I groaned slightly awakening from my slumber and felt an odd pressure against my chest. I opened my eyes and looked down noticing Misao had fallen asleep lying her head against my chest. She was probably up half the night watching over me and was too exhausted to get up and move to her blanket. I realised that the hand that was caressing my bangs last night was now placed against the warm skin of my neck while her other one was placed over our names on the shirt. Misao had stayed with me, making sure I was comforted and well rested. I smiled looking down at her face and noticed Misao shiver. I moved slightly and found my trench coat beside me. I placed it over Misao and she mumbled lightly and tried snuggling closer to me. A smile touched my lips and I placed my hand on her head brushing my fingers through her dark silken tresses.

"Aoshi…" I haltered and looked down noticing Misao had tilted her head up smiling and I watched as her eyes began to flicker around as she was waking up. In a matter of seconds those blue eyes gazed into mine and I watched a bright blush form over her cheeks as she shrieked a little sitting straight up. I leaned on my elbows tilting my head slightly adding to her embarrassment even more.

"A-Aoshi-sama I'm sorry." She now placed her hands over her face being the small young girl again, awaiting to be yelled at as though she had done something wrong. I now sat fully up wrapping my coat around her more securely as it was quite chilly in the early morning. Her hands slowly dropped from her face and I soon spoke looking into her eyes.

"Sorry for what Misao? Because of you I have finally slept peacefully, no nightmares this time. I thank you." She had gasped realising what I said and she smiled a beautiful smile at me.

"We should be heading off soon, we must make our destination by today." I watched as she nodded and got up taking off the coat and walking over to pack her stuff up. I placed on my usual tops and walked over wrapping the shirt around Misao's petite form giving her my body heat. She turned around looking at me quizzically and I spoke turning back to pack up my own gear.

"I can not have you catching a cold Misao, so please stay warm."

"Arigatoo for caring Aoshi-sama…" I turn around hearing her say this but she has her back to me doing up the buttons on the shirt and grabbing her other equipment. Caring? Yes…I do care for Misao…a lot… I had spoken inside of me.

"Lets go." And with that we were once travelling again.

xxxxxxx

Hours had passed as night had fallen. Misao and I were still walking, the full moon guiding us through the forest. I glanced down at Misao noticing she occasionally looked above us in the gaps of the trees to find the stars being covered by dark clouds, which were coming in rather fast. The wind picked up making it rather cold, even for someone like myself. If I was cold I wander how Misao is feeling. I turned back to our path ahead concentrating on not falling over when I heard a muffled squeal. I turned around noticing Misao was no longer by my side as she was lying on the forest floor.

"Stupid bloody rock!" I heard her mumble and watched as she reefed the medium sized rock out of the ground and throwing it metres away from us. Her anger and frustration was too cute. She fumed on the ground for a few more seconds and then stood up only to collapse to the forest floor once again holding onto her right ankle. I now squatted down taking off her shoe and looking at her swollen foot.

"It must be sprained." I spoke placing her shoe into my pack.

"Misao no baka…" I heard her mumble and I stood up placing my hand out for her to take.

"We must go Misao, it is not safe to be around these parts of the forest." She nodded silently staggering to get up and lost her balance falling straight into my chest.

"G-gomen nasai…" she had mumbled against my chest. She gasped in surprise when I took her pack off making her hold it in front of her and swept her off her feet and began walking once more. Minutes of silence went by occasionally interrupted by the rumbling of thunder and the wind hallowing. Misao had begun to shake in my arms not being able to control her shivering. I placed my fingers on her skin and my eyes widened at how ice-cold she really was. Not once had she complained and yet she was freezing. I placed her on her feet and waited until she steaded herself properly. Her eyes flickered up at mine curiously. I noticed the blue tinge on her bottom lip as the last part of moonlight was now taken away. Seconds past as I watched her shiver at the first lot of raindrops that fell towards us. I took off my coat and placed Misao's arms in the sleeves and wrapped it securely around her. Her blue eyes were wide and she shook her head negatively indicating she didn't want the coat. I took no notice and picked her up once again and began walking.

"No Aoshi-sama, take it back, I'm okay."

"No." Was my final answer and nothing else was uttered between us.

Minutes passed as the rain was falling harder now slightly blurring my vision. I faulted in my walking trying to flick my long bangs away and froze when Misao's now warm fingers came out from the long sleeves and brushed my soaking hair away from my eyes. Even though I could hardly see anything I knew she would be blushing. I soon felt as she shifted slightly and wrapped her now clothed arms around my shoulders and neck, placing her head under my chin hoping to warm me up. She still had no idea that her being with me and in my arms for that matter was already doing the job just fine. I began walking once more and Misao seemed to sense that everytime I faulted a little she knew to bring one of her hands up to brush my long bangs away again. Her skin was icy cold, or was that just mine? I knew she had fallen into a half-asleep and half-awake phase because she still wiped my long bangs out of my face.

I squinted my eyes and could see the faint lanterns burning in house windows. We are so close to Tokyo now. I picked up my pace walking faster and was now walking down a dark muddy pathway to the Kamiya Dojo. I could hear faint voices coming from within the gates as some of the members of the household must have been sitting on the front porch watching the lightning flicker through the sky. I elbowed the gate intending that as my knock and soon heard a gruff voice, which was none other then Sagara.

"Who's there? I warn you I'm armed." I shook my head and spoke back in my usual emotionless tone.

"What with sake and dice?" There was silence and the gate creaked open and Sagara's head poked around the corner and spoke again.

"Icicle?" He finally confirmed it was I and opened the gate more letting me in. He slammed it shut and walked back over to the porch sliding the front door open more and yelled inside for Himura and the Kamiya girl who were not outside.

"Shinomori and a sleeping weasel are here!" My eyes shrunk at his rude behaviour and I felt Misao shift slightly but she did not awaken nor loose her grip around my shoulders and neck. I heard footsteps from inside and came face to face with Himura. He held a yukata as though he was folding it and he froze realising it was me. The small widening of his violet eyes and the slight freezing in his walking was the only indication that he was surprised to see me. He side stepped gesturing for me to enter the dojo and I slipped my shoes off walking inside and located a spare room, the only room I realised which was free and placed Misao down gently on her feet. I unwrapped her out of the now damp coat and took off her other shoe and placed her under the covers of the futon. She curled snugly into the blankets sighing contently and I ran my fingers over her right cheek and then got up leaving the room. Himura never missed my action either, but he never spoke of it as well. We moved into the main room sitting down as Himura placed out some cups and poured some hot tea. I looked around and spoke to him.

"Where is Kaoru-san?"

"She is in the city."

"Aa, so that is why it is so quiet." I spoke back and glanced over at Himura who nodded his head, but stopped and blushed embarrassedly at agreeing with me. I shook my head slightly and spoke again.

"Are you not concerned for her well-being?" I watched as Himura sipped his tea and he placed it down looking over at me while placing that stupid smile on his face that he always had.

"What would you have me do? Follow her around like some stalker? She is old enough and has many skills to keep her safe. Besides she is with Megumi-san at the clinic." I narrowed my eyes looking over at him behind my long bangs as though all of that referred to me with Misao.

"So Aoshi, what brings you to Tokyo? Business?" I looked over at him once more, finishing my cup of tea and stood up talking to him once more.

"Personal matters actually. Do you mind if we speak of this tomorrow? It is late and we have been travelling for days." He nodded his head and soon walked out the door going to a cupboard getting me out another futon and walking over to the room I had placed Misao in. He handed it to me wordlessly and bowed his head slightly indicating goodnight and left to go back into the main room. I opened the shoji door silently and closed it behind me. Misao was sitting up in the futon her right leg bent. I watched as she untied her sash bringing it out in front of her and grabbed a kunai ripping some of the material. She had begun wrapping it around her ankle hoping this would help mend it faster. She bent over tying it up and her onmitsu uniform was parted even more giving me a view of her bound breasts. I fisted my free hand and cleared my throat indicating I was in the room. I watched Misao jolt slightly as she looked up, a soft smile etched on her lips. She seemed to have no embarrassment left in her, or she had not noticed about her top as she lay back down in the futon curling on her side looking over at me. I lost eye contact with her as I rolled out the futon on the floor and placed my kodachi's beside it. I sat on the bed taking off my socks, knowing Misao was watching my every move. It made my heart beat wildly and yet I pretended as though I were the only one in the room. I grabbed my pack locating my sleeping yukata and hesitated a little at changing shirts. I closed my eyes cursing myself silently as it was only Misao and took a deep breath reefing them off in one go and reached over for my yukata. I heard a slight gasp coming from Misao and turned around when I felt the slight pressure of her fingers on my side. Her eyes were fixed on a scar and I slightly shivered when she drew her fingers down it.

"Misao?" I spoke quietly getting her attention and she blushed taking her fingers away and sinking further into the blankets feeling rather embarrassed. I placed on the yukata and climbed into the futon wrapping the blanket around myself.

"I remember…" I heard Misao's tearful voice and turned over facing her. Her back was to me and I moved over getting closer to her, leaning over her with one arm holding me up and the other rolled her back over so I could look at her. Those eyes glistened with tears and I watched as one cascaded down her cheek. I wiped it away and leaned closer placing a soft kiss on her cheek and whispered in her ear.

"Sleep well Misao." I moved back over to my futon and turned away from her, as I felt the heat rise in my cheeks at my bold move. Never had I been like that with Misao. Was the ice around my heart finally melting? Had Misao finally warmed my heart? I closed my eyes and listened to her soft whisper.

"That scar was my fault…" My eyes snapped open hearing that and I listened to her speak once again.

"I bet…many of those scars are because of me. Y-you saved me numerous times never once thinking of yourself. If I ever got the chance to save you Aoshi-sama…I would…I will…" I turned over hearing the last part noticing she had fallen asleep. I moved my hand out from under the blankets and cupped her soft cheek and spoke quietly looking over at her beautiful sleeping features.

"You already are." I reached up grabbing the candle and blew it out. The room fell into darkness with the sound of soft rain hitting the roof of the Kamiya girl's dojo. I could hear Misao's even breathing and soon fell into a blissful sleep myself, one full of hopes and dreams with Misao and the other Oniwabanshuu.

Xx TBC xX