a/n: here it is... at 2:00 in the morning... okies, first off i don't own the songs i use down here no matter how much i luv them... sry for the songs but i just saw these guys in concert and i when music fit into the story line... there just wasn't another option! it's a little shorter than i intended cuz i decided to break my ideas into two differetn chappies, so i hope u enjoy... and thank u much for the reviews! i hope i didn't lose anyone cuz i got rid of tomoe, but i... i really hate her and i'm not gonna pretend to like her... but remember, this strictly s/m not k/k soo... enjoy and don't forget to reveiw!
disclaimer: i don't own anything...
Chapter 6: Encounter's and… Revelations?
"Sano… and Megumi…?"
"Yeah," Kaoru said, laughing. "He was interested, I just pulled some strings."
"I don't think Megumi-dono is going to be very pleased when she finds out it was you…" Kenshin told her.
He'd re-gathered himself a few hours before, as he listened to Kaoru's absurd plan on how she was getting Sano and Megumi together. She'd thought herself a genius, but he knew it wouldn't be the fairy tale ending she hoped for. After all, Megumi hated Sano. When she saw him, that is.
"It'll work! I'm her best friend, aren't I?"
"Hai…"
"Hey, I have another gig tomorrow night," she said. "Do you think you and Sano would be interested in coming?"
"I don't know…" He glanced out the window, sighing.
"Think on it. I mean sleep on it. You look like you could use some sleep," she told him, standing up. "I'll bring your car back later, okay?"
He nodded and she showed herself to the door.
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"Megumi?"
"Oh, Kaoru," Megumi said, coming to the door. "What are you doing here?"
"I need you to help me take Kenshin's car back to his place," she announced, coming in and plopping down on her best friend's couch.
"Sure," she agreed, sitting next to her. "Is he all right?"
"He'll be okay," she assured her. "He's not as cheerful as usual, but that's to be expected. I mean…"
"I know," Megumi interrupted.
"It's not your fault you know," Kaoru whispered.
"I know."
"There wasn't anything you could do."
"I know."
"You tried you best."
"I know."
"Can you say anything else?"
"Shut up."
Kaoru laughed and watched as murder grew in Megumi's eyes. "For an educated woman, you sure don't have a very large vocabulary!"
"Yes I do! I'm sure I know words that you've never heard of!"
"Hey now! Let's not get off task! Kenshin's car," Kaoru reminded her as Megumi walked towards her with a pillow off the couch.
"Oh, right, right…"
Kaoru and Megumi successfully returned Kenshin's car to his house, but didn't go in. Megumi said that after such a shock, he'd probably wanted to be left alone to deal with it in his own way. Kaoru agreed and they headed back to Megumi's house to crash for a while.
"Hey," Kaoru said, as she sat on the couch once more. "I have a gig tomorrow, are you gonna come?"
"Yes, what time is it?"
"Seven this time. I invited Kenshin. He said he might bring a friend," she announced.
"That's fine. I'll be there then."
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"Where is she!"
"Calm down, Kaoru-san!" Soujiro urged.
"She said she'd be here! And where is Omasu? I told you we needed someone on keyboards for this song!"
"I'm right here!" Omasu called, coming on the stage. "Sorry I'm late. Shiro's car wouldn't start and mine is in the shop."
"That's fine, just as long as you did show," Kaoru said, moving to the microphone.
"Ah, Kaoru-san! Megumi-san is here!" Soujiro shouted.
"Great! I'm glad she was able to get off work…"
"It looks like Himura-san is here too… and he brought someone with him. He has brown spiky hair and…"
"It's Sano," Kaoru finished for him.
"Fireworks are gonna fly, boys, back away and observe…"
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"Wh-What are you doing here!" Megumi demanded.
"What! Now I'm not allowed to go out with my friends! Who died and made you God?"
"Ugh! Ken-san!" she rounded on him. "How are you friends with this rooster-head!"
"Ummm…"
"Look, that's his business! He can be friends with who ever he wants to be friends with!" Sano said hotly, not believing that this was the woman he had been reassuring only a day prior.
"But you're an animal! A vicious wild animal who gets in bar brawls and your hair looks like you're ready for me to mop the floor with you!" she screamed. The whole entire little bar was now focused on them.
"Look who's talking! You're a sneaky little fox! And you're always so perfect! Perfect hair, perfect job, perfect life!"
"Why you-"
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Kaoru said over the speakers. "Sano and Megumi! We're about to start now."
Megumi glared at him one last time and then stomped off to a table in the front where a woman she knew from medical school was sitting. She nodded to Komagata Yumi and sat down. Kaoru had some explaining to do when she got off stage. This rooster was beginning to become more and more a part of her life and she had a feeling that he was back up in case 'Mr. Right' didn't work out…
"We're gonna start you off with a little bit of Styx, tonight! How do you all like the sound of, oh, say 'Renegade?'"
There was an applause before Kaoru started singing the acappella to the song.
Oh mamma I'm in fear for my life
From the long arm of the law
Lawman has put an end to my running
And I'm so far from my home
The rest of the band joined in with only their voices for the next part.
Oh mamma I can hear your crying
You're so scared and all alone
Hangman is coming down from the gallows
And I don't have very long
The guitars and drums cut in all of a sudden and Kaoru broke into the chorus.
The jig is up the news is out
They've finally found me
The renegade who had it made
Retrieved for a bounty
Never more to go astray
This will be the end today
Of the wanted man
Oh mamma I've been years on the lamb
And had a high price on my head
Lawman said get him dead or alive
Now it's for sure he'll see me dead
Dear mamma I can hear you crying
You're so scared and all alone
Hangman is coming down from the gallows
And I don't have very long
The jig is up, the news is out
They finally found me
The renegade who had it made
Retrieved for a bounty
Never more to go astray
The judge'll have revenge today
On the wanted man
Guitar Solo
Oh Mama, I'm in fear for my life
From the long arm of the law
Hangman is coming down from the gallows
And I don't have very long
The jig is up, the news is out
They finally found me
The renegade who had it made
Retrieved for a bounty
Never more to go astray
This'll be the end today
Of the wanted man
Kaoru smiled widely as they finished off and Megumi was still sitting there. Last time she'd had to run out before the last song. She wasn't going anywhere this time. She waved to her before returning to the microphone to make small talk while the band got ready for the next song.
"How're you all doing tonight?"
There was a small, short lived outburst in response. She smiled again and turned to see if Misao was finished with what she was going and if Aoshi and Soujiro still had work to do on their guitars. They looked like they were just about done. Time to wrap it up then.
"We're gonna finish it tonight, yes only two songs, the rest of you have lives, I know, with a some Reo Speedwagon."
I used to be lonely till I learned about livin alone
I found other things to keep my mind on
And I'm gettin to know myself a little bit better
Whoa , I keep pushin on
Keep pushin on, yeah
Goin through all the changes I made so many mistakes, oh yes I did
Tryin to leave behind the heartaches
And sometimes I think I was a little bit crazy, oh yeah
Whoa, I keep pushin on
Keep pushin, keep pushin, keep pushin, keep pushin on
Keep pushin, keep pushin, you know you have got to be so strong
Keep pushin, keep pushin, well even if you think your strength is gone
Keep pushin on
(solo)
Well it's comin together I finally feel like a woman, oh yes I do
I never thought that I'd be where I am, oh
Everyday I wake a little bit higher
Whoa I keep pushin on, oh yeah
Keep pushin, keep pushin, keep pushin, keep pushin on
Keep pushin, keep pushin, you know you have got to be so strong
Keep pushin, keep pushin, well even if you think your strength is gone
Keep pushin on
Kaoru bowed to the audience as did the bad afterward and announced the finish before she bounded off stage and down to the table Megumi was sitting at. She flashed her a big smile as she took the seat next to her and across from Yumi. Yumi smiled weakly.
"Kaoru," Megumi greeted. "Meet my friend, Yumi. She's waiting for her husband. He was supposed to meet her but this rain-"
"Rain? What are you talking about?"
"It started to down pour when you singing, or didn't you notice?"
"Oh," Kaoru exclaimed, finally understanding.
"I think that's him, actually," Yumi excused herself, seeing a jeep pull up to the doors. "Bye Megumi."
"Bye," she bid, before turning back to Kaoru. "You did a good job."
"Thanks."
"Did you know the rooster head was coming?" she asked calmly, determined not to lose her cool.
"Kenshin mentioned he might bring a friend-"
"You knew he was friends with Kenshin!" she shrieked, standing up.
"Yeah-"
"AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME!"
"Ca-Calm down! I was just telling Kenshin about the incident in the ER last week and he said that he knew-"
"Knew that chicken-head! Kaoru, how could you withhold this information from me!"
"I didn't think it was all that important-"
"If I'd known, I would have been prepared! Had wonderful comebacks and snide remarks ready and in my arsenal!"
"I didn't know he was the one Kenshin was talking about!"
"Hey ladies," Sano said smoothly coming over.
"You! Everything is your fault!"
"Mine! How so?"
"By just being here!"
"I was invited!"
"You could have declined!"
"If you must know his girlfriend just died and I was-" Kaoru shook her head vigorously as if to tell him not to finish that sentence.
"Forget he said anything! Sano, why don't I walk you to your car? Megumi cool your jets and walk Kenshin to his car," Kaoru ordered.
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"You could have ruined everything!" Kaoru hissed.
"How? It's a phone relationship," he reminded her.
"Which will eventually lead to a relationship where you have to see each other!" Kaoru shot back. "You have to act civilly with her! I know she doesn't have the best behavior, but just do what you do on the phone. Be nice!"
"I never start it, though! She's the one how thinks that it's okay to just come out of no where and call me names!"
"Oh get over it! Calling names? It's so childish!"
"Fine, you raccoon!"
"What did you call me!"
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"Ken-san?" Megumi asked quietly.
"Hai?"
"I'm sorry…"
"It's all right, Megumi-dono. It is not your fault."
"But-"
"Did you enjoy the show?" Kenshin asked, changing the subject.
"Oh, um, yes actually. I wasn't able to stay the whole time last time so…"
"That's good."
"Ken-san? If you don't mind my asking, how do you know Sanosuke?"
"I…" he was trying to be cautious with his words, for he didn't want to screw up Kaoru's plans. "I work with him."
"At a bar!" she asked disbelievingly.
"Um," Kenshin was stuttering for an answer. "Hai."
Megumi ran to her car, completely ignoring poor Kenshin. Only one thought was running through her mind. Mr. Right worked with Kenshin in a bar. Oh, god, how she hoped it wasn't Sano she was being hooked up with. She wouldn't put it past Kaoru to do it either. She reached for her cell phone and dialed his number for she'd committed it to memory. If it was Sano, there shouldn't be an answer… Four rings… Five rings… And then… nothing. He didn't have his machine on. There was no answer.
a/n: ok, for the reo speedwagon song, i changed up the words just a tiny bit to suit the singer... it really says 'i finally feel like a man' well i just changed that to woman... don't forget to review! still looking for a beta!