Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

Title: Chance for Love

Rated: PG-13

AN: This is my first attempt at writing a fanfic. Please bear with me as I get used to the process. I recommend criticism good or bad. The reviews are what tell me what you as a reader like or dislike. I won't change everything in the storyline, but I will try to add what you like.

Italics - Thoughts

BTW this is AU.

AN: Sorry for the long wait. Thanks once again for the reviews. R&R. Tell me what you think.

NARUTO: Many people have watched that anime, and I'm glad that you did! I need to ask you all a few questions. Let me know your e-mail address, so than I could e-mail you back about the questions. Thanks once more!

Now to stop boring you with all this, Read On!

Chapter 7: Surprising Outcomes

Suddenly a loud, powerful voice interrupted their passion. "It would work so much better without the clothes."

Both Kenshin and Kaoru who were too busy wrapped up in each other, quickly and abruptly pulled away. Both their faces flushed, hair tousled, and their breathing rapid. The guy couldn't help but laugh at the scene occurring in front of him.

Kaoru, seeing that a man was witnessing there previous event, blushed even redder. She quickly and as fast as she could, tried to fix her hair and buttoned up a few of the buttons on her shirt.

"Kenshin..." Kaoru began, her voice evident with fear, as she snuck behind Kenshin. "Who....Who is that man?"

Kenshin didn't reply. He was too busy glaring daggers at the stranger that would make any man want to die instantly on the spot. But it seemed as the guy wasn't even disturbed by any of this. In fact, he just chuckled away like it was no big deal.

Kaoru who didn't understand any of this began to feel even more terrified. A perverted stranger is standing right in front of us and just laughing. Why won't Kenshin do anything? She clenched tighter on Kenshin's arm. "Kenshin...do something!"

"Come on, baka! The girl's practically scared to death! Do something. Or are you still that same coward that I raised up?" The man asked walking closer.

"Kenshin," Kaoru began once more. "Do you...do you know this man?"

Deciding it was best, Kenshin stopped glaring and sighed. "Yes, Kaoru. I do know this man."

The man stopped just a couple of feet in front of them and both the stranger and Kaoru waited in anticipation for Kenshin to continue.

"He...He...This man...He's my... He's my father....Hiko Seijuro." Kenshin finally answered and looked back over at Kaoru waiting to see her reaction.

Kaoru blinked. Not once, but a couple of times. She looked over at Kenshin than back at Hiko than over at Kenshin and decided to rest her eyes on the tall, dark looming figure. The man had long black hair tied swiftly up in a long pony tail. His clothes were very out of date. Wearing a cloak that hung from his shoulders down to his feet, it reminded Kaoru of the Bakumatsu days that she remembered her father once telling her about. He had on a white button down shirt with 3/4's of the shirt open revealing his nice, tan, muscular chest. Also cladded in a pair of black trousers, he had a bottle of some sort of liquid hanging from his side. He had an attractive face, but with an arrogant smirk to it.

Hiko smirked as he saw Kaoru's blue eyes analyzing his body. It seemed quite obvious that she was lost in thought, so he decided to have a little fun with her. "What? Like the merchandise?"

His deep voice startled Kaoru out of her trance. Instantly, her eyes fired up and just as she was about to retort a crude remark at Hiko, Kenshin placed a comforting hand on Kaoru's shoulder.

"Please, Miss Kaoru, I don't think-" Kenshin started but was instantly cut off by Hiko.

"Shut up, baka son of mine. You have grown ugly, but you sure have taste in feisty girls." Hiko said smirking as Kaoru's anger began to flare up once again.

"Kenshin is not ugly. You are, you....you....you long haired woman!" Kaoru said pushing the poor redhead aside who had tried his best to hold Kaoru away from Hiko, but his attempts were useless. As he was pushed aside, he tried to maintain balance by flapping his arms like a bird, but on the process he tripped on a fist-size rock and went colliding into a huge oak tree. Now he ended up in a motionless heap with swirly eyes on the ground a couple of feet away from them.

"Now look what you did, silly little girl! You maimed my poor baka son!" Hiko said with a fake obvious voice that showed absolutely no concern for the unconscious redhead.

Though, Kaoru didn't even seem to notice. She was too caught up in her own anger. Than seeing that Hiko wasn't looking at her anymore, but more behind her, she turned around to see Kenshin knocked out behind her. She blinked once, than twice, than a third time. Finally she understood what was happening. Just as she was about to go and check on Kenshin, she paused when something Hiko said caught her attention.

"Hmm.....this reminds me of one time where I was trying to give Kenshin a bath. How would I have known that he had a phobia of water...? Anyhow, I was trying to push that boy into the bathtub...but didn't notice that duck of his lying on the floor. What was its name....? Ah, yes. Squishy. Well that baka slipped on 'Squishy' and crashed onto the floor looking like that." He paused for a moment and indicated to the still unconscious heap on the floor with his hand. "Traumatized after that incident. Scared of water and that duck, Squishy."

Kaoru started full out laughing and managed to say something in between her laughs. "Squishy!?"

"Squishy? If you thought that that was a bad name, just think about the other names he called his stuffed animals." Hiko replied crossing his arms over his chest. He paused for a moment as a thoughtful look came on his face as he remembered the old days.

Kaoru had suddenly lost her anger towards Hiko and walked towards him not caring to take a look behind her. She stared up at him with disbelief written all over her face. "Stuffed animals? He had stuffed animals?"

"He was peculiar from the start. Long red hair, always asking about buying ducks and stuffed animals. I knew he would grow up to be a feminine boy with his looks." He paused as he indicated Kaoru to sit down beside him as he too sat down.

As she sat down, he continued. "Speaking of his feminine looks, it reminds me of one time where I had sent him to a flower shop to pick some flowers for...." He mumbled a word which sounded a lot like 'Okon'. "I sent that idiotic boy inside where a hormone driven girl was at the counter. She kept calling him cute and terrifying that poor little boy......."

With Hiko telling the various stories of Kenshin's embarrassing childhood, and Kaoru so engrossed in his stories with deep interest, both of them sat oblivious to the fact that there was an unconscious red-head a few feet behind them.

Pain.

Hurt.

Discomfort.

Those were the 3 things he felt as he suddenly aroused from his unconscious state. He didn't make a move to get up, but he did shift slightly to move that blasted rock that was jabbing him like sharp knives on the left side of his back. He blinked a few times to clear the blurriness that swept through him.

When he finally was able to see clearly, the first thing he saw was the bluish black sky with its bright stars glimmering deeply. He smiled slightly despite the pain he was feeling. What a beautiful sky.... he thought unaware of his surroundings and location. Such a deep, radiant blue the sky is....reminds me so much of Kaoru's eyes-

Finally realization dawned on him. Kaoru. She was nowhere in sight. Where is she? he thought. He moved up slightly, but just as he did a sharp pain ran through his body. He laid back down and sighed helplessly as his thoughts drifted off to a special someone.

Kaoru. She was a very feisty woman that spoke her mind whenever she wanted too and was also very forthright. Was frank to the point and had a very vivid personality. But her temper...her temper was like a volcano. Erupted whenever someone sparked her nerve. But she was beautiful. Beautiful in every possible way. Long flowing raven hair that draped below her shoulders like a midnight waterfall. He loved her. He couldn't understand how a woman like her could make him fall in love with her just in a matter of short days. She intrigued him in every possible way. He wanted her.

Suddenly a loud, cheerful laugh erupted a few feet from his right. Gathering his last ounce of strength, he managed to sit up as a wave of nausea hit him. But just as suddenly as it came, it disappeared.

He turned slightly at the sound of the voice as he recognized as Kaoru's. Getting up a bit clumsy on his feet, he managed to stagger his way over to the sound of the voice. As he got closer, he managed to make out 2 figures. A slender figure who was practically laughing her heart out, and a tall, broad shouldered, muscular man. Taking a few more steps, he saw that the two figures were surely Kaoru and Hiko.

Kaoru and Hiko....together?...No, that's can't be... Kenshin suddenly groaned as a thought hit him. No...No...Hiko wouldn't do that to me. He loves me, he wouldn't go and...

"Than do you know what he does? He agreed! So young and naive that baka is! Signed up to be Juliet in Shakespeare play, 'Romeo and Juliet'!" Hiko said smirking as he recalled back the fond memory.

No..... Kenshin thought miserably. He just had to go and tell Kaoru about....'that'.

"Are you serious?!" Kaoru managed to get out between laughs. "He actually signed up to be 'Juliet'?! I know he looks feminine and all, but to actually do that...." She laughed once more. Both she and Hiko were oblivious to the fact that Kenshin was overhearing the whole thing.

"He was 5. Long red hair. And violet eyes. Those were the descriptions needed for someone to play the role of Juliet. Thinking that he could make me proud, that boy went right up and signed up for it." Hiko chuckled. "Typical baka son of mine."

Kenshin coughed loudly so as to catch both Hiko's and Kaoru's attention, but mainly to shut Hiko up from revealing more of his embarrassing life stories. How was he suppose to know that Juliet's role was a girl? He was only 5 at that time. Simultaneously, both Kaoru and Hiko whipped their head to see a disgruntled looking Kenshin doing his best to glare at Hiko. Though once again Hiko just chuckled it off as he thought it was no big deal.

"It seems as 'Juliet' has woke from her deep slumber." Hiko said smirking evilly at Kenshin.

Kaoru had to choke back a laugh that almost escaped her mouth. She thought it would be best to not laugh as she saw the dangerous daggers that Kenshin was shooting at the not affected Hiko.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru said as she got up, stretching the cramps out of her legs, before rushing to him. "I am so dreadfully sorry! It's just that....Well you know....Hiko had said...." At this point she was at a complete loss of words and thought that it would be best to just shut up.

"Well Kaoru, it seems that you have met my father and been quite acquainted with him I see." Kenshin said still looking at Hiko.

Hiko got up from his sitting position as well and stretched out a bit. Flexing his muscles, he picked up the bottle of sake next to him and looked coolly over at Kenshin.

"I hope you still haven't forgotten what is happening in a month from today." He said, looking sharply over at Kenshin.

"No." Kenshin said, his anger quickly dissolving. "I haven't forgotten, nor could I ever forget."

Kaoru was confused by now. She was lost into thinking of what they could be possibly talking about. Seeing both their stern and serious faces, she thought it would be best not to question or ask any questions....yet.

Hiko broke off his eye contact with Kenshin and looked up at the sky. "It's getting dark. I should get going."

Kenshin nodded. "Yes, so should we."

As Kenshin and Kaoru exchanged brief farewells with Hiko, the sky started getting darker by the moment. They all walked their separate ways. Hiko going one side, Kenshin and Kaoru going the other.

They walked at a silent pace, moving through the maze of all the branches and trees. It was an uncomfortable silence, and Kaoru was thankful that the branches kept coming out of nowhere. It let her think for awhile and gave her a good excuse to avoid talking with Kenshin. She just didn't know what to say to him in fear of upsetting him.

Finally, the maze ended and Kenshin led Kaoru to his car. Once more being a gentleman that he was, he opened the door to his car as Kaoru climbed on in the passenger seat. After she had successfully gotten in, he went around to the driver's seat and got in himself. Pushing the gear into drive, he started driving towards Sano's mansion.

Sneaking a glance over at Kaoru, he saw that she seemed quite nervous. "We'll be arriving their in a matter of minutes." Kenshin said softly, trying to loosen the tension in the air.

Kaoru smiled. "Ok, thanks....Juliet."

Kenshin didn't say anything for a moment, but than finally got his chance when the stoplight turned red. He turned his head in her direction and tried his best to keep on a stern face as he reached with his right hand towards her. Kaoru stood still in shock. She didn't know what he was doing, but with his expression she could tell that she wouldn't like it.

"Kaoru..." Kenshin said whispering softly as his breath tickled her neck.

"You..." he leaned close to her.

"Have..." he leaned in even closer to her. Kaoru felt her heart beat very fast and uncontrollably at a rapid pace.

"Something..." At this point, Kenshin was pressed up close to her. And she was suddenly turning into several shades of red, and almost felt herself turn into jelly and was quite thankful for the seat holding her up.

Man.... Kaoru thought nervously. Is it getting hot in here or is it just me?

At this point, Kenshin broke into a smile and pulled a small twig that was tangled in her hair. "You just had something in your hair."

Discarding the twig on Kaoru's lap, Kenshin turned back fully in his seat smirking and stepped on the accelerator just as the light turned back green.

Kaoru blinked once. Than again. A couple of more times. She looked at the twig in her lap, than over at Kenshin's smirking face, back at the twig, than at his face, and finally yelled out. "KENSHIN HIMURA!!!!!!!"

Yara!!! I am finally done with this chapter!!! And like I promised, no cliffhanger!! I hope you loved it. The next chapter will be out very soon. Now, click that button down at your left and send me a review! Tell me what you think. Love it? Like it? Hate it? Please review. I really want to know what you think.

Anyhow, hope you liked it!!

Until next time!