**DISCLAIMER FOR RUROUNI KENSHIN. If anybody complains Pechan stole anything, they'll be complainin' with a black eye. Mwa ha ha haaaaaaaaaaaaa.................................. seriously, she doesn't own the Rurouni Kenshin series.

~ Take Me Home ~

Tokio once again was rudely awakened by a steam whistle. She pressed her face deeper into the nice warm pillow she had. She rubbed her eyes, and yawned, then opened them.

Figures, the comfortable thing was that irritating man.

She jumped, "PERVERT!!"

He calmly looked at her, "I hardly think minding my own business makes me a pervert, Tokio."

She huffed, hand on her heart. That was twice she woke up from sleeping on him. **GAH!! That sounded dirty!!**

She shook her head, and frowned, "Well, you could've done the gentleman thing and push me off!'

"Then people would get the wrong idea of me."

"They're already getting the wrong idea of us," she frowned, eyes glaring.

Kazumi only smiled, bouncing her awoken grandson on her lap, "A shame you two weren't awake the whole trip. I could have used a laugh."

Tokio sighed, "Great, now my life is a sit com. (YES, those weren't invented yet but.................yeah.)

Goro picked up his hat, and placed it on his head as people began to stand up. They started filing out, and Kazumi sighed, "Well, it's a good thing she didn't snore too loudly. Otherwise, poor little Kazuya would've woken up all the time!"

Tokio felt a cloud over her head.

"Oh, don't take it so seriously, dear, I'm only teasing." She stood up, cradling Kazuya in one arm. She bowed, "It was nice meeting you."

Goro nodded, and Tokio stood, bowing, "You too!! And bye, Kazuya!!"

Kazuya giggled a small bubble of spit on the side of his mouth. He waved his arms, kicking a bit, and Tokio squealed, "Heeyyyyyy, he said bye!!"

"Sounded more like gibberish," Goro mumbled so she could hear.

A temple popped on her head, "Don't start with me!!"

Kazumi chuckled again, and shuffled out with the rest of the people, "how cute they are............."

Tokio fell over, "I need to get away from you.................."

Goro stood, fixing his hat, "You're the one that insists on following me-"

She jumped up, walking behind him. She clasped her hands behind her back, and leaned over, twisting her head up to look at him, "I know it's bad to bring this up but uhhh....................... the whole trip was free, right?"

"For now."

She frowned, "I have no money, you know."

"Whatever little money you have will be fine."

She raised a fist at him, as he walked out of the train. She growled, "One of these days you'll be off your guard, then it's the horse pistol for you!!"

"Thank you; I've never been compared to a horse."

"How 'bout a jack @$$?"

He smirked, glancing at her, "Several convicts have called me that."

She giggled, and they got their bags. Of course, he offered to carry them for her, and she politely accepted. Well, it was more like, "Yeah, you better carry them."

He sighed, "And she wonders why she's so lonely-"

"I'm not lonely!! I love the life I have!! I'm free as a bird."

"Birds get eaten a lot."

She pouted, "Stop crashing everything I say!!"

"As you wish," he smirked.

They left the train station, and passed through the small section of foreign goods. No doubt she'd want to make a stop and the candy store. And sure enough, she stopped for a window. Not the candy one, though.

"There it is," she sighed, "It's still here. Must be because it costs so much."

"Or that not many people wear rings."

She frowned, "Why wouldn't anyone want it?"

"A wedding doesn't require a ring."

"It is too important!! Why would the rest of the world do it?"

He shrugged, "Everyone thought the world was round, too."

"Ahhhh, shut up." She turned back to the diamond laced with gold into a circle, and she sighed, "It's so beautiful. And they said when somebody gives it to someone it swears eternal love. And diamond is harder than most metals, they last forever. So that even when you're dead and decayed, it still shines as beautiful as the day she got it, the day they began their love. Your love goes on forever inside that shiny little rock."

"Is someone trying to imply something?"

She pouted at him, then walked away from the glass, "I'm just saying why it means a lot to most people. It's not just some piece of jewelry I can stick in my hair whenever I want. I would have to wear it constantly. It shows my affection that person has for me."

"Sounds more like a private property label."

She jumped up to bop his head, but he was too tall, "Let me dream for a second, okay?"

"Whatever you say," he said, smirking. He looked down at her, "When is your birthday?"

"Why do you wanna know?"

"You asked me first."

"But you don't care."

He shrugged, "You're right, I don't."

She sighed, "November third. I was born in the fall." She smiled, and said, "I wear a dark orange kimono on my birthday. Burnt orange, the lady at the store said. And a burgundy obi (sash, belt, whatever), with gold thread. The kimono has blood red sakura petals on the bottom, and ebony trees at the hems. The big bow at the back, it's really pretty. It's all gold and scarlet. My birthday kimono's the best."

"It sounds beautiful enough. You wear it ever year?"

"Yep. And I wear it no other day. I also have a hair pin that goes with it, but I only wear it on that day too."

She didn't say it was a stupid, yellow plastic hairpin that had a chip at the end of the plastic red ruby at the tip. It was her first hairpin from her mother. And she only wore it that day. Besides, it was ugly. But she couldn't bring herself to throw it away.

She smiled, "Are you going to get me something for my birthday?"

"Probably not. I'm working that day."

She nearly fell over, and frowned, "then why'd you get me all worked up over it?"

"You asked me first," he shrugged.

She raised her finger to yell at him, and she noticed her favorite store in the whole wide world, "WAAAIII!!! Goro, Goro!! Can I have some money!!"

"I noticed you only call me by my first name when you want something that badly-"

She pouted, sticking out her bottom lip, "Pleeeaaaasssseee? I'll be nicer to you, I swear!!"

He pulled out his wallet, "Empty promise."

She snatched it, sticking out her tongue, "Only because you don't deserve my kindness!!"

He smirked, as she ran in the candy shop like a child. "Not worthy of you, eh?" he whispered.

She skipped out, sucking on a green roripoppu. "They said it's called raimu (lime), but it tastes kinda sour. Like a remon. (lemon )

"You'll have a green tongue soon enough."

She giggled, "Good. Hope it stays that way. It'll freak out all the men trying to rape me." She covered her mouth to keep from laughing. Even he managed to suppress his smile. He did love the way she shook off a tragedy, moving on.

They talked more on the way to Tokio's house. She had finished two raimu roripoppuzu, and was swinging the paper bag as she lightly skipped next to him.

"I think you get hyper form all that sugar."

She giggled, "Ah, I just get a quick little boost. I'm usually very lazy and sit on my butt all day."

"That explains the other chin."

She tried to trip him, but he lightly stepped over her ankle. She growled at him for a good five minutes, though.

"HEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYY, SEXY!!" sang a familiar voice.

Before Tokio turned, a little busty lady tackled her, both driving into the ground. Tokio snarled underneath a giggling Rei at Goro, "You friggin' IDIOT!! WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP HER?!!"

He shrugged, "I didn't see her coming."

"Liar!!"

Rei giggled, and pulled Tokio up, holding out her hand, "'Sup? How's it goin'? Ain't it great we get to meet like this?"

Tokio mumbled, taking her hand, "Yeah, fantastic."

Rei giggled, "Sorry to tell ya, it's a business trip."

Tokio frowned, "Business? With who?"

She snickered, putting her finger to her lips, "It's all hush hush, girl. Sorry I can't tell ya." Rei turned her head, and looked up and saw Goro. She whispered, "Wow....................... like a friggin' tree, he's so tall!!"

Tokio fell over, "Rei!!"

Goro simply bowed, "Ah, a pleasure to meet you, Miss Rei."

She squealed, "Oh, a gentleman!!" she jumped over to him, and picked up his hand, shaking it.

Tokio felt a pang of jealousy, but insisted to herself it was just a stomach ache form all that candy.

Rei shook his hand, "Hello! I'm Rei Tomoko! Are you Mr. Fujita?"

"Yes, I am."

She smiled, "That makes you the assistant police inspector, doesn't it?"

"Yes, do I know you?"

She shook her head, "Nope! Just checking! Must be tough working all the time. Especially in a dangerous city like Kyoto" she laughed.

"Rei, you laugh too much," stated Tokio.

Rei giggled, "Ah, don't be silly." She turned back to Goro, "Ever think of taking a break?"

"Why do you ask?"

"My brother used to be a policeman, but quit. It was stressful. And stress causes gray hair."

Tokio waved her arm, "He's got this week off anyways, Rei."

"Oh, cool!" she said, turning back to Tokio. "Well, if you two ever get bored of dating, just remember Tokio, I got all week too!!"

Tokio yelled after Rei, who ran off giggling, "ONE OF THESE DAYS I'LL DROP KICK YOU INTO A PILE OF-"

"Who was that, Tokio?"

She turned to Goro, who was watching Rei leave. She shrugged, "Just an old friend. Gosh, she's so embarrassing."

"She acts a lot like a certain woman I know."

She frowned, "Oh puh-leeze, I am SO not that annoying."

"But you both are rude."

She held up her hand, "Aaah, shut up. Come on, I'm sleepy. I plan on taking a nap once I get home."

And they eventually did come to her house. But there was a paper on it. Goro noticed it before her, "Hnh. You better take a look."

"What is it?" she looked at the paper, and her eyes bulged, "EH?!!"

She ripped if off her door, and exclaimed, "EVICTED?!!" she read on, "WHAT THE- I SAID I'D PAY HIM BACK!!!"

"How long ago was that?"

Tokio sweated and looked at him, "A year?"

"Yare yare..............."

She sighed, "Dammit. And things were just starting to get good.........."

He looked down at her, "Did you have anything left it the house?"

She sighed, and crumpled up the paper, tossing it into the bush, "He said Miss Sae was kind enough to take my things, they're at her place. She offered to take them for me. Aww man............." She pushed her bangs away from her face. "I was hoping he'd wait a little longer."

"Most people are touchy about money."

She walked, sulking, "And I was hoping to go home and take a nice nap."

"You can take one at Miss Sae's."

"Miss Sae. Hah! She's a life saver. One of these days I'll pay her back."

On the way to Sae's she nudged him.

"Hnh?"

"Thanks for walking me home, and to Miss Sae's home."

He nodded, saying nothing. She put her hands behind her back, bending over to look up at him from his side, "You know, you're eyes are too narrow to be normal. Were they really born like that? Or, did you just not get enough sleep a lot?"

"I was born with them."

She squinted her eyes, imitating him, "You have eyes like those sumo that are so fat, their huge cheeks force their eyes shut."

"...................................... a sumo. Another thing I never really compared myself to."

She shrugged, laughing, "I'm just saying........." she looked at the Shirobeko, where they stopped. She held up her hand, "Can you wait here? I'll make it quick."

He nodded, and lit a cigarette. Sure enough, it took a good twenty minutes, and possibly even more, since most girls had to catch up with their friends after they've been gone for a day or two. He crushed his cigarette, as she hopped out. She grinned, "Okay! She says it's okay if I went in her house and got changed at stuff. What are you doing after?"

He smiled, and said, "I'm sorry, but while you were there, some of the police asked me-"

She pouted, "You're going away?"

He shook his head, "No, I have to do something quickly." He smirked, "Don't be so sad. I'm not leaving forever."

She huffed, "Who says I'm sad?!! As soon as your gone, I'm racking me up a jug of sake and I'll drink till I pass out. Good ol' sake, get's rid of anything that get's you down."

"Ah, so you do get sad when I leave-"

"Only because no I have no one to bum money off of!"

He shrugged, "Whatever you say."

She crossed her arms, "Jerk."

"Moron."

She stuck out her tongue, "Mmmmnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!"

He laughed, "Don't tempt me."

Immediately, she sucked it back in, eyes growing larger than her head.

He smirked, "I was only kidding."

"YEAH RIGHT, YOU.... YOU PEDOFILE!!" she shrieked, pointing at his face.

He calmly pushed her finger away, "It was green, anyways. Not a pretty sight."

She giggled, "Good, then it's working."

They got to Miss Sae's door, and Tokio pulled on it. The door slid open, and she peered inside. "Well, it's all empty. Guess now's a good a time as ever to take a bath." She sighed, and crossed her arms, "Hey, thanks again for making sure I got here safe."

He set her bag down, "Don't mention it, Tokio." He tipped his cap, "I'll see you sometime this week, if I'm lucky."

"If you're lucky? What do you mean?"

"As I said, I have one last thing to do."

She pouted, balling her hands into fists, "But you said you had a week!! You promised!"

He shrugged, "I lied."

"Why did you say that, then?!!"

He looked at her, then slowly smiled. "I didn't want to see you sad."

She gulped, swallowing her heart after it leapt out of her chest cage to hug him for saying such romantic-

**HE'S A JERK, DAMMIT!!**

She shook her head, "Well, I'm sad now!!!"

"I know," he said sighing, "And I'll remedy it as soon as possible. Good day, Tokio." He said, walking away.

Tokio bit her lip, watching him leave. Damn. And here she was looking forward to spending all week with that damn idiot. She sighed, and walked into the house, "Well, time to get cleaned up."