Promise Me

And you look at me,

and give me that 'come here baby' smile.

Its all gonna be alright.

You take my hand.

You pull me close and you hold me tight.

And it's the sweet love you give to me,

That makes me believe we can make it through anything.

Cause when it all comes down, feeling like I'll never last,

I just lean on you, cause, baby, you're my better half.

- Keith Urban (Be Here)

-

It was one of those rainy afternoons that weren't depressing at all. It was a calming and sweet melody playing against the windows, soothing the young people inside the hotel room.

They were just lazing around, talking quietly as to not disturb the peaceful moment. A small girl and boy were curled up on the couch together, having fallen asleep after a very boring movie. His arms wrapped protectively around her waist, and she leaned into him.

A very 'Aw…' worthy moment.

Away from everyone else, a tall man with a bandana stood talking into a phone, a small smile playing on his lips. As the affectionate word 'Fox' slipped from him, his smile grew even larger. Obviously he cared about whoever was on the other side of the conversation.

A very gasp-in-joy-and-happiness worthy moment.

Across the room from the tall bandana man was another tall man and a young girl with a very long braid. They sat huddled over a book, occasionally pointing at something, allowing fingertips to touch and blushes to grace faces. A small smile from the girl could melt the ice in his eyes so fast, it was like global warming. With less disastrous results.

A very squeal worthy moment.

But away from everyone, almost overlooked in fact, was another couple. She sat on a couch, hair loose and billowing around her shoulders. She leaned forward with a big smile, one that radiated happiness and bliss.

What was she looking down at?

A pair of bright amethyst eyes stared up at her, twinkling with mischievousness and unbound, pure joy. Dark red hair framed his face, making him look somewhat feminine. Her fingers sifted through his hair, combing it and making random tweaks whenever he said anything too frivolous. He had let his hair down, so it surrounded them both, bright and shining.

He looked up at her with such caring and fondness, it made one wonder. We're they lovers? Married? Just two teenagers blissfully in love and didn't know it?

…who knows?

But this was a Kodak moment that could stir even the coldest hearts. It would make older couples yearn for that long lost passion, and younger children think of fairytale princes and princesses.

In the background, the happy, light notes of 'Freckles' played through a radio, making Kaoru hum along and grin. The words of this song were so different from the beat.

"I just can't see it anymore. Oh-oooh-oooh!"

She giggled. A slender finger lightly traced the scar on his face. She often wondered how he gotten it. But…who was she to pry into his past? As long as he stayed by her, she would be fine.

He closed his eyes, smiling.

But, as I have said before, God wasn't very good at letting them bask in this happiness.

Sano closed his phone, a big grin on his face. He turned and clapped his hands loudly. All head's turned to him, even Kenshin's, which was a bit difficult since he was in Kaoru's lap.

"Alright, I've been thinking."

Kenshin looked away, turning his nose to Kaoru's stomach and closing his eyes.

"That's never good," he muttered, ignoring the glare sent his way. Kaoru smiled and pulled a strand of his hair, causing his eyes to blink open.

"Anyways," Sanosuke continued, growling quietly at Kenshin, "We should make a pact."

Silence.

"Could you be any more vague, Sano?" Kaoru dryly asked, laying her head on Kenshin's stomach so that they were both laying down, somehow managing to keep his head in her lap.

"I could, possibly, but that's not the point now. We should make a pact, you know, to meet up here later on. Like a reunion kinda. Maybe. I dunno."

Misao stared at him, eyebrow twitching in annoyance.

"Sounds like you have the whole thing planned out. You idiot. You're still being vague. WHEN? WHERE! Specifically, not generally. At what particular time? HOW LONG?"

Sano swept his windblown hair back into place, frowning. "I was going to wait for your opinion on those things."

Everyone paused, and Kaoru began to snore on Kenshin.

"Okay. Fine. Right here. 2:00 in the afternoon on…May 16. Five years from now. It depends on our own selves later on how long it will be."

The group blinked, eyes widening. This was a powerful pact. If Misao, Kaoru, Yahiko, and Tsubame left, how long would it be before they all met again? Could this one pact be the thing that brought them back together? Or would they all know each other, keep in touch. Would that be possible?

Everyone nodded in serious agreement.

And Yahiko sleepily yawned, sitting up and relinquishing his hold on the blushing Tsubame.

"What happened?"

'Kami-sama.'

Kaoru pulled her robe on over her dripping bathing suit. She had agreed to leave the pool early.

Three guesses as to what could pull our blue eyed girl from the paradise that was the pool area.

Yep, Kenshin had asked her to meet him in his room. Apparently, he was staying in the shower a bit longer than she had. She hadn't bothered changing into something else, and just took a shower in her bathing suit.

Eh, it was quicker.

She wasn't trying to tempt her rurouni. Nope. Her? No way.

Hey, it was hard enough knowing he was naked in the shower, just a wall away from her. Drool. Except she couldn't, since the moisture seemed to have descended. She squirmed and shook her head.

She headed for Kenshin's bed, flying onto it and smiling as she inhaled his scent. It was a wild tameness, like pine fresh from the forest. The forest and Kenshin. Nice mix. Her hands came under the pillow to pull it closer to her head, and she came in contact with something hard.

"Hmm?"

A book. A very old book. Maybe…a journal?

Her eyes widened. The dark blue book held no sign of being anything important at all. She opened it to the first page, eyes widening at she saw Kenshin's handwriting.

Hello.

Sanosuke says I'm stupid to do this. Confide in a book, that is. But, somehow, I feel that if I don't tell someone, I'll burst. Really, I do feel stupid. I'm 14, telling a book my worst fears. I'm almost nervous about writing, just because someone might find it.

Oh well. Life can't get more screwed than it is.

I feel lost sometimes. I'm too young to have to deal with this. With the blood that stains my damned hands, I feel like I can no longer see the innocence of anything. Sano says I'm too cold, too emotionless. Heh. Cold.

If only he could understand that I do feel. I feel all the time. Regret, guilt, anger, hatred, madness. Hm…I'd say that's a bit far from emotionless, ne?

Kaoru stopped reading a moment, her heart thudding. She had forgotten about that 'Saito thing' (as she had dubbed it), had forced herself to forget about it.

It seems that life as a hitokiri is too hard for me. I hate this, but its for the best. I'm helping to keep happiness in this era. Too many people are longing for a new government, and assassinations have become necessary for life to remain normal.

Oh well…life for me is no longer normal. Well…unless normalcy is killing on a daily basis…

Kaoru swallowed hard, flipping through the book to a new page. The terror and remorse of such a young boy made her vision blurry, and she couldn't take it any more.

Okay…middle of the book.

Hello again.

It has helped, I realize, to pour out my feelings. And so, I can finally say that I'm moving on. I'm no longer going to be a hitokiri, and won't kill again. Sanosuke and I have helped to create a new time, where we are no longer needed.

And I'm happy.

I've read over past entries, and realized…never once, in all of my tellings, have I ever mentioned my happiness.

And…so…life for me goes on. I will become normal in this crazy life I've created.

But really, what is normal?

I'm going to find out, and live life to its fullest. After all, I'm 19, aren't I? This is supposed to be the peak of my life, not too young, not too old.

Kaoru smiled, almost sadly. Kenshin…

She knew that he was an assassin. Or had been one. But it was good to know that he wasn't an insane killer. He killed for peace, for a new time that would bring joy.

And now, to the latest entry…

I can't believe I'm writing in this again.

I stopped a while ago, but I sudden felt like confiding in this faithful book. I'm 21 now, and happy. I can say I'm happy.


Why?

Do I even deserve happiness, for all the things I've done? Am I unworthy of it?

I don't know, but I am. Why?

Kamiya Kaoru. She's sweet, beautiful, and she's become one of my best friends.

Kaoru blinked, a frown forming. 'Best friends!'

I should be telling Sanosuke, shouldn't I? But somehow, I want this to be my secret, just for now even. Although, its no secret, according to Misao. But really, that I'm this crazy.

Imagine, me, Hitokiri Battousai, actually falli-

"Kaoru?"

Kaoru gasped and turned to see the shower door moving slightly. She bit her lip and shoved the book under his pillow, sitting up straight as Kenshin came out.

And then, life as she knew it stopped.

Okay, so it didn't. But it was enough to make her forget the book, even for this moment.

He had a towel wrapped around his slim waist, and small curls of steam surrounded his body. His unbound hair streamed down his back in dark, wet curls, making her finger's itch with the need to run through them. His violet eyes seemed to flash gold in the light, making her shiver. She had seen him wet and wearing the same amount of clothes (or lack of clothes) before, but somehow, with the heat and cloth barrier…

…down girl.

She smiled as he headed for his closet, then heard his voice on the other side of the door.

"Sorry for making you wait. Were you bored?"

Kaoru glanced at his pillow, wincing and looking away quickly.

"Nope. Just read a bit…"

The rain had lessened by the middle of the afternoon, but slowly became worse. Kaoru stood in front of the glass window, watching rain fall in torrents upon the eroding earth. Warmth surrounded her, and Kenshin slipped his arms around her waist. She took a deep breath, smiling when she smelled hot chocolate.

Sano had declared it an old tradition to drink hot chocolate and watch heavy rain fall. So there they were, drinking hot chocolate, watching heavy rain fall.

Kaoru briefly wondered if Kenshin would taste like chocolate before she was tugged by Kenshin away from the window, onto a couch. Now she was the one half laying on him, and he smirked at the compromising position.

There was that golden flash again.

Kaoru looked away shyly, before turning back to him, fully prepared to test her experiment.

Question: Kenshin could either be:

A) A very good kisser who is going to taste like chocolate.

B) A very good kisser who didn't taste like chocolate, but was still as sweet.

But, sadly, this experiment would have to wait.

"Oi, Kaoru!" Sano's voice pulled her away, and he waved a movie in the air. "What do you want to watch? I'm not asking Kenshin, since he'll tell me to shove off for ruining your very mushy moment."

Kaoru glared at him a moment, before looking at Kenshin.

'I'll pick something awful. Not like I'll be paying attention to the movie anyway.'

It was so dark outside, one might have missed the shadows. They melted into the night, blended in so perfectly, that it wasn't easy to tell where night began and shadows ended. But when a particularly bright flash of lightening occurred, red eyes became easy to see.

They emitted an evil aura, that seemed to glow with darkness. What an oxymoron. Glowing darkness. The eyes narrowed on the one girl, the one slowly leaning up to kiss the red headed man. A smirked twisted the red orbs into thin lines, and a small chuckle appeared.

"I see, Battousai. I see."

Kaoru lay in bed that night, yearning for the lost warmth that was Kenshin. A queen sized bed was awful to have when you had no one to share it with. With a frustrated growl, she slipped out of bed and turned to stare at Misao when she saw-

Misao was gone?

She blinked. When did that weasel girl leave? 'I never heard a thing.'

She shrugged, moving towards the adjoining doors. They kept them unlocked, but shut. She opened her door, happy to see that the guy's door was already open. It squeaked loudly when opened too far, and she didn't want to wake anyone.

Her eyes immediately flashed to Kenshin, and a small smile quirked her lips. Kenshin. She stepped closer to his own bed, a calming sensation sweeping over her. She sat on the edge of the bed, surprised when he moved closer to her. She scooted further towards him.

After several moments of magnetic attraction…

She ended up pressed against him, her back to his chest. His arms around gone around her, and her legs flipped over his, so that there was no escape for either of them.

And she fell asleep, not noticing the red eyes in the corner of the room, right where she had passed by.

Breakfast was a solemn affair. Mori and Maho had been invited to Kenshin's room for breakfast with the group, and Kaoru curled up in her chair, a bit cold. Kenshin yawned over a cup of coffee, and she smiled. Just…a few more days till they left.

Until she left…Kenshin.

Choking back a dry sob, she took a drink of Kenshin's coffee, ignoring him as he pouted. He took the warm mug back from her, teasingly glaring at her over the rim of the dark blue cup. She stuck her tongue out, and remembered something he had told her once, when she had done the same thing..

'Unless you want to use that tongue, keep it in your mouth.'

It wasn't that she didn't want to…per say…

But to give him that satisfaction would be entirely too nice of her. She let out a small, 'Mou, Kenshin!' and stood up. When his hand caught on the back of her robe, she turned around.

"Where're you going?" Concerned violet eyes turned up at her. She grinned lightly, then tugged her robe away from him, giving him a quick kiss before moving away.

"Just for a quick walk. I'll be back in a moment."

She walked out of the room, flashing Maho and Mori a quick grin before leaving. Mori grinned at Kenshin over her bowl of cereal.

"So, I'm guessing things are going okay between you guys?"

He quirked an eyebrow at her, taking another drink of coffee, unknowingly right where Kaoru had.

"I suppose. Why?"

Maho spoke up, sitting next to Mori and Yahiko, "She really likes you, Kenshin-kun. Her leaving in 5 days is really hard on her."

Kenshin sighed, placing his mug on the table. His eyes closed for a moment, before opening them and smiling at the girls.

"For me too," he whispered.

Kaoru hummed as she walked around the indoor gardens. Surprised to find it as 'Half', she stopped. That was a pretty song…

"Aishiteru…aishiteru…aishiteru…"

She grinned and tightened her robe. She heard soft footfalls behind her, and turned, expecting to see bright red hair and shining purple eyes. She took a moment to gasp as her world faded to a dark glow.

Okay new chapter! And the plot thickens...! A note from my muse:

Bri: AND I LOVE MONKEYS!

Yes, I know the world probabbly thinks I'm an idiot...but it's okay because...well, I am sometimes...whatever peeeps..you didn't really need to know that so...JUST CLICK THE STUPID PURPLE BUTTON!

or I will cry...

AA: And so...unless you want her to cry (Dear God, when she cries, its me who gets affected, so if you want to get your chapters, listen to me.), you need to review.