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. Please let me know what you think. Thanks.
A Night to Forget:
An Old Friend
"So this is where he disappeared." Sanosuke surveyed the spot quietly looking for clues. "Where's Misao when you need her?"
"Misao needed some time alone for awhile." Aoshi answered solemnly.
Kaoru looked up from thinking of Kenshin. "Why?" she asked.
"I finally told her something I should have said long ago," Aoshi answered.
Kaoru nodded and gave him a meaningful look, before asking, "You don't think Kenshin was captured by that serial killer do you?" Her eyes were fearful.
"Well, this is around where the men disappeared." Aoshi tried to give her a reassuring look. "But the good news is that we should have at least three days to find him."
Kaoru was surprised to hear the eerie giggling again. This time it was far off in the distance. "That's the voice I heard." Kaoru whispered. "It's him."
The three of them crept toward the giggling until they found themselves at a clearing quite a bit deeper into the woods than the one where Kenshin had kissed Kaoru. Kenshin was tied to a tree and someone with a sword was standing before him.
"Is that…?" Sanosuke gasped.
"It is…" Aoshi answered.
"Soujiro!" They both said in unison causing the boy to turn toward them with a wide smile. Kaoru screamed.
"Miss Kaoru, Lord Aoshi, Sano…run!" Kenshin yelled.
"Well, I hardly think that would be necessary," Soujiro answered calmly. "I can't see any reason to kill any of you, but I'm afraid Mr. Himura will have to go. When I'm through with him of course."
"Gee, Kenshin, maybe if you actually killed an enemy every now and then they wouldn't keep coming back to haunt you." Sanosuke shook his head as he addressed Soujiro. "So this is what you've been up to all this time, and here we all thought you'd had a change of heart."
"Oddly enough Mr. Himura is the one who convinced me to take this path, unfortunately it will lead to his own demise."
"And what kind of path is this?" Kaoru asked moving towards Kenshin.
"Step back or I'll be forced to hurt you." Soujiro crossed his arms. "I have decided to change my whole life philosophy. I made a vow to stop worshipping the strong, but instead protect the weak." Soujiro smiled brightly as if he were explaining a brilliant theory. Everyone except Kenshin gave him a puzzled look. "Allow me to explain."
"Go for it." Sano shrugged and took a seat in the grass. Aoshi remained standing as Kaoru paced nervously. Kenshin just hung his head.
"Mr. Himura will have to excuse me as he's already heard this. I decided that I would protect the weak by killing the strong who hurt them. I wanted to protect them as I longed to be protected."
"So you became a psychotic killer." Sano finished for him causing Soujiro to flash him an alarming grin.
"No, so I became a protector of the weak. The first man I killed, I found kicking a puppy against a tree."
Kaoru gasped. "How terrible!"
"I wasn't able to save the puppy, but he paid for his sins."
"Well, no civilized person could blame you for that one." Kaoru said encouragingly.
"The second man I killed robbed an old lady. He hit her with such a force she was knocked to the ground, hit her head…" Soujiro paused for dramatic effect, "and died. She left behind three grandchildren who were living with her because their parents died. Now they live in a run down orphanage."
"I suppose his death was only just." Aoshi said.
"Those poor children," added Kaoru.
"You really aren't helping things," Kenshin said from the tree. "Don't succumb to his warped sense of justice."
"Shut up, defiler of the weak." Soujiro yelled back. "The third man I killed…"
"Stop right there," Sanosuke ordered. "So maybe those men deserved to die, but what did Kenshin do?"
"He molested a child!" Soujiro accused pointing to Kaoru.
"Oh, for goodness sake!" she exclaimed.
"Molested?" Sanosuke asked raising an eyebrow at Kenshin.
"Oro…why me?" Kenshin asked of no one in particular.
"He kissed her." Soujiro said.
"You kissed the Battousai?" Aoshi tried to keep the hurt from his eyes.
"It's not what you think." Kaoru stammered realizing how much Aoshi's disappointment bothered her.
"He must be like--what?--ten years older than her at least--that's just disgusting!" Soujiro continued.
"Well, when you put it like that…" Sanosuke said dryly, "perhaps he deserves to die."
"Exactly." Soujiro crossed his arms and smiled.
"Thanks a lot." Kenshin glared.
Aoshi surveyed the situation. So Kaoru and the Battousai have confessed their love. I will do my best to make sure she's happy. "Soujiro, this is not the way to protect the weak. It matters not how many puppy killers thieves or…" He glanced at Kenshin. "perverts you kill. Another one will be there to take his place. To protect the weak you should help them become strong, instead of wasting your time with vigilante justice. You know in your heart that this is wrong, and your soul cries out to protect through love, not hate." Aoshi then turned to Kenshin. "How was that for a first try?"
Kenshin shrugged against his ropes. "Not too bad. I think it's working."
Soujiro was sobbing uncontrollably. "How could I have been so wrong. I only wanted to protect the weak, not become more of a monster than the men I kill."
Aoshi opened his mouth to finish the job, but Sanosuke interrupted him. "Hey, let me try. Soujiro, you must go now and repay your debt to society by making a vow to use your sword to help, not kill, and your swordsman spirit for good, not evil because the way of the swordsman is the way of peace, love, and justice for all."
Soujiro nodded and cut Kenshin's ropes before leaving. "You've given me a lot to think about and I thank you for showing me my evil ways." With that he disappeared.
"I'm impressed, Sanosuke." Aoshi complimented.
"You were pretty good yourself," Sanosuke returned. "But as both of us have been Kenshin whipped at least twice, we should know what we're doing."
Aoshi then turned and watched sadly as Kaoru made a fuss over Kenshin's wounds. She took him into her arms and they held each other. "I was afraid I lost you." he heard her say before quietly slipping off.
Aoshi looked cautiously at the jug of sake. He had brought it out to the place he and Kaoru had kissed earlier that day planning to get wasted. He felt like such a fool. Why should he be jealous of something that had been in place long before he had become a real part of Kaoru's life.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
He jumped and was surprised to find Kaoru standing in the darkness behind him.
"Is the Battousai alright?" he asked.
"Just a few cuts, but nothing major," she said taking a seat beside him. "Thank you for helping save him."
"I owe him a lot." Aoshi answered and gasped.
Kaoru had moved into his lap so that she was facing him and kissed him. He didn't kiss her back even when she slid her tongue across his upper lip.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"That's a stupid question. Attempting to kiss you senseless. Unfortunately you don't seem to be cooperating." She gave him a wry smile.
"But what about Kenshin?"
Her eyes sparkled. "Oh, I suppose he could be a groomsmen or flower girl, but I'll leave that up to you."
"You still love him."
"Yes, and in a way I suppose I always will, but for some crazy reason I want to be out here with you and not inside with him."
"I'm nothing like him." Aoshi's eyes widened as Kaoru began removing his shirt and kissing down his chest.
"I'll make you a deal." She said between kisses. "I promise I won't compare you to Kenshin, if you promise not to compare me to Hannya."
"I think I need a drink." Aoshi said as she flicked her tongue across his collar bone.
"No," Kaoru kissed him softly on the lips. "I definitely want us both to remember tonight."
Complete
A/N: Thanks for reading; I hope you enjoyed. Please drop me a review and let me know either way.
A/K fans: After this they get married and have lots of babies.
K/K fans: She's just using him for his body, she'll be back to Kenshin in a few weeks.
H/A fans: Let me know if you'd like to read the prequel about the original night to forget. (Just kidding. Yuck!)