"Lies"

Author's Notes: I'm getting very tired of saying this: But I own nothing. Ok so. The tides turn. Things are starting to change for the good n'est pas? There's still another part left, Wait till you see what happens next!

Rating: Uh… Pg-13 again. I guess. Violence in this chapter, mention of rape again. Nothing spectacular. The big stuff happens next.

Synopsis: Kaoru tries to do what the people who brainwashed her tell her to, only to find that she can't, and that she loves the one she's supposed to kill. Then, who shows up? Who's going to win this war that's suddenly become WAY too personal!

Bound at every limb by my shackles of fear
Sealed with lies through so many tears
Lost from within, pursuing the end
I fight for the chance to be lied to again

The dreams were the worst part of it all for Kaoru. The beatings, she grew used to. But the dreams took a toll on her she was unprepared to deal with. What she hated most was that she had loved this man. Why in all the times she had lied in that cold stone prison had she not thought of death she did not know; but now, lying on a cushy mattress, surrounded by people she once cared for, she wished she would never wake up.

Kaoru was confused. Why had she hesitated? Why had he not drawn against her and fought? Why had he looked at her with such… what was that emotion in his eyes? She couldn't shake the feeling that she had gone from the betrayed to the betrayer. She needed guidance.

"Kaoru, are you awake?" a female voice was above her, and she opened her eyes to see Megumi.

"Yes." She responded.

"How are you feeling? I bandaged most of your wounds, they should be healing in a few days." Megumi was mixing something in a small bowl that smelled like cough syrup and hand lotion. "Drink this, it'll make you feel better." She encouraged Kaoru to sit up.

Kaoru sat and drank, watching the dark haired woman all the while. 'I know this lady. But I don't like her.' She thought. 'She's a brilliant doctor, though.' Kaoru looked around her room, trying to piece her fragmented mind back together. 'This is my room.' She sighed. 'It's been so long since I've been here I thought I'd never see it again.'

Misao knocked and entered with a bowl of soup and Kaoru took it hesitantly but politely. She didn't speak, but she didn't need to, Misao never shut up long enough before she left and again the room was silent.

Kaoru stood and washed herself in a basin that had been provided by Megumi, and then dressed in her usual practice outfit. Looking in the mirror, she was transfixed by her own reflection. Several bruises were fading, several scars were healing, and bandages were able to been seen from her shoulders down. 'Kenshin couldn't have done this to me. These are far too fresh.' A thought strayed into her head and she hated it. If it wasn't the Battousai, then who was it? Surely there was someone to blame for her destruction.

She heard a whisper and she turned her head sharply toward her window, but there was no one there. 'I'm hearing things,' she thought to herself, ironically. But she heard it again. It was the voice of a woman. And it was whispering to her the truth her heart didn't want to admit. 'You love him.'

You will never be strong enough
You will never be good enough
You were never conceived in love
You will not rise above

Her insecurity was strong that night. She knew he was the best fighter possibly in the known world. And she was going to kill him. Damn that voice in her head that pleaded with her to reconsider, that told her that she needed him to live, damn that part of her that could not live with out him, because he destroyed her, yes he did. What had the guards told her? She'd never be good enough—if she didn't do this. That's right. And she wanted to be good enough. She wanted to be free of the nightmares, the forceful kisses embedded into the back of her head, the pain and the torture. The rape. She wanted it all to be gone. And he was the one who was going to clear her slate.

Kenshin heard her coming, and he sat waiting for her in the practice room of the house. His reverse blade resting on one shoulder, his bangs covering his eyes, he waited. The door slid open and then shut again, and she moved to stand in front of him.

"Get up, Battousai." It was cold; it was an angry bark. But to him, it was also hurt, and full of emotions hidden behind that anger. He looked up at her.

"Kaoru." No honorific. His voice was deep and it rumbled in his chest.

She took a step back when she saw his eyes. They were amber not with rage or lust but with love. She recognized it only in that part of her that refused to die. Raising her sword, she faltered, "Battousai. You betrayed me." She said, but her voice quavered, she was on the brink of tears. Her confusion was slipping through.

"No, Kaoru. I have loved you. My only betrayal was not coming after you." He spoke, still sitting, staring up at her. In one motion he reached up and jerked the sword from her hand, flinging it across the floor. "Don't do this Kaoru. Don't be what they want you to be." His eyes never left her own.

She took a few steps back from him, and jerked a dagger from the folds of her practice uniform. "They helped me…" she said, shaking her head. "You destroyed me." She charged him.

They'll never see
I'll never be
I'll struggle on and on to feed this hunger
Burning deep inside of me

Kenshin leapt from his position and flew over her head. Landing behind her, he held his sword at his side. "Kaoru, I will not hurt you. I would never hurt you." He said. "Give me one chance to prove it to you." He implored.

Kaoru shook her head. 'Those eyes. It's all a ploy. I've seen that yellow before. When he's killed, I've seen it.' But then another part of her whispered that she'd never seen him like this. She'd never seen him in love. She growled and suppressed that voice, charging at him again, but this time he didn't move.

Kenshin caught the knife and flung it away from Kaoru, and rested his hands firmly on her shoulders. Taking her in his arms he pressed her to him gently and kissed her.

Kaoru went rigid, shocked by his actions, staring into that amber haze she saw what could only be defined as unadulterated love for her. Then every muscle in her body loosened, and she found her arms weaving around Kenshin's neck and pulling him closer.

Part of her head was screaming at her, but as he kissed her, as she gazed into that amber oblivion, her thoughts became white hot. Suddenly every moment she spent in that prison camp, every episode of questions and torture, every time someone would take advantage of her, every time she was left bleeding on the cot in the cell, it was all crystal clear. Kenshin was not the enemy.

But through my tears breaks a blinding light
Birthing a dawn to this endless night
Arms outstretched, awaiting me
An open embrace upon a bleeding tree

When Kenshin pulled away from Kaoru, he half expected her to slap or kick him away from her. Instead, he found her crying, limply clinging to his gi, holding on for dear life. Just like that, the spell had been broken. "Kaoru?" He asked, and she sniveled and looked up at him.

"Oh, Kenshin!" she gasped, not knowing what to do. Wanting to wrap herself up in him. He leaned his head down to her, and she kissed him again, softly, before burying her face in his chest. "It was terrible, Kenshin. What they did to me to get to you. They wanted me to kill you. Wanted me to believe you—" But Kenshin knew. And he shushed her and they collapsed in the middle of the floor and sat that way for a long time.

When her tears stopped, she pulled away from him. He looked her in the eyes, and noticed that some of their light had returned—he knew that he might never see all of it again. "Kaoru, I meant what I said." He whispered. "I love you. I have loved you." It felt good to get it off of his chest.

Kaoru touched his face, wanting to feel what it felt like, to know love. She'd been so familiar with every thing else for so long—she'd forgotten love even existed. "And I have loved you, Himura Kenshin." She smiled a genuine smile, before bringing her lips to his.

Rest in me and I'll comfort you
I have lived and I died for you
Abide in me and I vow to you
I will never forsake you

Kenshin held her for a long time, before there was a knock at the door. It was Sanosuke. "Kenshin?"

"I'm here." Kenshin called to his friend, looking up from Kaoru to the doorway. "What is it?"

"We have company, Kenshin. The men from Kaoru's prison. They're here. All of them." Sanosuke sounded tired.

Kaoru looked up at Kenshin and gritted her teeth. "Kenshin. I can't face them again. They'll take me back; they'll kill you if they get the chance. They'll do horrible things to the others. We can't let them stay here." She gushed, looking around and picking up her father's sword. "This is personal, Kenshin. They tried to make me kill the only man I've ever loved. They destroyed my body and they tampered with my mind. Kenshin, these men deserve death." Kaoru was angry, the lessons of her school were long gone—she was seeking revenge for her wrongs.

So was Kenshin. He picked his reverse blade up as well, and nodded. It was time that this was ended.

When the couple exited the practice room, Yahiko, Aoshi, Misao, and Sanosuke joined them. In the courtyard stood Ren Endoh, The Cat House's headmaster. Behind him were all twelve of his guards, grinning, ready to have a field day.

"What are you doing here?" Aoshi was the first to speak.

"We're here for the bounty on the Battousai, of course." Ren spoke laughing with his men. "We sent the girl, but we knew that brainwashing someone who truly loves the one they're sent to kill never works. So we'll have to kill them both, instead. I must admit, I had hoped, though. She had shown great promise." Ren smiled at Kaoru.

One of the men spoke up, "Yeah, she was a great plaything also! Never got tired of being taken!" the guys laughed to themselves. Kenshin growled.

Kaoru looked away from them, disgusted with herself and with the men in the yard. She was confronted with images of her past, and they haunted her. She knew there would be a battle tonight, and she prayed silently that she had the strength that was going to be necessary to finish what had already begun.

"Give up Battousai. You're better off just handing us your head now!" Ren blabbered his hand holding a sword outstretched. Kenshin clicked his out of its holster.

They'll never see
I'll never be
I'll struggle on and on to feed this hunger
Burning deep inside of me

"Uh oh." Sanosuke whispered to Aoshi. Before Kenshin leapt into the middle of the courtyard, right in front of Ren. "Kenshin's out for blood."

"Of course he is. Look at what happened to Kaoru. To him, that's unforgivable." Aoshi replied, as the guards spread out, and began to take on the other fighters. He heard Misao scream from the roof as she hurled her daggers. The first of the fighting had begun.

Kenshin drew his sword mid leap and flipped it blade-outward. He was now standing facing Ren Endoh, Brilliant amber eyes boring holes into the man's soul. "What you did to her you will pay for with your life." He said in a voice that was not entirely his own.

Ren had backed up a few steps, but he was still smiling. "I've won my share of battles Mr. Himura, if you think this is going to be easy."

"Easy or difficult, your fate has already been decided." Kenshin spat and leapt forward to engage the headmaster in combat.

They'll never see
I'll never be
I'll struggle on and on to feed this hunger
Burning deep inside of me

Kaoru had been backed into her practice room again, and was fighting the first man who had taken her innocence. She felt strong, suddenly, to have a weapon to defend herself with. She took her usual stance, but she knew that this time, things were different, this time, instead of landing a crippling blow; she was going for the kill.

"What's the matter, Kaoru? You don't remember me? I was hoping I would get to nail you one more time." The man jerked his head back and mocked her cries.

Kaoru screamed and charged him, blocked his blow and planted her father's sword in his chest. "How does it feel Hojii? To have someone's sword embedded deep within you? Hurts like hell doesn't it?" Kaoru jerked her sword out of the dying man.

Yahikosaw it all, and snarled at the man who fell the floor. "No girl deserves to be treated like that… not even Busu!" He grabbed another sword from the wall, and raced out into the yard with it.

Sanosuke had unarmed four of the men and had them engaged in hand to hand combat, when, from out of nowhere, wham! Megumi clapped one over the head with a frying pan. "Nice going, Meg!" Sano shouted his approval. The doctor only smiled and made her way back inside the Dojo where it was relatively safe. The other three men were cake for Sanosuke, they both wound up in a heap on top of the first guy.

Aoshi and Misao had the rest, five of them surrounded them, grinning and waiting their turn to strike. "I must admit they are pretty well trained for prison guards." Aoshi noted to Misao who merely scoffed and called them over stuffed toys. Aoshi took three, Misao took two, and soon enough, those who weren't dead, were wounded enough that they couldn't move. Yahiko had taken his two chosen guards out in a lucky roundhouse.

Rest in me and I'll comfort you
I have lived and I died for you
Abide in me and I vow to you
I will never forsake you

When it was all finished, only one battle remained. Kenshin and Ren. Ren had fought in the same war with Kenshin, and though he was a bit older than the red head, he was nearly his equal. Ren played dirty. And what he lacked in skill he made up for in tricks. Kenshin could read him well, and could dodge most of them, but they were both suffering, it was obvious.

"Kenshin." Kaoru gasped, and moved to help him, but Aoshi held her back.

"That's not a good idea, Miss. Kenshin's the Battousai now. He'll kill anything that gets too near." The tall man confirmed. All the others could do was sit and watch.

Kaoru was holding her breath and she didn't know it until Kenshin landed his fatal blow. He'd swept Ren off his feet and now was holding the reverse blade at his neck, "You've taken more from me than your death could even begin to give back." He growled coldly. You have destroyed the life of a young innocent girl and for that I cannot forgive you."

Ren knew that the Battousai had vowed never to kill again, and that he planned on breaking that vow now. "Battousai. Who are you to judge? Only God can tell me what I have done is wrong." He grinned, gasping for air.

Kenshin only smiled a cold, even smile. "Then I shall send you to meet Him, so He can do just that." And with that, it was over.

Kaoru ran to him. And he embraced her. "Kenshin are you alright?" She cried, looking over his face, noting the amber fading from his eyes. It was the first time she'd seen the violet pools since she'd returned.

"I am better now." He admitted, holding her tight to him, wanting never to let her out of his arms again.

They'll never see
I'll never be
I'll struggle on and on to feed this hunger
Burning deep inside of me

Ah, who am I kidding On to part 4!