You guys got lucky, i've recently become obsessed with this fic. ------------------------
Kaoru woke up to the smell of coffee.
She tried to sit up, but pain raced across her chest and she collapsed back against the bed.
"Lay still, Miss Kaoru, I am coming." Kenshin said, walking through the door with a small tray.
"Where am I?" she asked, disoriented.
"You are in my apartment, that you are. You are hurt, now stay still." He said, sitting the tray on a nearby bedstand.
He uncovered the tray and she found herself staring down at the small banquet.
Scrambled eggs, bacon, rice pudding, and some things she couldn't recognize. He sat on the edge of the bed and helped her sit up on the pillows.
"Who are you?" she asked, "And why do you know my name?"
he shrugged, "ex-cop." he said, offhandedly.
He picked up the spoon and dipped it in the rice pudding, he brought it to her mouth and stared at her when she refused to eat it.
"I promise, it's not poisoned. I am not a very good cook, but it's food." he said, looking verry much like her adopted mother.
She opened her mouth to reply that she was not hungry when he shoved the spoon in her mouth.
She chewed, and her eyes grew wide as she swallowed.
"It is not good?" He asked, looking at her curiously.
"Are you kidding? It's great!...I just don't like people that can cook better than i do." She mumbled the last part.
He fell out of his seat, the spoon in the air.
"Oro." He mumbled.
He picked himself back up and went to get another spoonful.
He brought it to her mouth and she opened it, realizing how hungry she truly was.
"I can feed myself." She complained.
"I know, but i'd rather do it." he said, spooning another bite into her mouth.
Her raven hair was touseled from sleep, and had a slight frizz to it.
When she had eaten the last bite, he left her to get some water and fresh bandages.
He was dreading what came next.
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Sanouske tossed the long uncosious man against the glass and watched as his limp form slid to the floor.
He stalked out of the room and into the hallway.
"Yahiko, where is she?!" He demanded, more to himself.
He paced the hospital, brushing off the nurse's complaints.
Suddenly a ringing sound was heard from his room.
he ran down the hall and swung into his room, digging through his jacket, he pulled out a cell phone.
"Sagara." He said, staring out the window.
"Sanouske, it's The Ronin, I have the little Bird, don't worry." came the coded message.
He sighed and sat down on the side of the tiny hospital bed.
She was safe.
He pulled on his coat and walked out, smiling to Yahiko as he went.
"What did you find out?" yahiko said, walking behind him.
"Do you want to know?" Sanouske asked over his shoulder.
"Yes!" Yahiko said.
"Then follow me, and tell noone." Sano said, walking out into the harsh sunlight.
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"Miss Kaoru?" kenshin asked, pushing open the door.
She sat up quickly, then fell back again, a grimace of pain on her face.
"I have brought bandages, salve, and warm water, we need to clean those wounds." he said, warily.
She nodded to him, but watched him closely.
He cut carefully with the razor donw to the rise of her breasts and let the bandages fall away, bloody and useless.
He soaked a rag in the warm water and brought it over her shoulders and squeezed.
The blood ran away and he could see his handywork with a needle.
it was clean stitches, and they had held.
he washed away the excess blood and stared at the bloody wound over her heart.
He controlled himself as he put salve on her wounds and re-wrapped her chest.
He set the rag in the bowl and took the excess wrap and left the room.
He went into the lower floor of his home, leaving the bowl and wraps in the kitchen.
He grabbed his sakabatou and practiced, his bare chest slick with sweat as he released his anger, taking it out on the manikin. he should have killed the bastard.
Suddenly, movement behind him caused him to turn.
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Sanouske let himself into Kenshin's apartment, padding with unnatural grace across the floor to where hushed grunts and breathing came from.
He stood in the doorway and watched the samurai as he released his anger, stabbing and slicing at imaginary attackers as he moved with a catlike grace.
Suddenly kenshin turned on him and he caught the blade.
"Woah, i aint trying to kill ya yet, battosai." Sanouske grinned as the smaller man withdrew his sword.
"Yet?" Kenshin felt better.
"I brought the runt." Sanouske said, nodding toward the door.
Suddenly Yahiko rushed in, his gun pointing strait at kenshin's eye.
"Where's Kaoru you bastarD?!" He demanded, switching between Sanouske and kenshin.
"Oi, kid, we didn't hurt her. She's three doors down that hallway." Kenshin said, his voice changed just slightly.
"Then you go first." Yahiko said, pointing with the gun.
Kenshin and Sanouske walked, hands in the air, toward kaoru's room.
"Miss Kaoru?" Kenshin asked, peeking in.
The raven haired detective was asleep, her face a deeper shade, thankfully.
"Shh." He said, walking silently into the room.
When Yahiko saw kaoru, he backed toward her.
He felt her pulse and motioned for them to sit down.
"Kaoru?" Yahiko asked, close to her face. "Kaoru, wake up....Wake up ugly."
He ended up against the wall.
"What did you call me you squirt?!" She mumbled.
Then she sat up and opened her eyes.
"What the hell?" she demanded, looking at Kenshin and Sanouske, who were being held at gunpoint by Yahiko.
"Kaoru, Come on, let's get out of here!" Yahiko yelled at her.
"Kenshin, if you touch my deshi, I'm gonna kill you." Kaoru said, sensing the ronin tense. "Yahiko, put the gun down." When he didn't immediately comply, "NOW."
He walked over to her and handed her the gun.
"Kaoru, that's the battosai!" Yahiko hissed in her ear.
Kaoru turned on the now frightened red head.
"Oh..." He sighed as he jumped up and began to run for his life.
Kaoru was PISSED.
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You guys can suffer for a while while i find something to eat and turn up the heat.
Now, i'm gonna go to bed, and yall are gonna read.
Now's not the time to play 'who's the better killer?'! -Riddick But.. That's my favorite game! -me