Excerpt from the previous chapter:

" 'He could kill you in a second. How do you know he isn't using you to get close to you just to kill you and get back at Kenshin? Think about it, Kenshin was there when someone close to Soujiro died, he might even think Kenshin killed him, why wouldn't he take revenge? Since you are the closest person to Kenshin and the person he most cares about it makes it just that much easier. That's just common sense, you're too gullible." Sano knew that he was a little harsh but he had to protect her. ' "

"Kenshin!" Sano called out as he walked in the home and saw that Kenshin was back and eating the dumplings that Soujiro had made. This made Sano's neck hairs stand on end.

"Welcome home," Phew he hadn't asked, on to change the subject…

"Is Jou-chan around?" Sano looked to his sides.

"No, she left when I came in, about five minutes ago." Kenshin didn't turn his back to speak with him.

"Dammit!" Sano ran out of the house, which prompted Kenshin to follow him.

"Sano! What's going on?" Kenshin's expression became serious.

"Uh, She told me she was going to shop and I forgot to uh, tell her to buy me something. Later!" Sano began to jog away as Kenshin stood there not buying it.

"I think I go follow him and see what he is up to," Kenshin followed him as he remembered he left an object of his interest behind, the dumplings. He wasn't eating them like Sano thought, he was examining, they couldn't have been Kaoru-dono's and Megumi doesn't cook those types of dumplings because it doesn't pertain to her region. Perhaps he would find the answer if he followed Sano. He decided to go and forget about it.

"Kaoru! Kaoru!"

"Sano-san, could you please be a bit quieter?" Tae asked Sano who was at the entrance of Akabeko.

"Is she here?"

"Yes she is right over there." Tae pointed and Sano stalked over there. He saw the hand of a man from where he as looking and before looking and further he rushed over there and grabbed him.

"Jou-chan, I- Ow!" Sano had grabbed Yahiko by the arm, thinking it was Soujiro, and now he was biting his forearm.

"Sano, what are you doing here?"

"I…I came to…eat with you guys." Sano held his breath, hoping Kaoru would buy it.

"Yea right," Yahiko said as he blocked a punch from Sano.

"S-shut up!"

"You came to tell me Kenshin has return, right? Well, that's why I am here, I…I don't want to see his face. It's not like he stopped me or anything anyways." Kaoru took a sip of her tea.

Kenshin who was an earshot away heard this comment and it saddened him. She didn't understand and he couldn't exactly explain it to her either. He sighed and continued to listen.

"Jou-chan, maybe there is an explanation to his behavior, you know he would never treat you that way," He had to stand up for his bud, he knew Kenshin well and he was looking at the situation without involvement, unlike Kaoru who couldn't help but think the worst.

"I don't want to talk about it anymore, Sano. Besides, if you don't want more added to your tab you better be quiet or I won't treat you," Kaoru feigned a smile.

"I'll shut the hell up then," Sano grinned and decided to go with her and change the topic.

Before Sano finished eating Kaoru decided that she wanted to leave and asked him if he could take Yahiko home. He agreed reluctantly, he knew she was going to see Soujiro, but she gave him a strong glare when his face showed objection and decided that he would drop it. He would never leave her in the face of danger so after she left he promptly followed but only to bump into Kenshin.

"Kenshin! Y-Yo what are you doing here?" He just realized that he couldn't follow Kaoru because then Kenshin would find out about Soujiro, and that could get nasty. His hands were tied.

"Um, I am going to go to the market and get some seaweed, I know we ran out and I want some rice balls. Later Kenshin! Rooster-head!" Yahiko, knowing something was up decided to follow Kaoru in Sano's place. Bless the runt! He knew the situation and went to go after Kaoru, but still…. what could he possibly do against a man who almost killed Kenshin? He sighed visibly and Kenshin took note.

"Is something wrong?" Kenshin tried to read his face.

"Nah…Say Kenshin…I might be able to help you with your search…"

"Oro?" He noticed Sano's unwavering expression and knew that he could no long play innocent, "I see."

Kaoru was still looking for Soujiro on the outskirts of the market. She couldn't find him and then wondered if he had found a job. She wasn't planning on seeing him for a while, but the arrival of Kenshin had made her feelings uncertain and she just needed his comfort to calm herself. She longed for his warm, beautiful smile and his soft hushed tone when he spoke of serious things, like he did when she had asked him that question.

She kept searching and searching and yet she had not found him, it had been about an hour since she commenced and she was quite tired. She decided to sit down up against a tree before she headed back home, defeated. What she had not planned was to fall asleep…

"Kaoru-san….Kaoru-san….Kaoru…" Soujiro poked Kaoru's dreamy face. He noted her fair complexion and how peaceful and serene she looked under the setting sun and shade of the trees and before he noticed his face was moving closer and closer to hers, some magnetic force was pulling him towards her, to feel this patch of serenity.

"Huh?" Kaoru woke up drowsily and when she came to she stared directly into Soujiro's childish face. She could not help but blush; she was so close to him she could feel his hot breath and stare closely into his eyes, and how deep they were.

"E-Excuse me Kaoru-san, I tried to wake you. You shouldn't be here alone and much less fall asleep here, many bandits work in these woods." He tried his hardest not to blush. What had he planned to do? He was a little worried that he hadn't been able to control himself.

"Oh, I didn't intend to, I was looking for you and I couldn't find you so I decided t rest," When she finished her sentence she realized how desperate she sounded and scolded herself mentally.

"I'm sorry, well I am here now," Soujiro smiled the smile she had been anticipating and couldn't help but start to shed tears.

"What's wrong Kaoru-san? Was I rude to you? I am so-"

"No, it's not that. Kenshin…has returned." Soujiro felt his heart tug at her words and he wondered why that was.

"That's great!" He stopped talking when he realized that she was in anguish and not excited.

"No, Soujiro, I don't know what to feel anymore. My emotions are always askew with him. I was just becoming numb, no longer feeling that intense pain, and then he comes back and makes me remember how much I care for him and how much I hate him. I…I just don't know Soujiro."

He realized that Kaoru came to his side to find comfort in him and that made him feel wonderful, he felt truly needed. He couldn't stand watching her cry anymore and took her naturally in his arms and held her tightly. It just seemed so natural; they fit together well.

"I'm sorry, I am never happy around you and all I do is whine, I-"

"No, you've made me happy, you made me feel wanted. I want to help you as much as I can. I want to do anything so you won't have to cry anymore." Kaoru didn't respond she just took in his words and just listened to the beating of his heart and it relaxed her. He shifted slightly she felt something come in contact with her ribs. She looked down and noticed a sword at his waist. It startled her. He hadn't had one before and then suddenly Sano's words flooded her mind. Had he been right? Could this man truly want to harm her? He had the opportunity several times and even there in her sleep. Or perhaps now that Kenshin had come back he would harm her so Kenshin could witness it. She had been so dumb to reveal that secret to him. Suddenly her tranquility was shattered with thoughts of doubt. She couldn't believe that he would do that, but after all, it had been all a little too convenient. Also, how is that they became so close in such a short amount of time, what was he doing to make her lose all her common sense and her shyness? These thoughts no longer permitted her to stay and she let go of Soujiro's warm tender arms.

"I should be going. Kenshin is back and he might come looking for me." She felt ashamed of having to doubt him and to treat him so coldly. She averted eye contact with him.

"Yes, you are right." He noticed her sudden change.

"Goodnight Soujiro," She turned around but Soujiro grabbed her by the arm and he felt her tense up and he saw her startled expression when she turned around.

"Goodnight Kaoru-san, I am glad you came to me. I hope that you can find peace tonight," he smiled again and promptly turned around and left, leaving Kaoru still looking in his direction. Was she making a drastic mistake in believing Sano's theory? He seemed so sincere. She just didn't know anymore and frankly she knew that if this kept on any longer that she wouldn't care what happened to her, as long as she found peace and rest and the end of it all.

Excerpt from the following chapter:

" 'Kaoru-dono…it is unsafe for you to be out at this time of night.' When she reached him she noticed that his face was tense and that it showed his anger plainly. At one point the light caught his eyes and she could have sworn that they were amber, but maybe that could she be the reflection of the light, she hoped."

That is the preview for the new chapter. Look forward for it on 10/7/05 . ) Sorry guys! Again, unless you didn't re-read the updated new chapters…I am working on poster for this fic, original artwork of course. Hopefully I can photoshop it up real nice. Photoshop n00b Also…I am contemplating-well more like getting around to-making this into a doujinshi-that will take a lot of determination and will power and you know I can't actually get it all done-maybe I shouldn't have that attitude…lol but anyways, let me see what I can do. Thanks for supporting me guys! Much love.