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Fear Awakened
Chapter 2: Paranoia

Kaoru sighed. Something didn't feel right. Even though it seemed like it should be the opposite, after all she was going to have a nice evening out with Kenshin, shouldn't that be nice? What was this paranoia? She sighed again. Sometimes she wanted to hit herself, and tell herself that she was an idiot for worrying over nothing all the time. She was so lost in her thoughts she hadn't noticed that she had stayed a little longer then necessary in the bathtub.

She yelled, "Kenshin! Don't--"

The door to the bathhouse slammed open, 'come in' she finished in her mind. Kaoru clenched her fist. 'Nice evening out, nice evening out. Don't lock him in the shed, don't lock him in the shed.' She repeated over and over in her head, while Kenshin had been saying apologies and closed the door.

"Sessha apologizes, and hopes Kaoru-dono will forgive him," he said from outside, repeating it until he heard her reply...

"Kenshin, if we weren't going out tonight I'd strangle you!" He sweat-dropped, and laughed nervously.

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"OH! And can we have some--"

"Oro!" Kenshin said, baffled by all the stuff she had been ordering. "Kaoru-dono, Sessha does not think we can eat that all by ourselves."

"Don't be silly Kenshin!" She said, making a waving gesture with her hand, "I got the money." She smiled.

Again, Kenshin said, "oro." He was just hoping she didn't go money-crazy. The waitress that had been attending to them, then went to process their order. "Hmm, Kaoru-dono, if Sessha may ask, where did you acquire all this money?"

"Well Kenshin..." Kaoru laughed as she thought of a lie that would certainly have him fainting, but she would never be over the embarrassment of telling him something like THAT. Kenshin looked at her very confused. She blushed a deep red scarlet, thinking she would tell him she was a prostitute was insane, though she would like to see the reaction it caused.

She cleared her throat, "well, you see... I went to a neighboring dojo to teach some kids, about the age of Yahiko, anyway, there was only supposed be like two, but you know how many there were?" She asked, excited.

Kenshin had his mouth open, about to guess, but she didn't give him the chance, "Fifteen! Can you believe it? F-i-f-t-e-e-n! Boy, did I have money rolling in then!"

Kenshin nodded, "that's good to hear, that it is, but Sessha hopes Kaoru-dono has saved most of it."

Kaoru glared, "what to you take me for Kenshin?! A money-crazy idiot?" She asked.

Kenshin said something incoherent, but she knew he was giving a smart remark to her question, so she smacked him on his head.

Kaoru scowled at him, and they were silent until their dinner arrived. Kenshin was about to say 'oro' again and Kaoru nudged him in his side. They began eating, starting up another conversation.

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"I'm so bloated! Thanks Kenshin!"

Kaoru glared daggers at Sanosuke and Yahiko, who had just happened to walk in to the Akabeko when they were eating, and Kenshin, being the nice gentlemen he was, had invited them to eat with him and her.

"I payed for it!" Kaoru said, fuming. Yahiko swore he saw steam coming out of her ears.

"Aah, but Kenshin invited us, so once again, thanks Kenshin." Kaoru fumed again and was going crazy. She was about to run off after Sanosuke when he started to walk away, but Kenshin held her back. "Kaoru-dono, Sessha wishes you would calm down!"

"EEEERRRR!" Her growl ripped through the night so loud, even Sanosuke heard it a few blocks away. 'Uh oh... That's not a good sign.' He picked up his pace for extra precaution and ran back home.

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Kenshin and Kaoru walked back to the dojo silently. Kaoru's anger had left her long ago, leaving the feeling of the same paranoia she had felt earlier in the day. This was suppose to be a nice evening out though, and she felt safer with Kenshin then anything, so she made the extra effort of walking back home slowly.

"Kenshin?" Kaoru called for his attention, as he had been staring at the road.

"Yes, Kaoru-dono?" He looked up managing to see her frown.

"Is something wrong?" Kenshin asked, as his expression changed into worry.

"Umm..." How was she to put this? 'Oh Kenshin I'm an idiot, always worrying, and this strange sense that somethings coming is creeping me out.'

Kenshin eyes narrowed somewhat, "Kaoru-dono?"

Kaoru shook her head, "it's nothing," she whispered. She began to walk again, before Kenshin grabbed her arm. She looked at him, "what is it, Kenshin?" She asked him, noticing he looked a bit angry... No concerned, Kenshin was never angry...

"There's something wrong, Sessha would like to know what it is." It sounded more like a demand than just plain curiosity, and that made her shiver a little.

Kaoru sighed, "It's nothing, Kenshin." She then looked up into his eyes, which seemed to say 'if you don't tell me I'll worry you until you do...' So she gave in, "I just... Feel like something bad is going to happen... It's just paranoia. It's nothing, I'm sorry to have worried you."

Kenshin was surprised, but didn't show it. Instead he just nodded, and continued to walk back with his bangs shielding his eyes. When they reached the dojo, Kenshin locked the gate behind him, after Kaoru had walked in beforehand. Kenshin watched Kaoru as she said goodnight to him and went to her room. Doing the same, he replied, "Goodnight Kaoru-dono..." After which he retreated to his room.

Kaoru smiled, when thinking about her only student that had not come to the dojo to sleep there tonight. Yahiko had stayed at the Akabeko because he was going to have to work early in the morning, and she suggested he stay there. He was very eager to stay there, reason being was because he liked Tsubume, and would get to see her more. She giggled, 'they make a cute couple,' she thought. She started to brush her hair with her coam as she sat down on her futon. Wincing every once and a while as she would pass through a tangle, she braided it quickly and put her brush down. She yawned, blew out her candle, and before she knew it, was fast asleep.

A dark moon announced it's time of the day, as Kaoru looked up at the sky. She hadn't been able to sleep, as it was very early in the morning. 'Too much on my mind,' she thought. She wasn't tired anyway, so she had decided to come outside and enjoy the warmness of the spring air. She lay back on the floors of the dojo, looking in to the night sky, when her eyes started to blink slowly, descending until her eyelids dropped closed, too late to go back into her bedroom. What she had failed to notice, though, was a shadow casted off from the moonlight, standing tall upon the roof of the entrance to the dojo. All of a sudden the shadow jumped from it's position and disappeared as if it was just an illusion that had never been there.

But the shadow had not disappeared, only blended into the night's darkness as if it were apart of it itself. The shadow had fallen upon Kaoru's form, who was oblivious to anything but the dreamworld her mind performed for her. The shadow lifted a object from itself, which it had carried with it. The clicking sound of a sword being drawn from a sheath filled the silence that made up the eerie night, and the shadowy-figure rose it's sword above Kaoru and hurled it toward her. In that swift moment, Kaoru had fluttered her eyes open...

Blood red hair, amber eyes, and a blade coming toward her was the last thing she saw...

Kaoru seemed to wake up from her nightmare like a massive jolt had gone through her body. Her eyes flew open, and she quickly sat up to try to regain breath. Luckily, she had been so scared that she hadn't screamed, preventing Kenshin from awakening. She felt something wet slide down her face, realizing they were tears. Throwing off the blankets that seemed to be piled on her, she stood up cautiously. She needed to go. Somewhere, anywhere. Some place that would ease her mind... Maybe she could leave for a few days? That thought was quickly discarded as she thought about Kenshin, who would certainly find her before she could even leave.

'Okay, then... I'll just go out somewhere tonight, then. And come back before Kenshin wakes up in the morning.' She nodded to herself, that seemed to be a perfect idea. Not bothering to ponder about her second thoughts she was having, she left her room and headed for the entranceway, leaving the unstirring dojo behind.

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Tears fell. Countless in numbers, they continued to fall, adding to the sadness she had once felt. When she had thought she was going to go somewhere, she hadn't meant here. This place held a sad memory, a nightmare that had come true. Even though she passed by it almost everyday, it was different because she was with others, and she knew Kenshin was at her side. But being by herself made it difficult and made her sad, because she was alone... She had been alone that terrible night where she had felt her world falling apart...

The night Kenshin left for Kyoto...

It was unforgettable and she feared she would never get over it. Before she knew what she was doing, and all she could see was the stinging tears of a memory, she fell asleep under a Sakura tree.

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I hope you all don't mind that these first few chapters seem to be comical. I would like to set the mood, and not just jump into a dark/romance/angst story right away! But now that it's getting sad, maybe I should but back on the comedy routine? What do you readers think? And also, I want this story to last longer then my others. Hope you all will forgive me, and learn to like this story!

Review Responses: (Can't thank you all enough, )

animegurl23 - Guess you can't, hehe. Well thanks alot, I tried my best on the first chapter, hope this one's as good too!

Queen - Really? You must read stories like these all the time though! You really thought it was that good? Thank you, I just hope it doesn't become boring for you!

KenKao4eva - That's okay! I don't expect you to be drawn in right away, just interested! (Hopefully, ..) Yes, stories become much better when Battousai comes in, XD!

TYDYE girl - Thanks, glad you did. No waiting anymore for this chapter!