Hi everyone! I guess this story wasn't as successful as I thought it could be. I'm going post a few more chapters and see what happens. If nothing does, then I'll try something else out. Hopefully though, something good will happen. Any kind of response is always greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Keta Himura

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin

Protector

Chapter 5

"Misao!" Kaoru was giggling. Well, the situation was funny. The cool, emotionless man had been bowled over by the small, exuberant girl whose head barely reached above his shoulder. She knew that it was rude, but she couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh my gosh! I am so sorry!" Misao bounced back up. She leaned down to help the man up, while trying to explain herself. "I had my hand on the knob, but you pulled it open first and I was leaning against it and then I just fell forward." She stopped and fidgeted nervously beneath his steely gaze.

"I apologize as well. Just be careful next time you attempt to open a door." He said and walked out the door, past Keta, who had one hand clapped over her mouth to hold back her laughter.

"Sorry about that. Aoshi isn't exactly the most polite person around. Have a nice day." With that, Dt. Sagara left as well.

"That was so embarrassing!" Misao moaned when he had left. A few seconds later though, she was back to her normal bouncy, energetic self. "The doctor said that we could visit with you as long as we didn't talk you to death!" She said.

"No. She said that to you. I think that her first impression of you was extremely accurate." Keta said as she shut the door behind her. "Hello Mr. Kamiya."

"Hello girls. I hope you're both doing well. I guess I'll just go find something to eat while you visit." With that he left the room.

"So, Misao told me that you two had quite the adventure the other day." Keta began.

Kaoru looked at her friend, trying to guess what she was talking about. Keta stared directly back. Her eyes had always somewhat unnerved Kaoru. The two colors, green and blue, always seemed to be fighting for dominance. In the blink of an eye, her eye color would shift, but when her emotions were out of control, the passive gold flecks in her eyes would blaze and the other colors would tumble together. She wore her pin-straight hair, simply. Cut at the shoulder and angled in the front. It was a mousy brown with a mess of natural gold highlights tumbling through it. She wore a tank top, revealing the iridescent scales of the green and blue dragon tattoo that curled on her left shoulder.

"I can't believe that you actually managed to sneak out! I also can't believe that you did it on the day that my grandparents just happened to come and visit! You couldn't have waited to do it another day?" Keta burst out, amusement bubbling in her eyes. Misao laughed and Kaoru smiled.

"If I had given her any more time to think about it, she never would have done it!" Misao chimed in.

"Yeah. I almost didn't do it, to tell the truth. I was stuck to the floor in the middle of my room because I was having an argument in my head with myself. I knew I shouldn't even consider the idea, but my wilder side insisted and got me into all this trouble." Kaoru laughed.

"How did your father react to everything?" Keta asked.

"He was really upset. He didn't show it, but you could just tell. I know that I'm going to have a lot more rules and restrictions placed on my head now. Hopefully I can still see you guys." Kaoru told her. They were quiet for a few more minutes before Misao broke the silence.

"That police officer was hot." The tone she spoke in was slightly dreamy. Kaoru and Keta's heads snapped in her direction, their mouths dropping open in shock.

"What!?" She asked, slightly defensively, looking back at them.

"There were two of them. Which one are you talking about?" Keta asked in a strangled voice. You could tell that she was choking back hysterical laughter now that she had gotten over Misao's statement.

"The one that I knocked over. He was so tall and handsome and his eyes were a beautiful, deep blue." Misao told them, her gaze unfocused.

"He was like a block of ice! The whole time he was in here he barely said anything! I think the most he spoke was to you and that time the shocking thing about it was that it was actually full sentence!" Kaoru burst out.

"Besides, isn't he a little too old for you? He looked about my cousin's age and he's twenty-five, so that guy definitely has to be in the mid-twenties. You're only seventeen!" Keta added sensibly.

"So, it's not that much of a difference." Misao said. "Anyway, it's not like I know his full name or that I'll ever see him again. I only said that I liked the way he looked."

"Actually, I know his full name." Kaoru said, the laughter behind her voice evident.

"You do? Tell me!" Misao said, latching on to Kaoru's uninjured arm.

"Should I?" Kaoru quirked an eyebrow at Keta, questioningly.

"I don't know. Maybe you should let her suffer a little. You know, for all the many practical jokes that have been played on us over the years." Keta said, mischievously.

"Hmmm. That is a good idea." Kaoru pretended to contemplate the idea, glancing at her nearly desperate friend. "Ahhh, never mind. I'll just tell her. I don't want to be too mean. Okay, his name was…" She trailed off, frowning. "I think I forgot." The fact was stated calmly.

"NO! How could you forget when you knew it two seconds ago!" Misao wailed.

"Okay, okay. Calm down, it was just a joke. His name was Shinomori. Aoshi Shinomori." Kaoru told her.

"Oh what a beautiful name." Misao sighed. Kaoru and Keta rolled their eyes at each other behind Misao's back.

"No stalking him or anything else weird like that, okay?" Keta said, but her voice fell on deaf ears. Misao was not paying her any attention in the least. She sighed and turned back to Kaoru.

"I don't know if that was such a good idea now." Kaoru joked. They both laughed.

"I don't know. We'll find out soon I guess." Keta paused. "So, when can you be released from the hospital?"

"Tomorrow. I don't know when I'll be allowed out of the house though. My father wasn't able to find a replacement bodyguard. He says that all of the agencies he's contacted have no one to spare at the moment and he thinks that all police officers are completely incompetent. It's really all my fault and I'm causing him so much stress. I bet he took off from work and he can't really afford to. Now his work will pile up and cause him to be even more strained." Kaoru told her.

"Kaoru, you know it's not your fault. It's whoever that bastard was who decided he wanted to kidnap you." Keta told her. "Your dad is a good guy. He gets that. And guess what? I think I have a way to solve the bodyguard problem too."

"Really? You know somebody? That would be such a great help for me and my father." Kaoru was excited as she leaned forward.

"Yeah. He's here with me right now. It's my cousin, you know the one I just mentioned. He's a bodyguard and he has a few years experience. I don't think that he has an employer right now and I'm sure he would be willing to take the job, even temporarily. You are one of my best friends anyway." Keta reassured Kaoru. "If you want, I can take your dad to meet him when he comes back."

"That would be amazing! I'm sure that my father will agree. Oh, thank you!" Kaoru hugged her friend.

"Hey, Kaoru, your dad's here!" Misao's chirpy voice broke their embrace.

"Father, Keta has someone that she thinks will be a good replacement, for the bodyguard." Kaoru told him excitedly. "I know you said that you couldn't find anyone and I told Keta and she said she knew someone. Her cousin and he's here right now!"

"Well, that is good news. I'll need to speak with him and set up a formal meeting, if he would be willing to accept the job. It would take a lot of stress out of my life right now." Kaoru's father said as he sat down in the chair next to her bed. "That would be really great if he would be willing to take it on."

"I'm sure he'll say yes. I can speak to him right now if you want." Keta was enthusiastic. "I'll do that, Misao come with me, I haven't introduced you to him yet anyway. We'll be back in a few minutes." They both hurried out the door on their mission.

Silence once again surrounded the occupants of the room. "Do you think that he will be alright? Keta said that he has a few years experience although he is only twenty-five, I think." Kaoru asked tentatively.

"We will have to see. I want a formal meting with him and I would like to speak with him now, if he is willing. I need to be able to judge what kind of person he is. When Keta and Misao come back with an answer, we'll see." Koshijirou replied.

A few minutes later, as promised, Keta and Misao came hurrying back into the room. "He said he would like to speak to you about the job before he decides, but he is pretty sure that he'll take it, that is if you want him, Mr. Kamiya." Keta said.

"Would he like to speak right now?" Koshijirou asked. "I would like to meet him as well."

"Sure! He's in the waiting room. My mother made him escort me here since he had nothing better to do. I'll introduce you to him now." They both left the room, this time leaving Misao behind to keep Kaoru company.

"The only reason he bought her is because her parents don't trust her and her driving skills with their new car." Misao said once that she was sure the Keta was out of earshot. "You should see her cousin, Kaoru. He is really cute! Aoshi is more my type, but seriously, you should see this guy's hair. Almost waist length and a beautiful red color. If your dad hires him I will be so jealous!"

"Okay. Calm down Misao. It's just a guy. When I see him, I see him." Kaoru told her over-excited friend.

"He was very distant though." Misao continued on as though she hadn't heard Kaoru at all. "Not with Keta, but he was extremely polite to me. He looks like he could be our age though and actually, he was short. A little taller than you probably; about Keta's height. Personally, I like the tall guys better."

"Like Aoshi?" Kaoru asked slyly.

"Yeah! Too bad this guy is short. Oh well, that just leaves him open for you to have!" Misao chirped.

"What? Who said I wanted him? I've never met him, let alone seen him!" Kaoru was taken aback by Misao's abrupt statement.

"Trust me. When you see him, you'll definitely be blown away."

"Whatever you say Misao." They both glanced at the industrial looking clock on the unadorned hospital wall. A small conversation had just been struck up about tutors and schoolwork, when Keta came back in alone.

"It might be awhile guys. I introduced them and your dad asked a few questions. Then they started talking about different sword fighting styles and their different techniques. My cousin is nearly a master swordsman in my style, like you father Kaoru. I'm nowhere near his level. From the way they were going on about it they could probably be there all day."

"I guess. That's too bad though because the visiting hours are almost over. It's almost six o'clock. At least I'll be released tomorrow, then hopefully you guys can come over and hang out to relieve me of the extreme state of boredom I'll be in." Kaoru told her friends.

"Definitely! Depending on what your allowed to do. You know we wouldn't pass up a chance to hang with you." Misao said happily.

"Thanks a lot for coming to see me today you guys. I'll see you soon. Oh, and send my dad back in this direction after you leave, okay?" Kaoru said as her friends got ready to leave.

"Sure. See ya!" Misao said.

"Bye." Was Keta's more placid response.

Once Kaoru was alone once more, she sagged tiredly back against the pillows. Although her friends visit had done her a lot of good, it had also made her extremely fatigued and all she wanted to do was close her eyes and sleep. So she did.

The reason for the long description about Keta is because she is an original character. Everyone knows what Kaoru, Misao, Aoshi, Sano and Megumi look like already. I modeled Keta after myself and the description is very accurate with a few tweaks and exaggerations here and there, but she is more or less, me.

You may have also noticed that I mentioned ages. Kaoru, Misao and Keta are all seventeen. Sano is twenty three, Aoshi is twenty four and Megumi is twenty six. I know that everyone has, by now, figured out that Keta's red haired cousin is Kenshin. For this fanfiction he will be twenty five.

Keta Himura