D/C: Do I even look like I own RK?

A/N: Hey there everyone, sorry for the slight delay but school is a real mess right now. Thank you all who reviewed my last chappie, you really make me want to make this the best it can be. I love you all and like usual I'll thank you all personally later on. Right now...

Enjoy...

CHAPTER 4:

Kenshin blinked slowly. He sat up and saw that he was sleeping on his couch in his bathrobes. He flushed; what if his mysterious guest saw him in such an inappropriate form? He yawned and stretched, then lowered his feet to the floor to go to the bathroom but instead of the touch of the floor he felt something else that was much softer and curvier.

"Miss!" he exclaimed aloud, but she was deep asleep.

He immediately pulled his feet away from her. He hesitantly looked at his coffee table and the very thing he was dreading, the answer to this unusual situation; his prescription medication. If he wasn't wrong, he had probably come back home a mess and freaked her out, then he, as usual, took the drug to control himself, which although helped him by putting him to sleep also gave him horrible nightmares. He gazed at her worriedly; had he hurt her in any possible way? No, she seemed to be fine, exhausted but otherwise whole and safe. Knowing the routine a little too well, he knew that within a few minutes or so he'd remember everything, he just hoped he'd remember nice things and not bad things. She sniffed adorably and started to blink slowly. He found himself watching in awe; she really looked like a fallen angel, a very cute fallen angel. She opened her eyes and gasped quietly when she saw that Kenshin was staring straight at her from almost on top of her. However, Kenshin didn't seem to mind her reaction at all; he wanted to just continue looking at her. To his surprise she beamed at him.

"Good morning," she said. "How do you feel this morning, Kenshin-sama?"

Kenshin forced himself to sit up straight, putting more distance between them. "Good morning," he replied softly. "I'm very fine, thank you."

Kaoru bowed her head slightly in approval and got up to her feet and slapped dust of her dress. "Why don't you go to the bathroom to freshen up while I fix up some breakfast for you?" she offered while walking towards the kitchen.

Kenshin wanted to protest, but she had a look in her eyes as she said the words that he could not understand. He only nodded and then went to the bathroom. I must've done something really bad yesterday. She seemed really glad that he was better, but he was worried that he might've let a few words lose yesterday that he'd rather keep to himself. If only he could remember what exactly happened.

He stared hard at his reflection in the mirror. Think, Himura, think!

He had another mission, a surprise one. He went with a fellow assassin. They got it done easily.

C'mon...THINK!

A woman and her child suddenly appeared. Kenshin and his co-worker were standing amidst the fallen bodies with their sword bloodied and high. The woman screamed then carried her child in her arms and ran away.

Oh, my God! Remember...

Before Kenshin could realize the fact that he had just been spotted, his co-worker moved with his sword ready and caught up with the woman. He slashed her back and she fall forwards, throwing her child away she did. She hit the hard concrete and slid a few meters forwards. Her little boy landed a few meters away from her. The boy watched in silent horror as his mother pleaded him to run away as his co-worker approached her with slow steps and cut off her head. Her blood gushed out and tainted her child. Kenshin's senses finally kicked in. He screamed his lungs out and ran to save the innocent child; he was going to get killed. But he was too late, his co-worker cut the boy's head and it rolled till it rested next to his mother's.

Kenshin fell to his knees, both in the memory and reality.

He came back home, not even bothering to hide his bloodied self from the eyes of the common civilians. They all turned and looked at him with a mixture of horror and disgust; they all seemed to know that he was real, not an act or a show. He felt revealed and uncovered, like he was standing naked in front of a crowd. For the first time his job didn't seem like the right thing and the reason for his existence. He felt dirty and tainted. Filthy. Unworthy of his existence. Suddenly, all what he believed in so powerfully went straight to the trash bin and nothing made sense any more. Kaoru was horrified at his sight, yet she helped with all she could. He could feel, see and hear her, but couldn't respond to her; he was still in shock. It felt like he was watching her on a screen in a theatre, as if they weren't even in the same world. Finally, he managed to break free and throw it all onto the back of his mind for her sake. But the second she was gone, the instant when a wall separated them, it all started again and he had no option but to take his medication. He thought he might be able to put a good fight this time, may be he would hold himself from screaming and waking up before her, but he failed again, like always.

He hated being so weak. Tears welled in his eyes.

She woke him up at the middle of the night. Her pretty features were so scared and worried. He couldn't stop himself from muttering and screeching, he tried, he really did, but he had no control any more on himself, a usual side effect of that drug. She tried to hold him tight in her arms but he threw her off him hard.

"Not again," she muttered, massaging the side of her head irritably.

Had she hit her head earlier?

She crawled back to him hurriedly and tried again. "Please, take it easy," she pleaded desperately.

He heard a knock on the door but before answering, he just gazed at it quietly. It opened slowly and Kaoru came inside slowly.

"Your bathroom seems to be quite an emotional place," she remarked, grinning sadly.

Kenshin turned his head away from her.

She held him so tight that he couldn't move his arms any more. He tried to jerk her off him but she wouldn't even budge.

"Please, you'll hurt yourself!" she screamed, crying and tightening her grip around on him. He could feel her hot tears fall onto his bare chest rapidly.

He slowly stopped resisting her. When he finally became still she hurriedly got his blanket and wrapped it tightly around him and held him again, panting.

He fell asleep on the sound of her breathing and the feeling of her grip around him. He felt safe. He felt like a child.

WEAK!

She walked towards him and sat next to him. "We all have our dark sides," she said, but he still looked away. "But I must say yours is a lot darker than most of us."

He bit his lower lip.

"I'm so sorry for Tomoe-sama," she said sincerely. "You must've loved her very much. Her loss must've been tragic."

Kenshin turned towards her in shock. Kaoru flushed and looked down at her hands which rested on her lap embarrassedly.

"You mentioned her name a couple of timers yesterday," she told him.

Kenshin bowed his head slightly and turned away. "I suppose you want some explanation," he said gruffly.

Kaoru was hurt by his tone of voice. "No," she said. "I don't want you to tell me anything at all."

"What?" Kenshin exclaimed, looking back at her.

"You never asked me to explain anything to you, I can't see why you should," she explained.

Kenshin just gazed openly at her.

"Breakfast is waiting for you," she told him and then got onto her feet and turned to leave.

"Did I tell you that she was killed?" he asked her, still on the floor.

"Yes," she answered, still walking away and without turning back; she didn't want to believe that Kenshin could kill anyone.

"But did I tell you that it was I who killed her?" he asked.

Kaoru froze at the door. "Yes," she said, then walked out hurriedly.

Kenshin jumped onto his feet and ran after her. He caught her right outside, jerked her around by the shoulders powerfully and pinned her by the neck painfully against the wall.

"Are you scared of me?" he whispered dangerously in her ear. His eyes took a sudden impossible shade of red.

"No," she choked, tears running down her cheeks, trying hard with both hands to loosen his grip around her neck.

Kenshin tightened his grip on her neck. He felt outraged that after all what he did for her she wouldn't even give him a simple truth.

"Yeah, right, then why are you crying?" he sneered menacingly.

"Because I feel sorry for you," she told him. "I really do."

Kenshin pressed his body against her, squeezing her against the wall angrily, making it no longer possible to take in any tiny amount of air.

"How dare you?" he spat angrily. "You know nothing at all about me!"

"I know that you're a good guy," her voice was barely audible now. "You're just confused and messed up. I'm really sorry." She lowered her hands to her sides slowly, showing him that she won't resist him any longer. "I care about you," she whispered sincerely.

Kenshin growled angrily and threw her aside. She hit the floor hard, gasping for breath.

"Why?" he bellowed madly. Fisting the wall where she was a few seconds ago. "You know nil about me."

Kaoru, panting, staggered to get onto her knees; she felt dizzy. She approached him slowly.

"I really care," she said, hugging him from the back and he froze with shock. "I feel like I know you, I don't know why, but I just do. I care. I love you."

Kenshin leaned forwards against the wall and rested his forehead on it.

"My parents died in a car crash," he began.

"Kenshin you don't hav-" Kaoru argued but he just continued telling as if he didn't hear her.

"I was still five back then," he went on. "My uncle, Hiko, took me unwillingly. Yet he raised me up the best he could. He taught me all the secrets and techniques of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu and I excelled in it. It wasn't such a bad life. Then she came, Tomoe Yukishiro. She was beautiful in every possible way, both on the inside and the outside."

They walked together, hand in hand, under the moonlit sky. They didn't need to talk; they just enjoyed the touch of their hands together. He peeked at her sideways and saw how stunningly pretty she was in the moon light. Just as pretty as she did at the sunset. Just like she did every hour and every second. He squeezed her hand gently in his, just to make sure she was really there next to him and that it wasn't all just a fantasy.

"I was madly in love with her and she returned it. We were both still 14 but we knew that this was the love that was meant to live forever."

He couldn't take his eyes off her all through English literature class. Finally, to his relief and after what seemed like forever the bell rang and the class packed up and left. He hurriedly packed up and waited impatiently for her to pack up before he hurriedly zoomed by her and grabbed her by the elbow. She tensed at first but then relaxed when she saw that it was her beloved Kenshin, and smiled. She allowed him to drag her all the way to the nearest empty classroom without a sound. He released her inside and shut the door behind them then knelt on one knee in front of her.

"I know this sound ridiculous," he told her. "But I wanna marry you."

Tomoe's jaw dropped.

She knelt to be in level with him. "You want to marry me?" she asked doubtfully.

"Yes, I do, I really, really do," he replied confidentially.

Tomoe smiled shyly. "Now?" she asked giggling.

Kenshin tilted his head playfully. "If you're busy today we can do it tomorrow," he said.

Tomoe laughed heartily. "No really, when?" she asked.

"The minute we both strike eighteen," he said. "Let's see, I become eighteen first, so make that the moment YOU strike eighteen. What do you think?"

Tomoe nodded feverishly and wiped a happy tear. Kenshin launched at her with such a powerful hug that she fell backwards with him on top of her.

"I really love you baby" he whispered.

Tomoe gazed at him fondly. "Me too," she replied softly.

The door opened suddenly.

"Hey! What are you two doing?" the Biology teacher gasped in shock.

"Her father was a very important politician with many enemies and her younger brother Enishi never approved of our relationship."

Kenshin rang the bell and waited impatiently. He was waiting for Tomoe outside her impressive mansion; they had a date that night. He shifted his weight from one leg to another excitedly. He heard thuds approaching and the turning of keys in the lock. He straightened up and prepared to outstretch his arm to offer her the bouquet of flower that he bought for her. The door opened but it was Enishi who was standing there.

"Oh, it's you," Enishi spat.

Kenshin forced him self to smile politely. "Yup, me, the one and only," he replied cheerfully. He had to love Enishi for Tomoe's sake; she and her brother shared a special bond.

Enishi rolled his eyes. "Get chirpy somewhere else, bitch," he said smirking and then swung the door shut in Kenshin's face.

Kenshin's jaw dropped.

Bitch? What has he got against my hair?

"One night, I took her out for a movie, but we never made it; we were attacked and kidnapped. The plan was that the kidnappers would trade her for a certain new law or something, I never really knew. Her father refused. They tortured the both of us. I couldn't take it; they attacked her 24/7 in front of my eyes, only coming to me when they felt 'bored with the girl'"-Kaoru tightened her arms around him-" They took turns at her till she died."

Beaten to the point were death was their dearest wish, Kenshin looked up from where his hands were tied with thick ropes to a pole at Tomoe across the room from him, semi-crucified and almost fully naked. A man fooled around with her and she let out her loudest wild screech of pain before her head dropped sideways. Kenshin felt his heart skip a beat painfully. The man who was molesting her went pale as he checked her for a pulse. He turned to the others who were waiting for his analysis.

"She's...dead," he announced. "The bitch couldn't last with us more than a couple of days. Throw her body in the sewers."

"I reached the breaking point."

Tomoe's dead...they killed her...they tortured my baby to death...

"Somehow I broke the ropes binding me and there was a machine gun lying next to me. I took it and fired at will. They all dropped dead. Her beautiful body was mangled further with my bullets."

Kenshin summed up the rest of his power in one mighty surge and resumed feverishly rubbing his wrists against the thick ropes till his skin went raw and bled. The men were busy laughing and thinking of ways to get rid of Tomoe's body and they never noticed when Kenshin's hands slid free from their binding as his blood acted like a lubricant. Kenshin seized the chance and grabbed someone's machine gun that was lying close to him.

"YOU BASTARDS KILLED HER!" he screamed insanely. "DIE! ALL OF YOU! ROT IN THE CORE OF HELL!"

Before any of them could react to him he fired. One by one they dropped ungracefully to the floor before his eyes. Blood splattered and covered the place.

He broke into quiet sobs.

"Kenshin-sama, she was already dead," Kaoru said softly.

"The medical report said that she was still alive when I fired," Kenshin said and Kaoru gasped but still kept her arms around him. "I really did kill her. She had only fainted back then and they told me that she was dead. They lied to me and why shouldn't they? I killed her, I killed my Tomoe. I was trialed for murder but never charged; the jury believed that I was confused and thought that she was already dead. Her father died with grief and Enishi never forgave me, he vowed to avenge her. Six months later and after a long secret search, I found a secret underground organization that 'fought the evil'. It seemed like the only way I can amends for my crimes against the Yukishiro family. It all seemed so right, but sometimes in bed, visions would come back to me. I would stay all night worried if what I did was really the right thing. Uncle Hiko took me to many doctors who prescribed for me even more medications. All failed. My Uncle wasn't as dumb as he looked, he saw right through me. He did some research and found out about my job. He tried to talk me out of it but failed. Finally, he said that he didn't want anything to do with me. He agreed to remain my legal guardian for the public eye, but that was only it. I had to live on my own from the money I got from my assignments. I lost the only family member that I had. Yesterday our mission went wrong and for the first time it hit me hard in the head how bad I've become. I became a cold blooded murderer. I did everything that went against all what Tomoe and I believed in. I keep killing but the world remains the same. I felt that I was no longer honoring her, but disgracing her. She wasn't smiling down at me, she was crying."

"I know how it feels to be lost," Kaoru told him, burying her face in his back and shedding silent tears. "To be scared and confused. You want to hide but there's nowhere to hide. You want to cry but you feel ashamed to show your weakness. You want to be someone else for someone else's sake."

Kenshin turned to face her and she could see tears shimmering in his eyes. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest.

"But if you really love that person you'd change the world for them," Kaoru realized that she was rambling and that she talking more to herself than to Kenshin; despite the major differences there were also many similarities between them.

"There is something that I need to do," Kenshin told her and she backed away from him and wiped her tears. She could see that Kenshin had been crying too. He kissed her on the cheek softly, sending a charge of electricity through her entire body. "There is something that I need to do." he repeated.

She watched him as he went to the door.

"Are you going to kill somebody?" she asked sincerely.

Kenshin stopped and looked back at her. "No," he told her. "I will be a bit late, would you mind waiting for me?"

Kaoru nodded slowly.

Kenshin gazed at her for a moment. "I'm really sorry for the way I treated you, I didn't mean to," he apologized, then left.

"I know," Kaoru said behind him. "I know that, Kenshin-sama."

She touched her neck where he had been choking her just minutes ago and smiled to herself; somehow it didn't hurt even though his grip was powerful and would naturally leave bruises.

She bit her lower lip regretfully; she had to leave before she would transform back to her normal self whether Kenshin was here or not. She wanted him to return early; she wanted to be with him as long as possible. But she also knew that if they were together when the time has come she won't be able to leave him willingly.

She sighed and hugged herself. She'll wait for a couple of hours or so, and then she'd leave.

She walked to the living room and sat on the couch. This is where he laid her and treated her wounds. The chair opposite to her was where he sat when he came back yesterday. She had only been there for less than two days but she already felt emotionally attached to everything about him. She didn't want to leave him in this world of his, she wanted to stay with him and help him through. She found herself envying Tomoe for being loved like that and leaving such an imprint on someone, although she'd never like to go the way Tomoe did.

Kaoru sighed.

Within a few more hours she'd return to her pathetic usual self. Leaving behind all this, leaving him; he'd never recognize her as a child and even if he did he'd never believe his eyes.

Suddenly, she heard a loud bang and the window glass shattered everywhere. Luckily, her instincts had made her spring up and jump behind the couch, avoiding, in the neck of time, the hundreds of glass splinters that flew towards her. She shut her eyes and covered her head with her arms. What the heck is going on? Was it a bomb? A bullet?

She heard loud, rapid thuds approach the apartment's door but instead of the sound of turning keys in the lock she head another loud bang and the door flew right out of its hinges and laid a couple of feet away from its regular position. She looked up and saw that it was Kenshin who burst through the door. She was about to call him when he flashed her a horrified warning glance and looked away at whatever came through the window.

Kaoru got his hint and kept her mouth shut.

"Enishi-sama, what are you doing here?" Kenshin asked, trying to mask his worried tone with a polite one.

Enishi? Through the window! What the heck?

Kaoru had to fight the urge to take a peek and see the person who could possibly fly into a window on the 13th floor.

"I have finally found my chance to avenge my sister, you bastard," Enishi sneered. "After waiting and watching for so long I finally saw you care about another human being. That's the most emotional thing that you've ever done. First it was that Kamiya kid"-Kaoru flinched on hearing what definitely meant her-"but she was only a kid. Your pathetic friends meant nothing to you but social tools. But now I've finally seen you with a woman. Your ways with the soft sex had never changed, still brutal and abusive but I know that you at least care about her deeply if not love her. It is time for revenge. You bastard killed my sister."

On hearing Enishi's last words Kaoru sprang up determinedly. "NO!" she yelled at Enishi. "He never meant to kill her, those murderers raped her in front of him till she passed out and then they told him she was dead. He killed them all for her sake, he never knew that she was still breathing and he certainly never meant to hurt her even dead."

Kaoru heard Kenshin moan in horror behind her back. She knew that he wanted her to hide but she'd never leave him alone against Enishi's brutal accusations.

Enishi smirked. "I see here that Battousai has been feeding you the same sort of crap that he's been giving to the entire world," he spat.

"Who the heck is Battousai?" Kaoru asked defensively.

Enishi bent a little sideways as if trying to get a better look at Kenshin because Kaoru was standing between them. "Ah, I see he missed a few vital details in his biography," Enishi said menacingly. "Like that he is also known as Battousai in the underground world. I can't believe that Japan's finest assassin"-Kaoru shuddered-" would hide this from his mistress."

"HEY!" Kaoru protested.

"Enishi, watch your mouth," Kenshin snarled angrily.

"Or what? You'll kill me Battousai?" Enishi yelled angrily.

Kenshin fists shivered dangerously. "Why can't you believe me when I say that I never meant to do it?" Kenshin screamed. "I loved her with all my strength. She was my every thing. I would have gladly died for her. Her departure burns like acid inside of me. I pray every night for a miracle that would somehow bring her back!"

"So what?" Enishi shouted. "None of all that crap that you do would bring her back! If it wasn't for you, she'd probably be alive now. Like she very well was before she met you."

"That isn't true!" Kaoru screamed at Enishi. "If Kenshin didn't do anything they would have killed her anyway but in a more painful manner. What Kenshin did was probably the most merciful exit for Tomoe. Would she have lived she would probably never live beyond the trauma. But we all here know that she wasn't going to live anyway, they wouldn't have allowed her. You know that very well."

Enishi's eyes widened madly and he took a few quick steps towards Kaoru, glass crunching beneath his shoes, and slapped her so hard she fell on the couch she was hiding behind.

"Kaoru!" Kenshin gasped and attempted to approach her but Enishi took out his sword and positioned it dangerously near Kaoru.

"Do you love her?" Enishi asked.

"Yes, I do," Kenshin answered. "I really love Tomoe, Enishi-sama."

Enishi huffed impatiently. "I mean her," Enishi cleared, jerking the sword towards Kaoru.

Kaoru's eyes widened in surprise. She looked at Kenshin but he looked away.

"No," Kenshin said flatly.

Kaoru fought to maintain a straight face that would conceal her disappointment although she knew very well in the back of her head that she had no right to feel like that.

"Liar!" Enishi screamed, his facial veins suddenly throbbing visibly in a disgusting manner. He grabbed Kaoru by the hair and pulled her near so that she was forced to get on her feet and stand next to him. "You are a stinking, filthy liar."

He pushed Kaoru sideways from him with such a force that she almost collided with the wall.

"I will make you pay," he spat at Kenshin. "I will make you suffer."

Kenshin made an attempt to rush towards Kaoru but Enishi pointed a gun at him and he stopped midway. Kaoru screeched. Enishi turned his gun towards her and shot her.

Kaoru's screeches came to an end. She looked down in at her chest in shock were she was hit by a tranquilizer shot. Her jaw moved soundlessly and her eyes blinked droopily. Then she fell back onto the wall and slid down against it till she hit the ground softly and tilted sideways. She tried to reach an arm towards a stunned Kenshin but it fell to her side lifelessly.

Kenshin's breath caught in his throat and he felt like he was choking.

Enishi smiled to himself in content and walked slowly towards Kaoru. He leaned down and picked her up swiftly in his arms. Devouring the look of pure horror and angst on Kenshin's face as the latter saw Kaoru's body arched in his arms.

"What was that?" Kenshin's voice was coarse. "What did you do to her? That wasn't a real gun, was it?"

Enishi didn't answer, but walked towards the window he came through.

"Did you kill her?" Kenshin insisted.

Enishi smirked satisfactorily. "No, not yet," he said. "But I will where you killed Tomoe and at the same time too."

"Please, no," Kenshin pleaded hoarsely. "She has nothing to do with Tomoe."

Enishi snickered then jumped out of the window and disappeared with Kaoru.

Kenshin fell onto his knees on the ground and hollered into the night.

A/N: Now that was some serious OOC, action and drama, no? Let me know what you think but please be nice to me.

Before I REALLY leave I need to thank those wonderful people:

MikaSono: Yeah, she did keep her eyes closed, but he wasn't in the right state of mind to know that, remember? I insist that you're sweet. Zen beta-reads this story hence the lack of typos and errors, but I never give her the credit that she deserves. Thank you!

Royal blueKitsune: (evil laughter) I love you too. I sympathize with Kaoru as well, especially after this chappie (passes you a handkerchief). Thank you!

Hilaryjade: Well, actually no, it's going to be relatively short. Was this fast enough for you (fingers crossed)? Thank you!

LuvHaru7: Thank you for understanding. By the way if that's Haru from FB then we have something in common. Thank you!

Aldailyn: Nope, it doesn't make much sense but that's my typical effect. LOL, Zen is so right about you, you're so sweet. Thank you!

Brittanie Love: Another wonderful review. I'm loving your review every minute. Thank you!

Jmai: HAPPY BIRTHDAY (sings the birthday theme song). Yeah, that's our lovable Kaoru and you're most welcome. Thank you!

MabuiMiyoko: (bows down so deep that she bumps her head against the coffer table) you're so sweet. Never worry about that. Thank you!

Firalyn Tiatra: (smiles from ear to ear) I am truly speechless! You are plain adorable. Thank you so much!

Xmiahimex: Lol, please be patient and you'll know it all! Thank you!

Ymir-chan: Lol, I wanted to leave on purpose what Kenshin got for her to the readers' imagination, just think horny and you'll get it! Thank you for accepting, I'm eager to write to you and receive e-mails from you. Thank you!

Starry Night Blue: (pats you on the head)! Thank you!

Mii-chan: (blushes and giggles). You're awfully nice! Thank you!

Reignashii: (nods feverishly)! Thank you!

TheFunkyRaccoon: Yeah, I know how nice this feels. LOL, I wish I could've seen that! But you really need to be careful you know, I wouldn't want to lose such a wonderful reviewer! Take care! Also, thanks a lot for the nice words; they meant a lot to me. Some family members can be horrible, but I have a theory that says that they only do that to hide their real and much nicer emotions! I really like it when my authors actually 'talk' to me in their reviews! Thank you!

Ss1128: Pretty please with a cherry on top: UPDATE SOON! Thank you!

Kawaii meeh: Thank God you were that much bored. Thank you!

Liladorablepie: LOL! Thank you!

Ken: I really miss you! You should've never left. Damn you, you moron. I love you.

Universal Fighter: You're so sweet! If you thought that was too dramatic I wonder what you'd think of this! Thank you!

Finally, I gtg and finish the math homework (as if it's 'finish-able')! Wish me luck and see y'all soon (if I don't drown in the sea of homework that is dangerously increasing by the minute)!

-Shimmering Tear