Pant… Pant… Almost… done…

Chapter 11:Waitresses and Hostages: What's a Kenny to do?

A short while later, they reached the restaurant. The entire place was bedecked in flowers, and a smiling waitress led them in.

"What's the name, please?" She asked. Kenshin fervently hoped Tae had put his name down, and not hers.

"Uh, Himura." The waitress examined a large book, and Kenshin glanced over at Kaoru, who was staring around her in awe.

"Right this way please." He started to follow, then noticed Kaoru wasn't moving, apparently dumbfounded by her surroundings.

"Kaoru?" He started.

"If you would follow me, Himura- san?" The waitress asked, looking at Kaoru. Kaoru jumped, and then blushed.

"Oh, no, no, no, we're, um, not married." She stammered. The waitress smiled sweetly, a little half-smile that told Kenshin a whole lot more than it didn't, and led them upstairs.

"My mistake. Here you go!" She showed them to a table. Kenshin smiled at her.

"Thank you for showing us to our table, miss." The waitress giggled and walked off. Kenshin turned back to Kaoru to find The Glare of Death waiting for him. "Uh, Kaoru?"

"You were flirting with her." She stated flatly.

"Oro! Sessha was not!"

"You thanked her and you called her 'miss.'" Kaoru folded her arms across her chest and glared accusingly at him.

"Thanking a person is polite, and I call everybody female 'miss.' Except you, that is." He added hastily. Her glare didn't change. He sighed. "Is sessha supposed to go back to calling Kaoru 'Kaoru- dono' now?" Her glare dropped like a stone and she lost her steam.

"No, I… You… I meant… Gah! Men!" And she stormed off.

Now you've done it, haven't you?

Battousai? Do me a favor and stuff it.

After a bit, Kenshin began to wonder where Kaoru had gone. Reaching out with the tattered remnants of his gift, he searched for her.

GYAAAAHHH! KEENNSSHHIINN! HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME HEEELLLLPPP!

Kenshin leapt to his feet and took off in the direction she had stomped off in. When he felt her chi close by, he slowed. There was a door up ahead. Squinting, he read the sign as he neared it.

WOMEN'S RESTROOM

"ORO?" He skidded to a halt just in time not to crash into the door as he had previously been planning to.

"K- Kaoru?" He asked tentatively. Her reply was immediate.

"KENSHIN!" Came her wail.

"Kaoru! What is it?" He heard a sniffle.

"I- I'm being held hostage, Kenshin…" Kenshin's heart plummeted.

"In… the women's restroom?"

"Yes! Help!"

"B- B- But sessha can't go in there!" He stuttered, turning red at the very thought.

"Kenshin, sometimes you are too honorable for your own good. Or mine!" she said, rather impatiently. "He's not in very far; just open the door and he's right there!" He could hear the fear in her voice.

"He's not moving?" Kenshin asked, perplexed. I really don't want to go in there….

"No, he's just staring at me…" Her voice wavered. "Are you going to just sit there, Kenshin? HELP ME!"

Kenshin steeled himself. If Sano finds out I'll never hear the last of it… "I'm coming in!" He wrenched the door open, hand going to his sakabatou immediately. He blinked.

"Oro? Kaoru, there's no one here." Her eyes were wide and fearful.

"B- Behind you, Kenshin…" Kenshin whirled, expecting some giant, hulking man to be there.

On the door was a tiny black spider about the size of a grain of rice. Kenshin took off one of his zori and smashed it. It fell to the floor, dead. He turned back to Kaoru and raised an eyebrow.

"You were being held hostage by a spider." Kaoru blushed.

"Well… yes." Kenshin sighed.

"Oh, good. Just making sure sessha wasn't going nuts. That's fine, then." He stepped aside so that Kaoru could come out, and followed her back to the table.

………………………………………

Wheehah! Only one chapter left! I just want to say that you readers and reviewers have been a great help to me. I didn't expect this story to be such a hit. Sniffle You guys are great! Next time, Chapter 12: The conclusion: Kenshin's Gift and Who kisses Whom?