Disclaimer: Battousai will give me a full sword slash if I don't say that I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or anything from it... oh, and I ah... /feels sword tip poke her back/ ... don't own Battousai.

Behind My Back – Chapter Twelve – By Cherry Chibi

 'Time Changes People…'

- - - -

After the kiss ended, he took note of the tears in her eyes and brushed them away. "No more tears." Kaoru kissed him on his scar cheek before linking hands with him. Maybe when the ordeal is over, they can be together elsewhere…

 "Will you ever stop killing?" Kaoru asked him quietly after a while later.

 "Maybe."

- - - -

Uno picked up the document and assessed it. She placed it back down on Katsura's desk with a slightly chilled expression on her face. Even though she supported the Choshu, she didn't always agree to what they did. Nowadays, doubts were starting to reach her – her boss had changed a lot and therefore, the changes had changed her reasons in why she was still here. The only reason she was still with the Choshu is so that she could be alongside her husband. "Katsura… these… are you sure?"

 "Do you not agree Uno?" Katsura questioned. His eyes set like stone. Nothing flickered in them. They stared at her, almost as if they were waiting for her to bend to their will. Uno shot a needy glance over to Takasugi who gave her a small nod of assurance.

 "I… just wondered…" Uno started quietly, "… Doing all this to Kaoru, and…" After a moment of pausing she continued, "Don't you ever feel regret? Kaoru is your daughter. Kikuno's child. She's the proof of Kikuno and your love." She stared straight into Katsura's eyes, searching for some sign that he had some feeling left. "You held her in your arms at her birth… and you wept when she was taken away…" Uno couldn't tell if she had made any impact or not. She stopped.

 "Are you done?" Katsura asked coldly.

 "I…"

 "You will complete the tasks listed on the document." Katsura said, "I'm sure that was what you had agreed to when you signed the contract." He raised an eyebrow at her and then looked down at his paperwork. Picking up a pen, he resumed his work.

 'Time changes people.' Uno thought. She hid her tears and picked up the document again. "Yes sir." Katsura was no longer the man who she felt as though she could as a brother anymore. As soon as she reached Takasugi, she felt his warm hand on her shoulder.

 "Do you need rest?" His questioned lingered in the air for a moment.

Uno shook her head, "I… just…" She left her sentence unfinished. There was no reason for her to tell Takasugi what she felt. It would only worry him. He was ill and was still recovering. She wanted him to get well as soon as possible. Therefore, she should keep her focus on him. Forcing a smile on her lips, she left the office room.

 'I just want to relieve myself of the pain.'

- - - -

Battousai walked along paths that weren't inhabited by people. He had been given and assignment to do but why was there so much walking involved? And why during broad daylight? It must've been an urgent one or something. Then the thoughts were pushed away when he remembered that there wasn't any point questioning his task.

He receives his task. He does his task. He goes home. It was as simple as that. There wasn't any need to doubt or question. Doubt causes a man's fall and therefore is one of man's greatest weaknesses. Battousai soon reached the designated place. However, it felt… wrong.

On the paper it had said that there was a meeting involved. There was no sign of any. No parked cars at all. There weren't even any security guards around. At that moment, Battousai's heart skipped a throbbing beat. At that moment, a question aroused in his situation.

How far was he from Kaoru?

- - - -

Kaoru was wakened when she sensed a foreign presence entering the apartment. "Kenshin?" Her voice was quiet… almost as if calling his name was enough to give her the reassurance she needed. However, no reply came. Had he gone out for another assignment? But if he wasn't here… then who would have entered the apartment? She shivered. The scent in the air was very familiar. Slipping out of bed, she quickly pulled on a pair of tracksuit pants and a shirt.

 "Kaoru…" Auburn eyes locked with hers. There was a tense silence; the two women were staring at each other with a silent message passing through. Uno broke contact and gestured for Kaoru to take a seat at the dining table. Kaoru did so and Uno sat down opposite.

 "Have you come to talk with me?" Kaoru asked quietly, she looked into Uno's distant gaze. There was very little that Kaoru knew about the woman but from the beginning, Kaoru felt as though there was something about the woman which made her trust her. Was it the fact that Uno had known her mother that made her feel close? They had much in common but knew almost nothing about each other.

 "I've come to give you a choice…" Uno said, her tone almost a whisper. It was evident that what she was doing was her own choice. She didn't get told to do this. Kaoru listened intently. "Kaoru, you don't deserve the suffering… I'm going to give you a chance to run away. Leave. Find somewhere else where you can be happy."

 "Uno…"

 "Listen Kaoru, if you stay here any longer… you're life… would be tied from head to toe with suffering…" Uno said, "Kikuno wouldn't have wanted this for you at all." Hearing her mother's name spoken, Kaoru closed her eyes and stared into the welcoming darkness. "Katsura… is going too far."

Kaoru bit back a hiss and asked, "What is my other choice?"

 "That you will continue staying here and eventually be used as a tool until the Choshu can be cleansed brought to the throne." Instantly, Kaoru didn't like the sounds of the words. It was then she worried about the people around her. The word 'cleansed' was what had struck her most. Somehow, the word told her what would happen. It guaranteed her that there would be more bloodshed but whose blood? Members of the Choshu. Opening her eyes again, she found Uno setting a glass of water before her. "You have a choice Kaoru; you can run now or remain."

 "But if I run… I will have nowhere to go to," Kaoru said quietly as she accepted the glass of water, "And I will be alone." Her answer was enough to tell Uno that was going to remain. The woman smiled warmly at Kaoru a mixture of emotions lingered in the air around her.

 "Then, I can only wish you the best Kaoru." Uno said as she stood up to leave, watching a few more moments as Kaoru drank the water. "I'm… sorry." Her words were too quiet for Kaoru to hear. Uno glanced down at the empty vile in her hand, "Good bye Kaoru." Then she retreated from the apartment.

Seconds after the door had closed shut, glass smashed onto the tile floor.

- - - -

Takasugi took his medication and gulped the water. He had concerns on his mind. Lately, Uno hadn't been the same. The way she acted, she no longer was as bright and happy as she was before. She didn't light up every time she saw him. Was it that she was keeping a secret from him? He stared into his reflection. Maybe Katsura really was warning him of something.

- - - -

He watched his wife leave the office room and then turned back to Katsura. Waiting for his next set of orders. However, Katsura gave him none. Instead, the man gave him only a mere few sentences to cling onto for the rest of the evening. "Your wife is a stunning woman, one who is loyal to her partner but she is just like any delicate flower. If she doesn't receive enough sunshine or water… or if she receives too much… she will wilt and die." The blue flickering in Katsura's eyes showed that he was predicting something.

Worry filled Takasugi's heart. He wanted to ask, 'What? What is it that you're telling me? Is Uno going to be alright?' But he didn't even dare to.

- - - -

And maybe he should have asked. Uno hasn't come home yet and it was well passed her working hours.

- - - -

Opening the door, he immediately noticed the glowing pieces of glass that had flown across the floor. "Kaoru?" He slammed the door shut behind him and dashed to the source of where the pieces of glass came from. "Kaoru?!" She was laying on the floor, still. Hurrying to her side, Battousai checked for her breathing.

How could he have been so stupid? Katsura would never give him an assignment in broad daylight like that. Never. Not even if it was an urgent one. Why didn't he see through that? How did Katsura blind him this time? How? Gingerly, he lifted Kaoru's upper body and held her close. "Kaoru…"

She stirred a bit and managed to just open her eyes slightly to look at him. Trying to speak, she tried to tell him but the scorching sensations within her paralysed her body. Kaoru desperately wanted to assure Battousai that everything will be alright. But when she tried to move, all she managed was a gasp of pain as her muscles cramped tightly around her sides, stomach and chest. Her nails dug into his flesh so hard that it drew out blood. It felt like Lock Jaw had infected her.

Her back arched and twisted. Air formed a fur ball in her throat. Blocking all the screams of agony in it and making her breathing hard. In amidst the blur, she could see the fear in Battousai's eyes. He didn't know what to do… 'Am I… am I really going to die like this…?' Her thoughts were a bullet train passing through, following the carriages of her emotions. 'The pain… it's too much! Kenshin!'

After what felt like years, the muscles loosened and air rushed into her lungs again. Her limp form rested against Battousai's for support. Battousai's wrapped her in a comforting embrace. It was then she had tasted the salt. Without knowing it, silent tears had fallen. Hers from enduring the pain while Battousai's were from the feeling of helplessness. "Ken… shin…" She was hushed by him.

 "Don't talk."

Kaoru closed her eyes with ease and allowed herself to be succumbed by the quietness of the passing moments. Laying there in the circle of protective warmth and feeling the heartbeat slow down. She felt relaxed. It was coming alight that somewhere… hidden behind the cold mask that Battousai wore, really was a warm and caring person. She just had to keep moving forward.

Battousai watched her calm angelic face. She was alright now. What had just happened he didn't understand. The bloody marks of where Kaoru's nails had dug into him were burning and felt like that they were cramping up around the cuts. A while later, he realised that she had fallen asleep. He cradled her and kissed her lightly on the forehead. 'There will not be a repeat of this…' He promised.

- - - -

Amphetamine Ice - Booster

Dosage: 5mg

Uno stared at the empty vial's label. In her mind, she pondered about how Kaoru was doing. She felt extremely disgusted at herself for even listening and obeying Katsura's commands. Spiking the water with the drug that was to boost Kaoru's first dosage. However, the most sickening part was that… for some strange reason, she had tripled the dosage and poured the whole vial content.

 'I could've killed her… Kikuno's daughter…' She hid her face in her hands and cried. 'I'm sorry Kikuno… Kaoru… I really… can't stand anymore of this… what is the use of living a life where it only brings harm to the people you love?' She continued shedding her tears. Bitter and cruel. If felt as though her shelter had vanished. She was exposed to the cold harsh winds and was being swayed by the vertical downfalls.

Looking up and out to the scenery, she could see the distant trees. 'I just want to break away from it all. But I can't…' Somehow, all of her thoughts reminded her… of Battousai's former lover… Tomoe.

- - - -

 "Tomoe, is something wrong?" Uno asked as she approached the quiet girl sitting on the verandah of her small home. The girl looked distant. A saddened aura surrounded her. "You can tell me." A small smile touched her lips and the words stringed out, almost as if they were speaking a riddle of their own.

 "Have you ever felt what it feels like to lose your shelter?" Tomoe asked Uno in a quiet gentle voice. "You get exposed to so many truths… it's really overwhelming." There was an awkward silence, "You would want to be free." Tomoe smiled and looked at Uno, "When you want that so much… no one… not even the ones you love can stop you."

- - - -

With a sigh, Uno made her way back home. She hoped that Takasugi had remembered to take his medication. A couple of steps later, she reminded herself of the paperwork that had to be done and that she needed to report to Katsura about her task. There were so many things to do, she didn't think that she would be able to have any energy left to just live her life.

- - - -

She was sleeping so calmly that he didn't want to wake her up to ask her to eat something. The dimmed room made his eyes appear brighter than they were. Slipping into the room, approached her and rested a hand on her upper back. Her eyes opened languidly and she smiled, murmuring something that he couldn't catch. It sounded as though she was still recovering and wasn't able to speak or move properly yet.

Kaoru intertwined her fingers between his, she felt a whole lot warmer compared to earlier. A gentle touch but it was enough light a small smile on Battousai's face. A whispery tone came and he had to edge closer to hear. "Kenshin… I… can control my abilities now…" She stopped and pursed her lips while eyeing him.

Thinking it through, he figured it out what she was trying to hint at. 'So the drug… was most likely to be another dosage to enhance Kaoru's ability but now she can control it.' He was relieved that now he knew what really was going on. Even though there still was a quiet anger that Katsura had tricked him into doing a dud assignment in order to get to Kaoru. If he could, he would've sent the man's blood running down the drains.

- - - -

AN: Hello! I've finally updated. /smiles/ Hope you all enjoyed it! First of all, I would like to clear something up, a couple of you asked me in your reviews, 'Will this fic be a lemon?' The answer, well, undecided. I'm not too fond of writing lemon (I did once before and it was a disaster… well… that's what I think.) But, if you readers would like one, then please say so and I'll see what the majority say… If I do write it, the only thing is, it'll be out of and you would have to follow the link that I give you. /thumbs up/

Alright, so that's clear? Cool. Anymore questions or opinions please say so in your reviews! Thanks everyone! Until next time!

Cherry Chibi.