Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin…come to think of it, I don't own anything! SOB!!

Ok, you must know that I'm risking a lot by updating the story, coz I have a biology exam tomorrow and I haven't started studying yet! I was even planning not to update, but when I saw all ur nice reviews, I decided to update, anyway. Alright, this is chapter 5, my favorite until now…I really hope u enjoy it.

Read on, folks.

Chapter 5: Needs

'Hey, where are you ladies off to?'

Megumi adjusted the straps of her green t-shirt, and linked arms with Kaoru.

'We are going to the mall' she told him, grinning. Sano groaned. 'Don't worry; I'm not getting you bankrupt this time…I'm going to buy one dress'

'Yeah, right' Sano scoffed, turning his attention back to the football game which was playing on the TV.

Kaoru eased her arm away from Megumi. 'I dunno, maybe I shouldn't be going out with you, guys' she said.

'Oh, don't be silly…we'll have loads of fun' Megumi told her. 'It's been a long time since we went out on a shopping trip together'

'Yeah, especially after Kaoru got married off to Kenshin' Misao snorted, and realized she had said the wrong thing once the words left her mouth.

Kaoru looked away from them. 'Really, I don't feel like going out' she murmured. 'Maybe I'll just stay here with Sano'

Megumi glared at Misao. 'Stay here with Sano?!' she said shrilly. 'Are you kidding me?! You won't rest for a minute! Sano will be treating you like a servant, trust me when I say this'

Kaoru hesitated. 'Oh, alright…I'll go' she agreed.

'Great!' Megumi exclaimed. She pulled the front door open, and they all filed into the hallway. 'Bye, Sano!' she called before shutting the door.

The left the building and started along the sidewalk.

Megumi and Misao chattered animatedly, but Kaoru kept silent most of the time. Even when her friends tried to drag her into conversation, all she said was 'yes' and 'no'.

By the time they had reached the mall, they had finally given up on getting her to talk and started pointing out the different stores to her.

'Just look at that boutique, Kaoru! It has the best of clothes!'

'And that store, it has the best of sportswear'

'Now that shop is terrific, I always shop there…the jeans there is simply fabulous'

Kaoru felt as she was having a headache. She's had enough with this cheering-up-Kaoru attitude. She needed her space.

'Guys! Guys!' she cried, interrupting Misao in mid-sentence. 'Listen, you go shopping without me…I don't feel like trying stuff on at the moment'

Megumi stared at her. 'But, Kaoru!' she protested. 'You should really have a look at these…'

'Maybe some other time, Megumi…but not now, I feel a bit tired' she told her.

'Shall we take you back home?' Misao asked.

'No, I'll just…I'll wait for you in that pub, okay?' she said.

'Well…' Megumi hesitated, and eyed the pub uncomfortably.

'I can take care of myself, Megumi' Kaoru pointed out, raising her eyebrows at her friend.

'Of course you can' she murmured. 'Okay, we'll meet you there in about an hour…don't go anywhere'

Kaoru smiled wearily, waved at her friends, and crossed the mall's floor to the small pub.

She stepped into the pub, and made her way to the bar, where she settled on one of the stools. She swung a little as she waited for the bartender to attend her.

'Hey, love…what do I get you?'

Kaoru stared up at the character standing before her. 'Er…' she said.

'What's the matter?' the bartender asked. 'Is there something on my face?'

'Um…no, er…' she sputtered.

'You can call me Kamatari' the bartender told her.

'You work here? I mean, I always knew bartenders to be men' Kaoru murmured.

'Men? But I am a man, sweetie' Kamatari replied, looking slightly puzzled.

Kaoru fought hard to keep her mouth from hanging open, but she couldn't help but stare at Kamatari.

Damn! He looks gorgeous! Maybe even prettier than me…oh, the tragedy!!

'Is everything okay in there?' Kamatari asked her, frowning.

Kaoru managed a weak smile. 'Yes…fine' she said.

'So, what do I get you? Beer? Wine? Scotch?...Sake?' he asked.

'Um…what do you suggest?' she asked.

'Well, I'd go for Sake myself' Kamatari told her. 'Nothing lifts up your spirits better than Sake'

'Well…' she hesitated. She really needed some spirit-lifting.

But you're allergic to Sake; you'll start acting like an idiot if you have it…her rational mind intercepted.

'Okay, get me some Sake' she agreed.

Moron…

Kamatari quickly slid a small tankard of Sake in front of her.

Kaoru took a small sip and shuddered.

Kamatari folded his arms against the bar. 'You look like someone with something weighing on her mind' he said knowingly.

'How do you know?' she demanded.

'Experience' Kamatari said simply.

Kaoru took another sip from her tankard. She was beginning to feel a little light-headed already.

This Sake must be too strong…

'Well, you could say that' she admitted.

'Care for a little chat?' he asked.

Kaoru cocked her head to one side. 'You wouldn't understand' she muttered.

'Try me' he said, challengingly.

Kaoru found herself pouring her heart out to a complete stranger…a complete weird stranger too. She wanted to stop, this was wrong…she was letting a bartender into her personal life…it was not fair, for her…and for Kenshin…

Kenshin…

'His name is Kenshin?' Kamatari asked, frowning slightly.

'Uh-huh' Kaoru replied.

'Funny' he murmured.

'What's funny about what I'm telling you?' she snapped, trying to shake the dizziness out of her head.

'Well, a couple of nights ago a guy with the name Kenshin came in here' Kamatari told her.

Kaoru sat up straight, gripping the tankard tightly. 'What did he look like?' she asked.

Could it have been Kenshin? My own Kenshin? Had gone to a bar the day I left him? Went to enjoy his new freedom? Could it be…?

'Well, violet eyes, long crimson hair…' Kamatari said dreamily. 'And a beautiful scar across his cheek…oh, he was amazing'

Kaoru sat there, breathing heavily.

It was Kenshin.

'What was his name?' she croaked.

'Ken-ii…sorry, I mean, Kenshin' Kamatari replied, smiling.

Kaoru's worst doubts were confirmed.

'Mind you…' Kamatari continued. 'He looked pretty upset then…said his wife had left him or something'

'He…he was?' she sputtered.

'Yep' he replied, and took a glance at her tankard. 'Should I fill it for you?'

'What?' she said, a bit distractedly. Kamatari nodded at her tankard. 'Um, yes, please'

Kamatari eyed her suspiciously as he poured some more Sake into her tankard. 'Do you know Ken-ii from somewhere?' he asked.

Kaoru fixed him in a steely gaze. 'He is my husband' she told him.

'Oh' Kamatari murmured. 'But…from what you said, I assumed you don't want to have anything to do with him'

'Well…' Kaoru sighed, and took a long drink from her Sake. 'I really don't know'

'Listen to me, sweetheart…a guy like him doesn't deserve you, you have to ditch him right away' Kamatari said quickly, without looking at her.

'You do?' she asked.

'Yeah, I mean, a guy like that will cheat on you over and over again' he told her.

If Kaoru wasn't so drunk, maybe she'd have figured out that Kamatari was only trying to make her ditch Kenshin so he could have a go at him, but, unfortunately, Kaoru was so drunk her head was threatening to drop off her shoulders with heaviness.

Kaoru gasped. 'He will?' she demanded.

'Yeah, trust me, I'm on expert in that department…I've suffered a lot from guys myself' Kamatari told her.

'How am I supposed to trust you? I only met you thirty minutes ago' she pointed out.

'Well, you thought you could trust Kenshin, and you've known him for like what…six years?' Kamatari said in what seemed like a mocking voice.

Kaoru was snagged. She had to admit that Kamatari had a point; she didn't know what to say in reply.

Kaoru fidgeted with her purse. 'I…what's the bill?' she murmured.

'Fourteen dollars' Kamatari told her, a sympathetic look on his face.

Kaoru pulled out the notes, handed them to Kamatari, and then left the bar, feeling very heavy in the head.

Every footstep weighed her down, and she felt like she was about to collapse, and not just because of the Sake.

Kaoru winced.

Trust…Honesty…Love…

Will I ever feel those again?

Meanwhile…

Kenshin stood on a bridge.

He leaned over the railing and stared down at the deep waters beneath.

He could simply end this and leave this world of good.

Didn't everybody say that the after-life was a fantastic place?

Even if it wasn't, he didn't care.

Any place would be better than the hell he was welding in.

Kaoru…my sweet Kaoru…

…

'Notice me…take my hand…' he started to sing.

He leaned further over the railing.

'Why are we strangers when our love is strong?' he went on.'…why carry on without me?'

Kaoru…

'Every time I try to fly…I fall without my wings…I feel so small' he whispered. 'I guess I need you, baby'

I love you, Kaoru…

'And every time I see you in my dreams, I see your face…' he croaked. '…it's haunting me'

Tears stung his eyes.

'…I guess I need you, baby' he continued.

Kenshin looked again at the murky water river…his mind was set.

'I make belief…that you are here' he sang softly. 'It's the only way…I see clear…'

Kenshin looked around him. There was nobody in sight…and who would be at 2 o'clock in the morning?

'What have I done…you…you seem to move on easy' he carried on.

Kenshin took a deep breathe. He swung a leg over the railing.

'Every time I try to fly…I fall without my wings…' he said. 'I feel so small…I guess I need you, baby'

Kenshin swung the other leg over.

'And every time I see you in my dreams…I see your face…it's haunting me…' Kenshin murmured. '…I guess I need you baby'

Kenshin stared down at the water beneath him…he could drown himself and no on will know…no one will care…

'I may have made it rain, please forgive me…' he sang. 'My weakness caused your pain…and this song's my sorry…'

If only you were here to hear it, Kaoru…

'At night I pray…that soon your face will fade away…' he whispered.

Kenshin started easing himself further to the edge of the stone railing.

'Notice me…' Tears were rolling down his cheeks. '…take my hand…why are we strangers when…our love is so strong…'

Kenshin paused.

And it wasn't hesitation.

He and Kaoru loved each other…everybody envied them for their element of true love…

And what did everybody say about true love? It couldn't be destroyed…

If only…if only…

'I love you, Kenshin'

Kenshin started. He whirled around.

'Kaoru?!' he called out.

No…not Kaoru…just a girl and her boyfriend.

But it made something click inside him…it gave him a sign…

Kenshin gripped the railing, squeezed his eyes shut, and bit down on his bottom lip so hard he was starting to taste the ironic flavor of blood in his mouth…

No…he wasn't going to give up now…

He had to try one more time…one last time…

He pushed himself back on the solid ground, shuddering slightly.

He took one last look at the water, then turned and walked away.

I guess I need you, baby…

A/N: Ok, so I cheated a bit and used Britney's "Every time", but you gotta admit it was a nice touch; I put a lot of effort to make it look as good as possible.

Anyway, any comments on this chapter? If so, plz review. Oh, and u have all been asking me about that woman who phoned…well, I'm afraid u'll have to wait till later chapters, I've already got it all planned out…

-ZEN.