Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.

Warning: Contains some language and suggestions. This is OOC. If I were trying to write an in character Kenshin story, I'd definitely choose a different couple. Sexual suggestions in this chapter.

A/N: Thank you to those of you who have reviewed.

A Night to Forget:

Fight and Flight

"Stop humoring me!" Kaoru yelled as she took another swing at Aoshi with her wooden sword.

The two of them were sparring together behind the Owi and Aoshi was allowing Kaoru to get the upper hand. Aoshi only smirked in response as he blocked Kaoru's latest attack saving himself a lot of pain and possible infertility. "What was that for?" he asked.

"You've allowed me to hit you so many times I just wanted to make sure you could do better. Come on and really fight." Kaoru was slightly angry. "What? Afraid you'll give it your all and be beat by a girl?"

He tapped her on the chin with the wooden sword he had borrowed. "Actually, I like the idea of being vanquished by a beautiful woman."

Kaoru blushed at the obvious flirtation. Aoshi had been like that for the four days they had been at the Owi. There had been no word of a strange disappearance so they had all been treating it as a vacation.

Aoshi's attention had began to embarrass Kaoru as she couldn't escape Sano's teasing or Misao's obvious anger, not to mention the awkwardness that had developed between her and Kenshin. Kaoru was feeling extremely guilty, but she wasn't sure she could do anything about it.

The truth was that as embarrassing and awkward as the attention was, she enjoyed flirting with Aoshi. She loved how he would tease her with a straight face and smile ever so slightly when she teased back. She still knew she loved Kenshin, but she felt a certain excitement upon seeing Aoshi.

She was surprised when she found herself pinned beneath him. "Happy now?" he asked her, holding the wooden sword to her throat."

"Much better," she said. "I just love being vanquished by handsome men."

On impulse she pulled him down by his collar and kissed him. This time there was absolutely nothing awkward about the way he kissed her back. Soon they were both breathing heavily and Aoshi was obviously excited. He pulled away from their kiss and rolled off of her. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"It was my fault." Kaoru answered, disappointed that he had pulled away.

"You don't love me." It was a statement not a question.

"No," Kaoru agreed. "Probably not." She sat up and looked at him. "Do you think you love me?"

Aoshi shrugged. "When I believed we had been together and felt I should marry you, I remember thinking of all your good qualities: independence, sense of humor, intelligence, and your loyalty to that idiot Battousai is amazing. You have a lot of qualities I would look for in a woman."

"But Misao…"

"I love Misao, but as I've known her since she was a child, I could never look at her in that way. Someday she'll find someone who deserves her." Aoshi pushed a strand of Kaoru's hair out of her face.

"I wonder if that's how Kenshin sees me: too young?"

Aoshi shrugged. "I'm sure he has his reasons. Have you told him how you feel?"

"Yes…no…kind of…he knows. He just chooses to ignore it." Kaoru pulled at some blades of grass.

Aoshi was thoughtful. "I guess I can't really judge him since I do the same."

"I wish he would just tell me. Even if it wasn't what I wanted to hear. If I just heard it once, I could move on. You should do the same for Misao. Men are such cowards when it comes to just saying what they want." Kaoru steamed taking out her anger for Kenshin on Aoshi.

"I want to kiss you again." Aoshi said earnestly.

Kaoru just stared at him before bursting into laughter. She turned to kiss him passionately putting all her anger and confused emotions into it. Aoshi kissed back with equal intensity until he found himself quite uncomfortable. He jumped up quickly. "I have to go," he informed her.

"Bye," Kaoru said with a giggle as she watched him leave. She was very pleased with the effect she had on him and closed her eyes to remember the kiss. She may not love him, but she sure did want him. She opened her eyes and gasped, "Kenshin!"

Kenshin was standing above her with a stricken expression on his face.

Kenshin and Kaoru walked side by side through the streets of Kyoto neither had said a word; they had just went for a walk.

They came to a wooded area and unthinkingly walked into the trees. The sun was beginning to set. "We should get back, that we should." Kenshin said as they came upon a clearing with a small pond.

"It's so pretty here," Kaoru said quietly.

"I don't like seeing you with him." Kenshin finally got to the point.

"You think I like seeing you with Miss Megumi?"

"But I'm not with with her," Kenshin told her.

"You think I'm serious about Aoshi?"

"That I don't know, but he seems serious about you." Kenshin turned away from her. "The reason I've chosen not to be with you is my past. I can't forgive myself for all I've done and I can't ask you to help me bare the burden."

"But you know I…"

"Please, let me finish. I love you, but I'm willing to give you up because you're so pure and innocent and you deserve so much better than I can give, but Aoshi also has blood and evil on his hands, yet somehow he feels he has the right to touch you, to kiss you. It all just makes me sick." Kenshin's eyes were shining dangerously.

Kaoru could feel her anger rising. "I'm not some princess to be put on a pedastal. The only thing that makes a man deserving of me is the courage to show me how he feels and…" Kaoru's words were cut off by Kenshin's mouth against hers. His kiss was rough and possessive and didn't cause the same stirrings as Aoshi's.

She pushed him away. "Was that about wanting to be with me, or about not wanting me with him?"

Kenshin's eyes betrayed his guilt.

"Just as I thought." She turned and stormed away toward the Owi.

She was out of sight when she heard him yell, "Miss Kaoru, run!" She ran back to where she had left him only to find an empty clearing. She shivered in fear and looked around.

"Kenshin!" She yelled looking into the trees. She heard a slight giggling noise, but couldn't tell which direction it came from. Even if she did find Kenshin she was unarmed. She turned and ran to get help.

TBC

A/N: Don't worry Kenshin's okay. This is a comedy after all. Hope you liked the chapter. Sorry K/K and A/M fans. Review.