looked up Kat was whistling innocently.

He growled again and quickly balled up some snow. He was about to throw it when he was hit in the face again. The pathetic snowball dropped from his hand and he wiped the snow from his face. Kat couldn't contain herself and she burst out laughing. She was silenced when she got a mouthful of snow.

She looked up at Vash who was whistling innocently.

"Oh bite me," Kat muttered, "You want a war you got one!" She chucked another ball of snow at Vash and he dodged it. Kat took off and hid behind a car to use as her shield.

"No fair!" Vash yelled.

Kat had taken the only object near by that would serve as a good shield. She began to throw snowballs again and Vash took off for the only cover he could find…an empty trashcan.

Kat roared with laughter as he dived into the can and pulled the lid on after him. The snowballs she had created pummeled the trashcan until it tipped over. Kat was still laughing as the can began to roll. She wasn't concentrating on the direction of the can so she was surprised to hear a loud crash.

She ran over to see the can that Vash was in had rolled down some stairs. Kat panicked and ran down the steps slipping slightly. She reached the can and ripped the dented lid off. Kat peered inside but Vash wasn't in it.

Kat blinked in confusion before a cough came form behind her. She whirled around to find Vash standing there with an amused expression.

"I thought you were dead!" Kat ran up to him and hugged him. She wasn't pleased to feel Vash shake with laughter. She growled and released him, "You have to the count of three…to get as far away from here as possible. One… Two… Three!" Vash freaked and took off.

Kat scrambled after him scooping up snow as she went along. He crossed the street and ended up trapped in front of the dance studio. Kat grinned evilly. His eyes grew large and he leaned against the door of the dance studio. Kat hurled her snowball at him and it just managed to miss his head. It collided with the door behind him causing it to swing open. Vash tumbled through the doorway bringing a mountain of snow behind him.

Kat forgot about their war and stepped on Vash as she entered the studio. He attempted to look up her dress before he forgot that she wasn't wearing one. His actions didn't go unnoticed and he received a blow to the head.

Kat smiled as memories came back to her. She shed her jacket and shoes before beginning to stretch. Vash watched from the floor curious as to what she was doing. He stood up and shut the door behind him.

Kat stood up from doing the splits and continued to see what she was capable of. A two minute hand stand was followed by a few no-handed cartwheels and some back flips.

"What are you, a rubber band?" Vash asked.

Kat paused a moment, "My mom made me do ballet when I was young and I also used to be a cheerleader." She walked around on her hands showing off a bit, "Never fit in though. I was never beautiful enough as a child to do ballet and I was too smart to be a cheerleader." There was a long pause before she continued, "I never really wanted to do either sport but I stuck with them so I could get away from my foster parents. I was abused by them and the only way to get away was by doing sports. My real mom agreed to pay for the fees. The reason I never moved to a different family or back to my own was because no one ever believed me when I told them I was abused. The cuts would somehow manage to heal and the bruises would fade so no one ever believed me. I kept straight A's and studied all night as an excuse to get away. I once called the police and I've tried abuse lines but all the evidence was covered and the more I tried the less people believed me. I eventually ran away to live with my aunt and my father eventually sorted the divorce, the cause for my ruined life, but I was never really able to forgive him. Tanya, Jasmine and Vix are the only ones who I've ever told."

She paused as she tried to suppress a sob, "Not even Kenshin knew about my past. And although most of my scars have healed, the ones in my heart still bleed the most."

Vash caused her to stop when he pulled her into a tight embrace but Kat had more to tell him.

"T-that's n-not all," she stuttered. "When I moved to my Aunt's house my foster parents came to find me. They eventually did and…a-and they tried to beat me…they yelled at me. Told me how worthless I was and that I was nothing but a burden. I tried to fight back but I was mocked. My foster father even handed me a loaded gun saying that I was too chicken to use it. They continued to mock me and when my uncle picked up my mother's candlestick, the only other gift she had ever given to me… I…I…" Kat stopped as she broke down sobbing.

Vash continued to comfort her but he knew that she wanted to continue.

Kat stopped sobbing long enough to finish her story, "…I…I couldn't take it. It was the only gift my mother had ever given me. It was the only thing that linked me to her. They had burned all my photos of her and threw out everything else that even remotely reminded me of her. So when he picked up the candlestick…I snapped."

Vash stiffened and he knew what was coming next.

"I picked up the gun they had handed me. Everything told me not to do it but it was as if my fingers had a mind of their own. I knew it was wrong but it felt so right. I'd be free of problems if they were gone right? Nothing but revenge was running through my head. So I did what most people would do… I pulled the trigger…."

(A/N: So tired… *yawns* I'll post up to the chapter before Drop the Bomb tonight and then on my one year anniversary (the 8th) I'll post the chapter that turns this story upside-down!!! PLEASE REVIEW!!!)