Title: Locked

Author: Ty

Disclaimer:  I do not and have never owned Rurouni Kenshin.  If I did, it wouldn't be half as interesting as it is now.  Believe me.

Author's Note:  This is just something that poured out of me.  I have no idea where it came from, but here it is.  This is my first RK fic, but don't let that stop you from flaming me mercilessly. 

Time frame:  There is no specific time frame.  You can slip it in whenever you want.  I can see it slipping in either after the Shishio incident or the Enishi fiasco.  You be the judge.

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Locked

            She trained.

She could feel his eyes on her and briefly considered stopping.  No, better let him watch; let him know that this was her only outlet.  This was her only hope at grasping her remaining sanity before she—

Before she what?  Screamed?  Cried?  Ran to him and shook him, trying to convey to him the weight of her emotions?  The agony of—

No.  She would not think it—could not think it.  She had suffered this…feeling—this pain—long before even she was aware of it.  But now she was aware.

So she trained.

She trained until her muscles screamed and her heart cried out in pure agony, pleading with her to stop the madness. 

But she could not stop.  This was her problem from the start.  No matter what she did she just could not stop the torrent of emotions that flew through her when she saw his anguished eyes, his tortured soul.

This…this searing, screaming rampage that tore through her as she heard him cry out in his sleep.  The pain she felt radiating from his room during the dark of night.  They could not be stopped.  At least—not by herself.

No!  He must never know, never hear how her heart rips to shreds at the mere thought of his anguish.

So she trained.

She worked her frustration, pain, rage, and Gods only know what else out in her katas.  Swinging her wooden sword with a strength even she didn't know she had.  And she hoped and prayed that one day, just one simple day, she could bring herself to demolish those barriers she put up over those lonely years.

Then maybe she could bring herself to tell Kenshin of this.  But for now, Kaoru's locked emotions would stay just that—locked.

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End Note:  There.  My nice angsty one-shot.  If you like this, then I may write a piece with Kenshin's feelings.  Should make for some interesting writing with the whole I-am-unworthy, I-did-bad-things, Let-me-go-rot-in-my-own-personal-hell-for-the-rest-of-my-life thing.  But, to know that you do like it, I have to get reviews…you know what to do.