Rurouni Kenshin is the properties of Nobuhiro Watsuki-dono not mine.

So please don't sue.

Authors Notes: If you are a reader of my "Rurouni Kaoru" you can ignore this message. If you are not please read. I have started school (university 2nd year) and I most likely will not be updating regularly until class is out for the winter if not summer break. Sorry for the inconvenience, but I really have to focus on my essays. Thank you for all your encouragement and I hope to get Chapter 4 up by April…hopefully.

Exile

Chapter 3

Kaoru woke sore, but not as sore as she might have thought. She had trouble breathing and found her body weighed down. She slowly opened her eyes and glanced around her. Kenshin lay atop her, still fully clothed. His chest rose and fell gently and steadily, Kaoru tried to gently slip out from under him but found for such a small man he was quite heavy. She had to get out of there, if Yahiko caught them how was she supposed to explain this? Then she heard footsteps, and a voice she really didn't want to hear right then.

"Hey! Jou –chan you here!"

Kaoru groaned, "Oh shit… Kenshin." She whispered in his ear, "Kenshin, Kenshin wake up, you have to get up, now!"

"Jou-chan! Hey are you in there?" he pulled the door back and found Kaoru still struggling under Kenshin and red as a beet. He stared at them, his face stern "Jou-chan…" he said through his teeth.

"He...he…hi Sano." Kaoru licked her lips embarrassed.

"What the hell is going on?"

"Just let me explain, and close the damn door!" she could hear Yahiko stirring and didn't need another peeping tom.

Sanosuke walked in and closed the door then proceeded to pick Kenshin up by the scruff of the neck and toss him aside.

"SANO! NO!" Kenshin landed on his feet, his face looking to the floor.

Kaoru was on her feet and holding Sanosuke back. "Sano no, please let me explain."

"Why bother. You're the greatest swordsman since your father, and you let this little prick touch you! What the hell were you thinking?" he turned his glare to Kaoru and stared her down.

Kaoru let his arm go and stood between him and Kenshin. "He helped Yahiko and I last night, I had to repay him."

"So what? You're the payment! What do you think this is going to do to Yahiko?"

Kaoru went red "YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TELL HIM!" she hissed her anger reaching the boiling point. "This is my house, I make the rules, and I decide what he knows and doesn't know." Kaoru felt a soft hand on her shoulder and turned to find Kenshin standing close to her. His eyes were back to normal, and he looked saddened.

"Please excuse Sessha. I did not mean any harm. Kaoru-dono was trying to help. I did not take advantage of her, I swear on my sword."

"Kaoru?"

Three collective heads turned to the door.

"Kaoru are you in there?" came Yahiko's sleep drenched voice.

Kaoru dashed to the door while retying her top and stood at the door. She looked back and whispered "Sano if you breath a word of this to Yahiko I'll kill you myself." She then stepped out and grabbed Yahiko by the arm and began to scold him on not being ready for the day.

Sano and Kenshin looked from the door to each other, wondering what exactly had happened. Kenshin was the first to make a move. "My name is Himura Kenshin." And he held out his hand to Sano.

Sano grudgingly took it and said, "names Sagara Sanosuke. I'm Kaoru's guardian, or at least I try to."

Most of the day went off without much of a hitch, until afternoon practice that is.

"Onee-san why cant I!"

"Because you are too young and as yet still too small. Sano could really hurt you; you practice with me not Sano."

"Your sisters right little man. I'm too big and manly for you to fight right now!" Sano puffed himself up and Yahiko glared at him and Kaoru discreetly pulled his feet out from under him.

Kenshin had spent the day with the Kamiya's and had spent most of it watching Kaoru. She was a skilled opponent; his thoughts went back to the night before. Looking down upon her partially naked body, all for him. Part of him wanted nothing more then to take her but another part couldn't take her in that way, he wanted Kaoru to want – willingly – to sleep with him. The powerful love that she had for her brother, he had wanted some of that passion, but instead he forced himself to sleep, and right on top of her too. He might not want to force sex on her but did enjoy the feeling of having a soft place to lay his head. He continued to watch as the siblings fought and moved aside when Sanosuke came to sit with him.

"I hate to say it but…I'm sorry for this morning. I just feel sometimes that I can't do enough to help Kaoru and seeing her in bed with you forced me to realise that Kaoru might have to sell herself for real to make money. I was just really upset."

Kenshin smiled, "I know, I'm sorry I didn't wake up soon enough, but it was comforting to have her near me. It has been so long since I have felt the comfort of a woman's body."

Sano looked and him the glare beginning to sneak into his eyes, "you mean under you bud, not near you. Buddy she couldn't breathe!"

The two men began to laugh, quite loudly. Kaoru and Yahiko looked up from their argument to stare at the two. "Are you two quite done? Sano I need you over here, hey Yahiko…ask Kenshin if he can practice with you." And proceeded to shoved Yahiko in Kenshin's direction.

Kenshin stood, as Yahiko was starring up at him. "We'll go in to yard. When ever Onee-san and Sano practice they make a mess." And proceeded to drag Kenshin from the room, while Kenshin's eyes stayed riveted to Kaoru's back.

Outside the afternoon was quite and still. Yahiko passed Kenshin a bokken, and took his stance. "I'm not sure I'm going to be that good to practice with. It has been a long time since Sessha has practiced with a bokken." Kenshin warned, he held the bokken lightly but was still unsure of it.

"Oh don't worry. I doubt that you could do less damage then Sano when he's drunk."

The two began to spar, their bokkens glancing off each other. Kenshin was trying not to get too close to Yahiko, he was aggressive but his skill was apparent. He was ready to attack when necessary, and ready to defend when needed. Then Kenshin heard footsteps. He chanced a glace to the house and found an audience sitting in the shade. Sano leaned against the porch brace and Kaoru sitting at his feet watching intently.

"Kenshin." She called and they both paused, "Kenshin just hit him. He can't learn how to defend himself if there is no real threat. Hit him."

Kenshin sighed, Yahiko looked frightened. "Ready Yahiko?" warned Kenshin, licking his lips.

"Don't warn him." Scolded Kaoru, she was standing now and walking slowly up to the two. She grabbed Yahiko by the yukata and brought him up to her eye level. "He is not your friend, he is your enemy, and you will defend yourself as such." And she tossed him back to his feet. Kenshin was surprised. She was incredibly aggressive. She looked to Kenshin, the sadness seeping into her eyes, and then Kenshin understood. Everything that she was doing was to prepare Yahiko. He readied himself and attacked before Yahiko had time to adjust.

Kaoru watched them fight, the light in her heart glowing dimly. If Kenshin stayed then Yahiko would have a far better teacher then she. He was fluid where she was jelly; he was swift where she was clumsy. She had to ask him, she would ask him. Yahiko made a good move and had Kenshin pinned, then he was gone. He was in the air and coming down Kaoru saw something that the two didn't have time to notice, Kenshin's eyes had turned a golden colour. Yahiko was posing a threat to Kenshin and he was fighting, for real. Kaoru grabbed her bokken from the porch and raced to the two.

Kenshin was finding it hard to get a hit on Yahiko. Kaoru had trained him well, to defend at least. Yahiko came within centimetres of hitting him and instantly the beast inside Kenshin stirred and he was in the air, ready to deal the deathblow to the small boy. Then out of the corner of his eye he saw a blue clad black haired smudge coming towards them. It did not matter; he would finish this one and then the next, and the next, until no one was alive to try to take his life. He brought the bokken down hard but instead of hitting flesh he hit solid matter. Kaoru stood there, bokken in between Kenshin and Yahiko. Yahiko had landed on the ground and was pulled away by Sano.

"Kenshin." Groaned Kaoru. He was pushing down so hard she was having a hard time holding him back. "Kenshin, its Kaoru, let it go…LET IT GO!" and the bokken snapped in half, and Kenshin's 'blade' smashed into Kaoru's shoulder, as she slammed her fist down on the back of Kenshin's neck. They both collapsed in a heap.