A/N: I just added this because the song seemed to fit. I forgot to do a
disclaimer in the first chapter so here it is. I don't own Kenshin, or any
of the songs I use, or any other characters in ths fic. If you want me to
keep going I can, just review and let me know. FYI. I might change the
name of this fic. But you will still be able to find it under Faith_Kitty
and Jollie_Rancher.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ! can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
I'm just out to find
The better part of me
Kenshin stood on the prow of the ship, looking out toward the water. 'Kaoru, where are you? I need you here with me. Now more than ever.' It would be at least three more days before he would see her face again, that is if he had guessed correctly about where Enishi was keeping her. He watched in silent longing as a seagull swooped down for a drink of water.
"Kenshin, what are you thinking about?" Sanosuke asked from his place behind his friend.
"Sano, no matter what happens you must remain here, on the boat. This is a personal score to settle between Enishi and myself. You must not get involved, that you must not." Kenshin said quietly, never taking his eyes from the gull.
"What did you do to piss him off anyway?" The tall fighter pried.
"It was a long time ago Sano. I do not wish to talk about it, that I do not." The slight figure said.
"Hn." The fighter said after a minute's hesitation. "You may think it's important, but I'm not going to let you and the Missy get killed with out a damn good reason."
"Sano, it does not matter whether you want us to live or die. I promise that Kaoru-dono will come back safely. Even if it costs me my life."
"YOU MEAN THIS IS A TRAP!!!! AND YOU'RE JUST GONNA WALK RIGHT INTO IT KNOWING THAT IT'S THERE!!!!"
"Just like I did the first time." Kenshin answered quietly, taking his eyes off the gull for the first time and moving below the deck.
I'm more than a bird...I'm more than a plane
More than some pretty face beside a train
It's not easy to be me
Kaoru stood looking out at the sea. "I know he'll come for me!" She said defiantly to the mad man behind her.
"I'm hoping he will." Came the reply "I hope for your sake he doesn't. I don't want to hurt an innocent, but if it will cause him pain I will kill every one in this world."
"Who are you anyway? Why did you take me? And why do you hate Kenshin so much?"
"DON'T EVER SPEAK THAT MONSTER'S NAME IN MY PRESENCE AGAIN!" The man said, backhanding Kaoru. She fell to the floor of the balcony with a small gasp. Then he seemed to calm instantly. "He killed his own wife. Did he tell you? For that he must pay."
"I don't care what you say, Kenshin's not a killer anymore." Kaoru said, defiantly ignoring the mad glint in her captor's eyes. "If you ever stopped to look at him for a moment you'd know that her death killed a part of him." She went on, choking on her own sorrow. "A part of him is dead. Even more dead than his wife. He lost a ..." She paused not wanting to go on, but then she forced herself to finish what she had started to say. "He lost a part of his soul that day. And you have no soul, so you could never know what he went through." Then she collapsed into tears. "And there's nothing I can do to save him." She whispered.
Wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
About a home I'll never see
Enishi came out of the bath, a towel covering his head. Slowly he sank into a chair facing the seaside windows. It had been two more days and still there was no sign of the red-headed murderer. "Oh sister," he whispered to himself. "How could you love him? He is evil. But don't worry sister. I'll kill him for you soon." 'You shouldn't have died.' He cried out silently in the depths of his soul. 'You were supposed to come back to Edo with me. We were supposed to be a family again. But he killed you.'
Out in the hall Kaoru heard every word he said. 'She's his sister!' she thought, everything finally fitting together. 'Tomoe, whoever you were, and where ever you are now. How did you do it? They both loved you so much. But they hate each other. No wonder you brought Kenshin to me. I promise you, I will do everything I can to make them understand.'
It may sound absurd...but don't be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed...but won't you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
It's not easy to be me
On Kaoru's fifth day, a ship was spotted. Enishi led her down to the sandy bank, and there, he pushed her to the side. They both watched in silence as a small boat landed and a lone figure stepped out of it.
Kenshin's heart stopped when he saw Kaoru being pushed roughly aside by the man before him. "Enishi, why?"
"Because you killed her!" The white haired man shrieked, charging at Kenshin and forcing him to draw his sword.
Kenshin blocked the attack easily, then he put away his sword again. "I will not fight you Enishi. I promised that it ended that day." But his words fell on deaf ears as Tomoe's brother charged a second time. Once again Kenshin drew his blade but only blocked. However he didn't quiet get it up in time. Enishi's sword spun around his own, causing both blades to fly into the air. Startled, Kenshin didn't dodge in time as Enishi charged a third time. The only thing he saw as the blow connected was Kaoru's face, and she was crying.
Up, up and away...away from me
It's all right...you can all sleep sound tonight
Kaoru watched in agony as the two men fought. She felt the tears streaming down her face as her captor beat Kenshin, but she couldn't wipe them away for some reason. She knew that whoever it ended, she must not miss anything. 'Tomoe, why? How could you let them do this? What happened to make him hate Kenshin so?' Then she got her answer.
"Well Battousai, here we are. I can finally avenge my sister's death." Enishi said, glaring down at Kenshin. He roughly gripped the former manslayer by the hair and pulled him up. "Did you know I was there that night. I bet you did. I BET YOU ENJOYED KILLING HER IN FRONT OF ME!" He screamed, throwing Kenshin away from him. But to his surprise and Kaoru's sorrow he didn't get up. He just lay there.
I'm not crazy...or anything...
Slowly Kenshin managed to get to his knees. Then he bowed down before Enishi, making an easy target of his neck. "Enishi, what I did that night was unforgivable. If it will help you to find peace, then kill me. But please, let Kaoru-dono go. She is not part of this."
"You think you can fool me!" He said running for his sword. When he had it he ran straight for his sister's killer, planing to finally end the nightmare. But when he saw her, he couldn't continue the final blow that would end it all.
Kaoru watched the whole battle, unable to move from where she had been shoved. But when she saw Enishi's blade about to cut through Kenshin, her paralysis had been lifted. Quickly she threw herself in the blades path. Protecting Kenshin with her own body she waited for the final strike to take her life. But it never came. Slowly she looked up, and through tear stained eyes she saw her would-be killer, crying.
"Oh, Tomoe..." he moaned.
"Now you understand." she whispered, rising from Kenshin and moving to cradle the sobbing man.
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
Men weren't meant to ride
With clouds between their knees
Slowly Enishi's arms wrapped around his sister. "What have I done to you?"
"You have done nothing." Tomoe said, speaking through the Battousai's woman's mouth. "You were hurting, I understand. And now you understand too. You finally understand how I could love you both."
I'm only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
Only a man in a funny red sheetLooking for special things inside of me
Inside of me
Inside me
Yeah, inside me
Inside of me
Kenshin watched as the woman he loved held the sobbing brother of his first wife. He listened as she calmly told Enishi that she loved both of them, and she asked Enishi to forgive his sister's murderer, and as she confessed her own love for the former assassin. As he heard her words something in side of him wept. She did love him, but he could never give her his love. No matter how much he wanted to. Someone would always be there, waiting to hurt her to get to him. Then she looked at him.
"Kenshin, can we go home now?"
I'm only a man
In a funny red sheet
I'm only a man
Looking for a dream
Kenshin stood beside Kaoru as she watched the shore sinking in the distance. "Are you all right, Kaoru-dono?" He asked her softly.
"Yes, Kenshin. I'm fine." A small silence passed between them before Kaoru spoke again. "I wasn't afraid Kenshin. Even when I was all alone, and he told me he would kill me, I wasn't scared." Kenshin shot her a shocked look. When she saw it she giggled slightly, startling him. "I knew that you would come. I've known it ever since Jine took me. But when you fought Shishio, I was positive. I know that you'll always come for me. I don't mind that you can't say it. But if you are afraid, then well, I want you to know that you don't have to be afraid of love. If you love some one, then yes, they may get hurt, but f you don't love anyone, then, well you become cold and hard like a stone. And if that happens you forget how to love, or even what love is. So Kenshin, I want you to know that I love you, and that Tomoe loves you, and that you don't need to be afraid for us. Even if someone hurts me, I will still love you." She reached up and caught his scared cheek in her hand. "And, like Tomoe, I will *never* leave you."
I'm only a man
In a funny red sheet
And its not easy, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm...
Kenshin looked down for a moment, then he looked up again, this time withlove shining in his eyes. "Thank you, Kaoru-dono." Its not easy to be me
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ! can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
I'm just out to find
The better part of me
Kenshin stood on the prow of the ship, looking out toward the water. 'Kaoru, where are you? I need you here with me. Now more than ever.' It would be at least three more days before he would see her face again, that is if he had guessed correctly about where Enishi was keeping her. He watched in silent longing as a seagull swooped down for a drink of water.
"Kenshin, what are you thinking about?" Sanosuke asked from his place behind his friend.
"Sano, no matter what happens you must remain here, on the boat. This is a personal score to settle between Enishi and myself. You must not get involved, that you must not." Kenshin said quietly, never taking his eyes from the gull.
"What did you do to piss him off anyway?" The tall fighter pried.
"It was a long time ago Sano. I do not wish to talk about it, that I do not." The slight figure said.
"Hn." The fighter said after a minute's hesitation. "You may think it's important, but I'm not going to let you and the Missy get killed with out a damn good reason."
"Sano, it does not matter whether you want us to live or die. I promise that Kaoru-dono will come back safely. Even if it costs me my life."
"YOU MEAN THIS IS A TRAP!!!! AND YOU'RE JUST GONNA WALK RIGHT INTO IT KNOWING THAT IT'S THERE!!!!"
"Just like I did the first time." Kenshin answered quietly, taking his eyes off the gull for the first time and moving below the deck.
I'm more than a bird...I'm more than a plane
More than some pretty face beside a train
It's not easy to be me
Kaoru stood looking out at the sea. "I know he'll come for me!" She said defiantly to the mad man behind her.
"I'm hoping he will." Came the reply "I hope for your sake he doesn't. I don't want to hurt an innocent, but if it will cause him pain I will kill every one in this world."
"Who are you anyway? Why did you take me? And why do you hate Kenshin so much?"
"DON'T EVER SPEAK THAT MONSTER'S NAME IN MY PRESENCE AGAIN!" The man said, backhanding Kaoru. She fell to the floor of the balcony with a small gasp. Then he seemed to calm instantly. "He killed his own wife. Did he tell you? For that he must pay."
"I don't care what you say, Kenshin's not a killer anymore." Kaoru said, defiantly ignoring the mad glint in her captor's eyes. "If you ever stopped to look at him for a moment you'd know that her death killed a part of him." She went on, choking on her own sorrow. "A part of him is dead. Even more dead than his wife. He lost a ..." She paused not wanting to go on, but then she forced herself to finish what she had started to say. "He lost a part of his soul that day. And you have no soul, so you could never know what he went through." Then she collapsed into tears. "And there's nothing I can do to save him." She whispered.
Wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
About a home I'll never see
Enishi came out of the bath, a towel covering his head. Slowly he sank into a chair facing the seaside windows. It had been two more days and still there was no sign of the red-headed murderer. "Oh sister," he whispered to himself. "How could you love him? He is evil. But don't worry sister. I'll kill him for you soon." 'You shouldn't have died.' He cried out silently in the depths of his soul. 'You were supposed to come back to Edo with me. We were supposed to be a family again. But he killed you.'
Out in the hall Kaoru heard every word he said. 'She's his sister!' she thought, everything finally fitting together. 'Tomoe, whoever you were, and where ever you are now. How did you do it? They both loved you so much. But they hate each other. No wonder you brought Kenshin to me. I promise you, I will do everything I can to make them understand.'
It may sound absurd...but don't be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed...but won't you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
It's not easy to be me
On Kaoru's fifth day, a ship was spotted. Enishi led her down to the sandy bank, and there, he pushed her to the side. They both watched in silence as a small boat landed and a lone figure stepped out of it.
Kenshin's heart stopped when he saw Kaoru being pushed roughly aside by the man before him. "Enishi, why?"
"Because you killed her!" The white haired man shrieked, charging at Kenshin and forcing him to draw his sword.
Kenshin blocked the attack easily, then he put away his sword again. "I will not fight you Enishi. I promised that it ended that day." But his words fell on deaf ears as Tomoe's brother charged a second time. Once again Kenshin drew his blade but only blocked. However he didn't quiet get it up in time. Enishi's sword spun around his own, causing both blades to fly into the air. Startled, Kenshin didn't dodge in time as Enishi charged a third time. The only thing he saw as the blow connected was Kaoru's face, and she was crying.
Up, up and away...away from me
It's all right...you can all sleep sound tonight
Kaoru watched in agony as the two men fought. She felt the tears streaming down her face as her captor beat Kenshin, but she couldn't wipe them away for some reason. She knew that whoever it ended, she must not miss anything. 'Tomoe, why? How could you let them do this? What happened to make him hate Kenshin so?' Then she got her answer.
"Well Battousai, here we are. I can finally avenge my sister's death." Enishi said, glaring down at Kenshin. He roughly gripped the former manslayer by the hair and pulled him up. "Did you know I was there that night. I bet you did. I BET YOU ENJOYED KILLING HER IN FRONT OF ME!" He screamed, throwing Kenshin away from him. But to his surprise and Kaoru's sorrow he didn't get up. He just lay there.
I'm not crazy...or anything...
Slowly Kenshin managed to get to his knees. Then he bowed down before Enishi, making an easy target of his neck. "Enishi, what I did that night was unforgivable. If it will help you to find peace, then kill me. But please, let Kaoru-dono go. She is not part of this."
"You think you can fool me!" He said running for his sword. When he had it he ran straight for his sister's killer, planing to finally end the nightmare. But when he saw her, he couldn't continue the final blow that would end it all.
Kaoru watched the whole battle, unable to move from where she had been shoved. But when she saw Enishi's blade about to cut through Kenshin, her paralysis had been lifted. Quickly she threw herself in the blades path. Protecting Kenshin with her own body she waited for the final strike to take her life. But it never came. Slowly she looked up, and through tear stained eyes she saw her would-be killer, crying.
"Oh, Tomoe..." he moaned.
"Now you understand." she whispered, rising from Kenshin and moving to cradle the sobbing man.
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
Men weren't meant to ride
With clouds between their knees
Slowly Enishi's arms wrapped around his sister. "What have I done to you?"
"You have done nothing." Tomoe said, speaking through the Battousai's woman's mouth. "You were hurting, I understand. And now you understand too. You finally understand how I could love you both."
I'm only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
Only a man in a funny red sheetLooking for special things inside of me
Inside of me
Inside me
Yeah, inside me
Inside of me
Kenshin watched as the woman he loved held the sobbing brother of his first wife. He listened as she calmly told Enishi that she loved both of them, and she asked Enishi to forgive his sister's murderer, and as she confessed her own love for the former assassin. As he heard her words something in side of him wept. She did love him, but he could never give her his love. No matter how much he wanted to. Someone would always be there, waiting to hurt her to get to him. Then she looked at him.
"Kenshin, can we go home now?"
I'm only a man
In a funny red sheet
I'm only a man
Looking for a dream
Kenshin stood beside Kaoru as she watched the shore sinking in the distance. "Are you all right, Kaoru-dono?" He asked her softly.
"Yes, Kenshin. I'm fine." A small silence passed between them before Kaoru spoke again. "I wasn't afraid Kenshin. Even when I was all alone, and he told me he would kill me, I wasn't scared." Kenshin shot her a shocked look. When she saw it she giggled slightly, startling him. "I knew that you would come. I've known it ever since Jine took me. But when you fought Shishio, I was positive. I know that you'll always come for me. I don't mind that you can't say it. But if you are afraid, then well, I want you to know that you don't have to be afraid of love. If you love some one, then yes, they may get hurt, but f you don't love anyone, then, well you become cold and hard like a stone. And if that happens you forget how to love, or even what love is. So Kenshin, I want you to know that I love you, and that Tomoe loves you, and that you don't need to be afraid for us. Even if someone hurts me, I will still love you." She reached up and caught his scared cheek in her hand. "And, like Tomoe, I will *never* leave you."
I'm only a man
In a funny red sheet
And its not easy, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm...
Kenshin looked down for a moment, then he looked up again, this time withlove shining in his eyes. "Thank you, Kaoru-dono." Its not easy to be me
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