Disclaimer:... Hmmm... well I've done a number of these... but.. whatever... I do not own Caine, ... but I wish I did ;).... and I don't own Kung Fu... nor do I own David Carradine.. again... though I wish I did... its not for lack of trying I assure you P... Don't sue me.. please.. I'm poor enough...

Authors note:... Well... due to issues beyond my control. I am back... My pen name before was Rae Smith, and I did a Matrix fic so long ago... but since my old E-mail's being a pain, I re-registered to save myself some trouble.

This fic is AU, and set during the original Kung Fu series... which was the greatest T.V series ever... IMHO of course ;). I'm putting it here coz there IS no section for the original... which is a shame... so I post it here. Who knows.. maybe I'll pioneer a new section....

Anywhoo... enjoy

DREAMS OF HOME

A Forgotten Cavern ...

Caine sat quietly, his legs crossed, in a flawless lotus position. From his perch on a small knoll overlooking the western countryside, he could see the sun as it rose from the east. His thoughts returned to his home in China, as they so often did. He would never truly admit it... for even to admit it to himself brought on a small pang of homesickness... but he missed it. Missed China, missed the monastery, he even missed the hours of grueling chores that were ecpected of him, both to prepare for the day and maintain the temple. His soul wept when he thought of home, and his heart ached, as though on its last beat.

But he knew that he could never return... Not after what he had done, his crime seemingly unforgivable. How it shamed him, a Shaolin priest, running through this country of bigots, seeking kindness from those who shun him for his race and heritage, with a price on his head. For a murder that was committed in defense of his master... It was a painful truth and Caine had gotten used to it, but no matter how used to it he seemed to get... it still hurt to think of home. As the sun rose higher in the sky, Caine rose from the ground with it. He would again keep moving, shifting from town to town, and from desert to mountain, moving where-ever the wind took him. As much as he missed home... this lifestyle wasn't so bad... even with a price on his head. At least this way, he was mostly free to roam as he pleased, discovering the landscape and the secrets of this strange new world and culture as he wished.

As he moved down the slope, careful not to fall over the thick bristly, underbrush that lined the less sandy areas, he reveled in the silence of the desert land of this unfamiliar land. Here lurked no loud noises, no crowds, nothing to break the steady thoughts of the monk. Only the sounds of his black leather boots snapping the fragile branches of the dry brush as he walked over them, his steps light. The sun capped over the facade of the mountains that lined the vast horizon, shining into Caine's eyes, making him squint slightly. He lowered the brow of his wide-brimmed hat, using the sand covered, brown brushed leather surface as an impromptu sun visor. As he did this.. He noticed a rock ledge near him. As if on cue, winds began to pick up and sand began to swirl around, clouding around Caine, coating his thin, tan brushed leather jacket and hat. He started toward the ledge, hoping to seek shelter from the impending sand-storm.

He reached the ledge with no difficulty, and stood for a few moments as the storm reached full intensity, moving like an angry sea of golden sand. Caine always found these events intriguing, never having witnessed them before arriving to his new found existence. He leaned back against the solid rock face, his arms crossed patiently. Suddenly a gust of sand blew into his face, blinding him for a moment. He wiped the sand from his eyes and face, now realizing he would be forced to seek out a new place of refuge. He inched along the seeming wall of rock, his able, steady hands seeking out a place to hide... until they found a space, just big enough for him to maneuver in. He stood there for a few moments, then looked toward the back of the break in the rock formation.

The crack was large, but to Caine's surprise, there seemed to be no end to it. In fact, it looked to be the mouth of a large pocket within the mountain. Caine forced his slender frame back further and further, confirming his suspicions. The opening was getting bigger the further back he went. He pressed on further and further in, until the sounds of the storm were barely audible. He went in just a bit deeper, until finding himself looking into a large open space, a cavern completely forgotten by time itself....