Gunshot Roses

Chapter Three

"Aoshi!"

The said man turned and faced Kanryuu. Kanryuu looked stern and as if he was going to deal out hell. Aoshi stared down at Kanryuu as he spoke, "Your sister is becoming intolerably free-spirited. I don't want an incident like this happening ever again."

"Sir, I'm not sure which incident you are referring to," Aoshi said.

Kanryuu's eyes twitched, "I was simply being nice and telling her how I don't think it's proper for a lady of her standards to work in a place like that dirty bar. She insisted upon leaving so I took her by the hand and asked her not to leave. She kicked me and ran to the stables where your cousin helped her escape."

Aoshi bowed, "I apologize on her behalf and promise to speak with her about it."

"You had better, Kamiya"



"What?"

Kaoru looked up at her brother and stared in disbelief. Aoshi nodded and continued, "I want you to act more submissive toward Kanryuu. It's only for you're your best interest."

"How can it be for my best interest? He could take it too far! You know Kanryuu!" Kaoru shouted, shaking her head.

"Kaoru, please, try to think."

"No, you're the one not thinking! I don't want him to take advantage of me or anything! I don't want to . . ."

"That is true, but you, Kaoru, had no right to kick him like that."

"What?! What twisted story did he tell you? He was trying to feel me up!"

"What?"

"Why do you think I kicked him?! He kissed me, I pulled away, and he decided to explore what he could. And if you don't mind that, you weren't the brother I thought you were!"

"He did what?! I'll kill him!" Aoshi said turning toward the door.

Kaoru grabbed his arm and shook her head. "It won't help now," she sighed. "It'll only cause more trouble."

"You're right . . . I'm sorry. I promise though, I'll get a good job and I'll make money for us to buy our freedom, ok?"

"Aoshi?"

"Yes?"

"Is there a reason our family is inferior to his?"

"No . . ." Aoshi sighed. "Is just that . . . I don't know, somehow, someone thought we were, and we ended up like this, but there is no way we're inferior. Never forget that."

"Alright."



"Milady?" Kenshin knocked on the door of the servants' quarters. "Milady Kaoru?"

"Yeeesss?" an old woman said opening the door and startling Kenshin. "May I help you, handsome young man?"

"Eh . . ." Kenshin smiled and scratched to back of his head. "I was looking for Kaoru Kamiya. Do you know of whom I speak?"

"Yes . . . this waaaaaay." She scurried down the hall and stopped by a door. She knocked and the door opened.

"Yes Miss Bethany?" Kaoru said sticking her head out. She saw Kenshin and looked surprised, "And why are you here, Cowboy?"

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted some company on your way to Tae's. I would be happy to take you there and back," he cocked his head to the side. "I think it's unsafe for you to ride back at night alone."

"True, but it's hardly night, now is it?" she smiled deviously.

"Well . . ."

She continued, "And are you not implying that am incapable of taking care of myself?"

"I never meant it that way, but it is true that, as a woman, you have to be more careful then I would. Now, will you accept or was my ride here in vain?" Kenshin leaned against the door and grinned.

"I will come, so your ride is not in vain, but it's only out of generosity."

"Excuuuusssse me," the old woman smiled, "but it seems that I have some chores to attend to, so I'll leave you two love birds alone." She walked away, leaving Kenshin and Kaoru red.

"Are you ready?" Kenshin asked after a moment's silence.

"Yes."

Kaoru laughed hysterically, and Kenshin kept a straight face. "Not funny!" he slightly pouted.

"Yes! Yes it is!" she cried, nearly falling off the horse.

"Milady, be careful!" Kenshin said, stabilizing her before she fell. Kaoru shook her head and laughed again.

"Honestly, I don't think there could be anything funnier then that . . ." Kaoru rested her chin on Kenshin's shoulder. "Come on, you know you want to laugh."

"Sano and I losing a bet to Miss Misao and Miss Megumi and then having to dress up in women's clothing isn't what I would call funny," Kenshin sighed.

"I would," Kaoru giggled again.

"What ever you say Miss Kaoru . . ."

"I dressed as Sou once before," Kaoru said.

Kenshin looked at her surprised, "Really? What for?"

"There was a time when I was never allowed out of the house . . . because my parents were very protective of my sister and me. I dressed up as Soujiro to get out of the house and to see that boy I told you about," Kaoru laughed. "Soujiro said that I should dress like that more often, and then I might not get attacked repeatedly."

"Repeatedly?"

"Oh!" Kaoru covered her mouth. "Didn't mean that!"

"Miss Kaoru, have you been cornered before?" Kenshin asked, keeping his eyes hidden from her.

"Well, with my job, it's . . ."

"That settles it . . ." Kenshin looked up. "To prevent anymore attacks on you, Milady, allow me to become your bodyguard."

Kaoru blinked, "Are you serious? You want to become the bodyguard of a slave?"

"You're so much better then slavery, Milady."

Kaoru rested her forehead on his shoulder now, "And what would you do to try to protect me, Cowboy?"

"If Milady would have it, I will take to Tae's and back everyday. I wouldn't mind at all."

"Are you sure? Don't you have better things to do?" Kaoru asked, seeing if he would falter.

Kenshin laughed, "I'd be happy to protect you at all costs, Milady."

"If you say so . . ."

"You did what?" Sano said looking up.

"Oh great!" Yahiko moaned. "Now we're never gonna get out of here!"

"But I couldn't just leave her be out here!" Kenshin protested. "Plus we still have business here!"

"We got that over with already, Sir Ken," Megumi pushed her hair behind her shoulder. "You were there, remember?"

"That's not completely closed!" Kenshin objected again. "I still have a feeling-"

"Give it up, Himura," Misao waved her hand in the air. "There was nothing there! He's not doing much wrong!"

"But- . . . Damn!" Kenshin slammed his fist flat against the table and walked upstairs to his room. He lay down on the bed, with his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling, thinking.

'How can I help her?'

"Go tell him, Yahiko . . ."

"Me?"

"Yeah!"

"Why me?"

"Because you're the youngest."

"So?"

"Just go!!"

Yahiko walked upstairs, grumbling. He knocked on Kenshin's door, and found him asleep on the bed. "Kenshin?" he asked quietly.

Kenshin blinked his eyes open and saw it was Yahiko, "What's the matter, Yahiko?"

"Uh . . . well . . . you see . . ." Yahiko looked around the room.

"Yes?"

"It's time for you to go get Kaoru!" he spit out all at once.

"Oh? And why are you reminding me? Isn't everyone against me helping her?" Kenshin looked at him with serious eyes. "Well?"

"Umm . . . you see . . ." Yahiko tried to explain but thought, 'why did they leave this up to me?'

"Because you're right, Kenshin," Sanosuke said from behind Yahiko. "We can't just leave a little lady to get hurt and especially not after you promised her . . ."

"Even if," Misao spoke up, "we don't really think anything's going on around here, we gotta stay to help Miss Kaoru!"

Megumi smirked deviously, "Besides, true love can't be forgotten so easily!"

Kenshin turned bright red, "No one said anything about love or anything Miss Megumi . . ."

"Ohohoho" Megumi laughed while fox ears seemingly appeared on her head.

"That's kinda creep, Fox," Sanosuke looked at Megumi and backed away slightly.

"What are you waiting for Himura?!" said Misao, grabbing his arm and throwing him towards the door. "Go help Kaoru! She's waiting!"

Misao pushed him towards the stairs and he slid downward, landing on his back. "Oro . . ."

"Sir Himura," the innkeeper said, glancing over the counter, "are you alright?"

"I am fine . . . that I am . . ." he said, a bit dazed.



Kaoru hummed to a song with words that had been forgotten, staring at the night sky as she did. She closed her eyes and remembered her mother singing it to her when she was young.

Kenshin silently came up to her his horse. She stood up and brushed herself off, "Good evening!"

"Good evening, Milady. Were you waiting long?" Kenshin nodded.

"Not at all." She climbed onto the horse and Kenshin headed toward her home. "You're so quiet," she asked after a few moments of silence. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Kaoru, nothing . . ." he smiled and looked ahead.

'How can I help her??'

A/N:

Hello! I don't have much to say because I'm tired . . . I've been trying to figure out HTML codes for web rings and such for my website and I'm drained . . . just wanted to post this for my loyal fans . . . . ::looks around and no one is there::

Anyway! Counterfeit Love is over! So sad! So happy! Well, you know it wasn't that good, but oh well; it was my first long fiction.

And you know, since those morons who run this site "fixed things" I can't do my signature rose!! Damn!! They're just stems that had the petals chopped off! . . . I'll have to fix that . . . . .

Also, I just wanted to say that this fictions song is In God's Country by U2. I don't know why, but the lyrics just fit so well, it's creepy!

Have I mentioned how much I love U2?? Hahah . . .

-Ciao