A/N: Another chapter closer to the end! Yay! And once more Nekotsuki was my beta! I had a great time with my Aunt at the Hoobastank concert! It was SO much fun!

Reviewers!

droparmor - Here's the update!

CHIBIKenshinta-chan - Thanks for the review!

Shauntell - This was one of my longest stories. It had a LOT of chapters!

FairyMage - I'm glad you liked Saito's and Okita's appearance.

WolfDaughter - Yes, I do love torturing poor little Kenshin.

lolo popoki - TAKE ME WITH YOU! I would LOVE to go and see System Of A Down in concert! Lucky you!

AuburnMoonlight - You'll find out who it is in this chapter.

Hitokiri Musei - Glad you enjoyed the update.

Chapter 16 - Reunited

Akina screamed loud and hard as the man covered in blood stepped forward out of the darkness holding a sword. It, too, was drenched in blood. This man looked like a demon with blood smeared on his face matching his red hair.

Kenshin dropped the sword he had been holding and placed his hand over Akina's mouth. "Shh! I'm not here to hurt you!" He grabbed her wrist tighter as he started to black out; it had taken all his strength to get here. "I'm just looking for a little girl. Her name is Neko." He removed his hand from her mouth, but still hung on to her wrist. Mostly because he was afraid of falling over if he let go.

Akina's pupils dilated as realization hit her. "You're the Battousai! You're alive!" Kenshin didn't know how to respond to that. He lowered his head and tried to hold back a moan. 'This blood. It's mostly his,' She thought as she began to see how injured Kenshin really was. "You must sit down."

"No. Neko, where… I have to get her out of here." Kenshin tried to straighten to his full height and almost fell backwards. Akina reached out and tried to support him, but she grabbed his right arm where the bullet had hit and he hissed in pain. She yanked her hand back not sure how to help. "Please, where is she?"

She had never expected the Battousai of legend to be so kind. Even injured as he was, he was still saying please and he was so worried about Neko. He looked so young. This couldn't be the man of legend. "I'll take you to her." She moved to help him.

"No, I'm fine," he said raising his hand. "Please, just take me to her." He reached down and picked up the dropped sword. "Please."

Akina gave her head a slight nod and pulled out a white handkerchief. "You… you may want to wipe your face."

'I must look pretty frightening.' He took the offering. "Arigatou." He used it to try to scrape the dried blood away from his face as Akina led him to Neko.

They stopped at a door and Akina, with shaking hands, unlocked it. "She's in here. You must take her and leave quickly. The Shinsengumi were already here looking for you."

"I know."

Akina opened the door and a ray of light fell on Neko's still form. She didn't move or react to the opening of the door. Kenshin stepped inside and slowly made his way towards the still child. 'Is she dead? Am I too late?' His eyes fell on Neko's mangled leg, and his anger burned.

Neko saw a shadow appear on the floor. It slowly walked towards her. 'He's back, no, it's not him. It's a woman. Is Akina coming back? But she should stay away or he'll kill her.' She looked up at the red head that now stood above her. 'Oh, it's just my eyes again.'

Kenshin met Neko's eyes. 'Does she still hate me?' He bent down and touched her cheek. "Neko?"

'I can feel it. I can feel his hand.' Tears welled up in her eyes. 'He's real! He's really here!' A happy, whiny squeak escaped her as she jumped up and threw her tied hands over his head and around his neck. She cried. "You're alive! Akina told me you were dead! She said they killed you! But you're alive! You're really alive!"

The pain from Neko's awkward hug was nearly unbearable. Nearly. 'She doesn't hate me.' He dropped the sword and with both hands hugged her back.

Akina watched from the doorway and smiled. She couldn't believe it. Neko was going to be saved again. But they had to leave, and soon. Muroi would be back at any minute. Stopping on that thought she quickly went to find bandages. No matter what the Battousai – no, Kenshin; that's what Neko had called him – said, he needed to be taken care of right away.

Although he was relieved to find that Neko didn't really hate him, Kenshin was still well aware of his surroundings. Without Neko's knowledge he reached down and grabbed the hilt of the sword. 'This does not look like a battle I can avoid,' he thought, letting his embrace of Neko go. "Neko, let go," he whispered to her.

"Why?"

"Battousai." Neko gasped when she heard the voice of her Master. Kenshin touched Neko's arm and she pulled her hands over his head so he could stand up. Muroi watched from the doorway as Kenshin stood and glared at him. He laughed. "You turn traitor, Battousai?" Kenshin narrowed his eyes at the drunken man; his gaze stopped at the sword he held in his hand. "I don't know how you're alive or how..." He burped. "...you got here, but I'm not letting you take her again." He raised his weapon. "You're injured." He had come expecting to find Akina, and to fulfill his vow to kill her, so this was a little unexpected.

"It won't take even half my strength to take down a drunk like you." Kenshin tried to play on Muroi's fear, but he was either too drunk or had none to play off. He began to assess the strength of the man blocking his exit. True, he was drunk, but how many times had Hiko easily finished off jar after jar of sake and then come and bashed him to the ground? Of course, Hiko had been a master; this man before him had some experience with fighting, but not much. He moved to fall into a fighting stance, but it pulled on his injuries and he chose another. He could only hope his injuries wouldn't hinder him too much.

Muroi laughed, prepared himself, and charged. Neko screamed as Kenshin blocked the attack with his sword. He stepped back and Muroi charged at him again. He swung for Kenshin but he quickly moved to the side of the attack. Kenshin aimed for Muroi's head, but was blocked by his sword. The two got into a match of strength as they pushed against each other. A match Kenshin would never win in his current state. Muroi easily pushed him back, sending Kenshin flying into the wall.

He cried out in pain as his body hit, but he didn't have time to dawdle; Muroi came flying at him and thrust his blade through Kenshin's sleeve. The uniform had been big and he was not injured, but a large cut was made in the gi. Muroi didn't stop; he quickly pressed the tiring hitokiri.

'I'm losing!' Kenshin was angry at himself. Block. 'I can't lose.' Dodge. 'If I lose then my life is forfeit…' Slash, block. 'But so is Neko's.' Dodge. "I CAN'T LOSE!" He gave a yell and pushed Muroi off him. "Neko! Don't look!" He called to her as he jumped into the air.

That command again. Neko pinched her eyes tight but she could still hear. "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Ryu Tsui Sen!" She heard him yell, then heard the sickening sound of metal quickly passing through human flesh and bone. Muroi yelled, but even that didn't drown out the sound of two bodies falling to the floor. Neko kept her eyes shut tight. Who had won? Wouldn't Kenshin had told her by now to open her eyes. She listened for any sound but all she could hear was her labored breathing.

Daring to take a peak, Neko opened her eyes slightly. The first things she saw was her angel sprawled out on the floor. He wasn't moving. She closed her eyes again, he couldn't be hurt. He was alright. Wasn't he? "Kenshin?" she called out, but didn't get an answer. "Kenshin!" She called out a bit more desperately, not daring to open her eyes again. She started to cry when he once again didn't answer.

Muroi lay on the floor, never to touch another woman again, split nearly in half, a large gash from his shoulder to just past his hip being his undoing. His sword had been cut in half, one piece remaining in the dead man's hand, the other a few feet from the body. He was no longer Master of anyone.

Kenshin was very still. His hand gave a sudden twitch and he moaned quietly. He had put so much effort into that attack that he had blacked out soon after finishing. His body was shaking very badly as he picked himself up enough to see if Muroi was truly dead. He didn't need a second look. He looked back over to Neko, she was crying. "It's alright, Neko." He dragged himself over to her, too tired to even attempt standing.

"Kenshin?" She started to open her eyes.

"No, don't open them yet." He didn't want her young eyes to witness any more carnage than they already had. Taking his sword, he carefully cut away the ropes that held her hands together. "Put your arms around my neck," he instructed and she quickly followed. Taking one more moment to brace himself, he forced himself up with Neko in his arms.

He felt as if he was going to buckle under her weight, but he managed to stay standing. Neko hugged him tightly as he carefully made his way out of the room. As she felt herself moving, she opened her eyes slightly, wanting to know what had happened. Her first sight was that of Muroi's twisted face of death, blood covering the floor. She squeaked a little and re-shut her eyes, and buried her head into Kenshin's neck. He reeked of blood. The smell was all over him. He was a killer, but he was still her angel.

Akina came back just as Kenshin was stepping from the room. Her hand flew to her mouth when she saw the bloody mess behind him. "The Master ... he's ..." Kenshin put Neko down and quickly shut the door.

"It's alright, you can open your eyes now, Neko." He spoke softly and leaned against the wall. Neko cautiously opened her eyes as Kenshin slid down the wall, too tired to stand any longer. Akina looked at the two of them as they sat side by side. One panting and holding his left side, the other shivering and on the verge of crying.

Not knowing what else to do, Akina clutched tightly to the bundle of medicine she had gathered. A bit fearfully, she knelt down to Kenshin. "Please let me look at you." She reached out her hand to pull back his gi. She was surprised when he caught her wrist.

"No, Neko's leg. Check Neko first."

"But you're..."

"Check Neko." Akina gave a nod and moved towards Neko. She looked at her leg, but once again she didn't know what to do. She cleansed it and made a simple splint for it, but that was all she could do. She rubbed some balm into the many cuts and bruises that covered her body. Neko sat very still and watched Akina as she worked. She cried out a few times, but for the most part she was very quiet, and she was smiling. When Akina had finished with Neko she moved to Kenshin.

"Now, uh ..." She didn't know what to call him. She looked up to see if he would give her an answer, and discovered that he had fallen asleep. 'Battousai-san must be warn out.' She smiled weakly; he looked rather cute when he was asleep, but he was injured and needed to be taken care of. Slowly, she reached out and pulled the gi off him. She unwound the makeshift bandages he had made, and heard Neko gasp when the last piece had been taken off. Akina's hand shot to her mouth. Little cuts with dried rivers of blood littered his body, bruising covered him, his torso was a sickening red, glossy coloring, and not to mention the large gash on his left side. "Oh, my."

With shaking hands, she reached into her basket and began to work. She took care of the smaller cuts first. She could handle those. On the burns, she placed a thick gel that was suppose to cool the skin. While rubbing this in, Kenshin hissed and opened his eyes. "What..." He blinked a few times. "Who…" He couldn't seem to gather his thoughts.

"It's alright," Neko said, lightly touching his arm. "Akina will take care of you." She had been crying. "They hurt you."

He smiled for her. "I'm all right."

'No, you're not,' Akina said to herself as she finished rubbing the gel on the burns. She reached for some gauze and thought for a moment. 'Are you suppose to pack it into the wound? I think that's what you do. I wish I was a doctor.' She could feel Neko's eyes watching her every move. It made her nervous. "Neko, maybe you shouldn't watch."

Neko shook her head. No, this was her fault. She wanted to know what they had done to him. She wanted to know exactly where he hurt. She snuggled up closer to her angel. "I'm so sorry."

"No, it's not your fault, Neko. Nothing that happened is your fault. Understand?" Neko nodded, but she didn't mean it.

Akina finally made up her mind, and pushed some gauze into the cut. Kenshin's fingers curled into a fist as he kept the pain he was feeling out of his face. He couldn't let Neko see that. Akina covered up her work to help keep infection out, and then help Kenshin put the gi back on. "Your neck!" She exclaimed when she saw more bruising. She reached to get something to treat that.

"No, that's good enough. We have to leave here soon. Hiroko will come back." Kenshin closed his eyes. "Akina-dono." She blushed, no one had ever addressed a simple slave so formally. Besides the other slaves, no one even called her by name. "I want you to take Neko away from here. I don't care where you go, but wherever you go I'm going the opposite way."

"No!" Neko shouted and hugged his arm. "I'm staying with you!"

"You can't!" He snapped, a little more forcefully then he had meant. He was just too tired to deal with a heart broken child. "Hiroko will be coming after me. He'll come after me and leave you two alone. He doesn't want you, he wants me."

"He wants Neko," Akina added, looking towards the floor. She wasn't use to speaking up. "That's why he came here. To get Neko. I can't protect her from him. I will stay here and stall for you two. I can't leave, or else the Master..." She trailed off. Her Master lay dead and spilling blood behind that closed door. Tears slowly fell from her eyes.

"Why are you crying?" Neko asked curiously.

Akina smiled. "I'm free. I'm finally free. I've never been free before!" She began to laugh. "I'm free."

"I told you Kenshin would rescue you too!" Neko said with a big smile, which made Kenshin blush slightly.

Akina took a deep breath, coming back to the situation at hand. "We'll come with you. I can carry Neko, and I'm sure one of the others could help you."

"No! I don't want anyone else involved in this." He sighed and let his head fall back against the wall. "You're right about Hiroko. He will try to get his hands on Neko." He closed his eyes and tried to organize his thoughts. 'Hiroko could have come after me but instead he went straight for Neko. If he finds her with Akina-dono, he won't hesitate to get rid of her and take Neko.' He opened an eye for a moment to look at Akina. 'She's never been free before. I can't endanger her chance of freedom by having Hiroko looking for her.'

"Akina-dono, you will tell the others that Muroi is dead and that they should leave right away." She nodded. "Then you, too, will leave. Neko and I will be leaving together." Neko gave a happy squeal and hugged his arm again.

"I'll come with you!" Akina protested.

"No. I can't let anyone else be dragged into this. We'll be fine." He looked around for his sword. He then remembered he had left it in the other room. He pushed himself to his feet to retrieve it.

"What are you doing?" Akina asked, startled that he was even standing.

"I need a sword," he answered bluntly.

"I have a better idea. Wait here." She quickly rose to her feet and hurried away. Kenshin let himself fall back to the ground, too tired to protest.

Neko snuggled up to him. "I knew you were alive. They said you were dead." He wasn't sure how to respond to that. "I knew you would come for me." Akina's footsteps could be heard running towards them.

"Here. It was the Master's." She knelt down and handed Kenshin a katana. It was completely black, like the night sky. He took it and unsheathed it. It shone back just like new. He could tell it was a good quality metal; it had good balance as well. It was a very fine and expensive sword.

"Arigatou." He rose once more to his feet and placed the sword through his belt. "We must leave, quickly."

"Am I ever going to see you again, Akina?" Neko asked, now realizing that by going with Kenshin she was leaving Akina behind.

"Someday, maybe." She leaned over and hugged Neko. Quietly she whispered, "You're with your angel again. Be a good girl."

She nodded her head. "Oh, I will be!" Akina slid one arm under Neko's legs and put the other around her back. With a grunt, she lifted her up. Kenshin reached out his hands so that he could take Neko from her. With an uncertain glance, she carefully handed her to him. When all of Neko's weight was given to him, his shoulder slumped slightly, but he held her tightly. Neko grabbed onto his gi and rested her head against his shoulder.

Kenshin bowed his head. "You were a big help, Akina-dono. Arigatou."

Once more, Akina blushed. He was so respectful, unlike all of the rumors that she had heard about him. Maybe he really wasn't the Battousai. "No, you… uh..." She looked up at him, pleading for him to tell her his name.

He hesitated a moment. "Himura."

"Himura-san, if it hadn't been for you, I would still be enslaved," she cried. "You don't know what this means to me to be free. Arigatou. Arigatou."

He smiled; he did know how she felt. Even if it had been a short time, he too had once been a slave. Although he would have preferred a different method to be freed, he still remembered the feeling being free had given him. He bowed his head once more, and with Neko in his arms he turned away. "Don't worry about Hiroko seeing you. To him you won't look different from anyone else. Enjoy your freedom." With that said, he walked away.

A loud knocking sounded throughout the eerily quiet house. Impatience drove the man who was knocking to kick the door down. Hiroko rushed into the dark house. "MUROI!" He yelled. He had finally found the bar his old friend had been drinking at, only to find he had left hours ago. "Find him!" He yelled to his men as he himself began to dash through the house. "Muroi!" As he ran, he could smell the faint odor of drying blood. 'What if Battousai had gotten here first!' He picked a door and threw it open. Muroi's body was sprawled out on the floor. His blood had dried into a frozen pond around his body that was nearly split in two.

"Muroi. I was too late." He took a step toward his fallen friend. Memories of times spent with him came flashing back to him. "Muroi, my friend." His hand was shaking. "I was a fool, forgive me. I should have killed him sooner. I let the Battousai live. I should have killed him!" He fell to his knees and gently touched the hardened blood. As he pulled his fingertips back, he could see his prints left behind in the blood. He turned his fingers to him and looked at Muroi's blood. "He will pay." His eyes narrowed. "He will pay dearly. I will make him suffer then I will cut that girl's throat and spill her blood all over his body. HE WILL PAY!"