Hey guys! It's been a while since I wrote anything…stuff has kept me occupied, like finishing my senior year and getting enrolled in college…but enough with the excuses. I read the story once again to get familiarized with it again, haha and I have to say I wanted it to keep going, I left an evil cliffhanger. Sorry! But…my promise stays true…the show will go on! Every two weeks it will be updated at the latest (see the note of conclusion). Again, if you haven't read my new revamped chapters and my comments- I am working on this movie-style poster for the fic, I have to detail it more and then color up in photoshop, so it shouldn't take that long to get it done. I am also considering making this into a doujinshi, at least certain scenes of the fic. Maybe you can recommend which scenes you would like to see manga-ized. And don't worry, I am a decent artist . And now for the next chapter…

Sano invite Kenshin to sit down at the Akabeko to talk about the current situation. As they both sat down Tae tended to them, she relieved that Sano had come back because he had not paid his tab, which was mounting to quite a large sum. Sano signaled to her that he was not going to have anything and so she went to help other customers.

"So Kenshin, who is out to get you now?" Sano smirked.

"Sano…"

Sano leaned in to the table.

"Actually, I don't know who it is exactly, but I have some ideas."

"Well, do you suspect any of Shishio's old gang?" Sano tried to see if they were on the same page without revealing anything specifically.

"It is probable." Kenshin, already knowing of Soujiro's presence in Tokyo caught Sano's hint. Actually, after he had found out he was in town, and noticed Kaoru's behavior and Sano's, he deduced that Soujiro had managed to entrap Kaoru, even though he had tried his hardest to protect her. He knew that the day that he decided to stay with her that he had committed the biggest mistake, and now it was coming back to get him, and innocent people that he unintentionally put in harm's way. As these thoughts went through his head he unconsciously squeezed a napkin to death with his fist; Sano misinterpreted this sign, thinking that he was going out to kill Soujiro for sure, which made him think whether he had been smart in telling him about Soujiro in the first place. He sighed. It was too late now to think about it.

Sano, wanting to calm down Kenshin, suggested that they go home and relax. Sano put trust in Yahiko, hoping that by the time they reached him, they would both be home, so nothing would seem out of place to Kenshin.

As Kaoru walked home under the moonlight she remembered the first time she saw him. She was walking with Kenshin in Kyoto, soon after he had recovered from his fight with Shishio, and they spotted him from afar carrying a sack behind his back, looking as if he were embarking on a journey. He noticed Kenshin's presence and turned around and smiled at them and then continued walking. After that Kenshin explained to her who he was. She hated him at that time; after all he was one of the ones that tried to take him away from her. But now, he meant something totally different to her, he was her closest friend.

As she approached the road leading to home, she saw Kenshin's figure outlined by the lamp that he was holding. She felt a horrible sinking feeling. She approached him slowly, but cautiously. Had he known who she had been with?

"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, unlike other times where he would conceal it behind his gentle facade. At one point the light caught his eyes and she could have sworn that they were amber, but maybe that could have been the reflection of the light, against his purplish eyes, she hoped. She suddenly remembered the fight with Saito and how he transformed into a battousai and how in that instant his eyes did indeed change to that intense, golden color, but certainly he wouldn't be so angry over something so trivial, or maybe he knew truly where she had come from, before she could decide, they had reach their home.

As she walked in Megumi ran, brushing her shoulder, to Kenshin's side.

"Ken-san, where have you been all this time; Sano told me you arrived home and I ran all the way here to see you!" Kaoru turned around to see Kenshin's expression and was relieved that he was smiling, as usual, against Megumi's silliness.

"Hey… hey Jou-chan why don't you join us?" Kaoru looked below her to see Sano and Yahiko sitting around an almost emptied sake jug. She noticed that Yahiko had a bump on his head, but ignored it knowing that he probably had gotten into another fight with Sano. She was right, when Sano and Kenshin arrived home, Sano only saw Yahiko stuffing his face in the kitchen and that's when he smacked him. He had failed and Kenshin immediately became tense. It was too late now to try to deceive him; he knew that Kenshin was already on the defensive. For that reason, Kenshin decided to try and find Kaoru on his own, to make sure she was still safe, or try to intercept Soujiro in his tracks, if it wasn't too late already.

"You have gotten Yahiko drunk! Megumi! How could you permit this," as she finished her sentence she saw Megumi serving Kenshin. "Hey! Don't get him drunk too!" Kaoru caught herself, this wasn't like before where she could play around; she couldn't forget that there was tension between them and she certainly couldn't forget his intensive face when he had received her in the alley.

"Oh calm down loud mouth and have some. You know you need to relax. Besides, we are celebrating Kenshin's homecoming, you of all people should be celebrating!" Megumi hiccupped and giggled. Really, Kaoru was so silly to her, after all the moping you would think that she would be rejoicing over his return. Later she would realize that something else was happening between them, more than what appeared on the surface.

Kaoru had a strong urge to leave, she felt so embarrassed, but as she thought of the day's events, Kenshin coming home, Soujiro's hidden weapon and Kenshin's scary face, she decided that a little drink wouldn't harm her one bit, if she didn't have one she knew that she would be up all night, and the best thing to do was to fall asleep quickly. In sleep one forgot problems and could temporarily escape from the situation.

Kaoru stretched out her hand and Megumi gave her a saucer.

"Sipping it slowly Jou-chan, you can't exactly hold your liq-Oi!" Before he finished his sentence Kaoru had gulped it down and was already asking for seconds.

"That a girl!" Megumi poured her more. Throughout this spectacle Kenshin looked on, but didn't let himself become drunk like the others had; he had to keep alert at all times, and more with Soujiro's menacing presence.

"One more!"

"No, that's enough Jou-chan!"

"Oh let her have one more Sano, you should have one more as well, and you too Ken-san, you haven't had too many." As Sano looked in Kenshin's direction Kaoru had already had another round and was now reclining on Yahiko.

"Get off me you drunken dummy!"

"Shut up you, I am your sensei and you should be my recliner," Kaoru laughed and felt a bit dizzy. It had worked, just one more and she'd be set as she reached over to Megumi to ask for her last one, Kenshin got up to intercept her.

"I think that's enough for one night. Kaoru-dono, I'll take you to your room," Kenshin grabbed Kaoru's arm to assist her but she immediately retracted her arm.

"L-Leave me alone, Kenshin, I'm fine-" she tried to stand and stabilize herself but failed. Kenshin caught as she stumbled.

"Let go of me!" Kaoru struggled against him but it was to no avail.

He assisted her to her room. As he closed the shoji doors, with his back facing her, he tilted his head to the side so she could only see his profile, he said, "You should get a goodnight's rest after the long day you had in the town." His tone was icy and mocking, and it scared her, not only that, but she noticed, his eyes were unmistakably amber.

She slumped down on the tatami mats. What a day she had had. She put her hand to her forehead to sooth her headache. She attempted to get up, but she couldn't her knees were too weak. So she decided to lie against the wall and see if she could fall asleep that way, but it wasn't easy for her, too many thoughts plagued her mind.

Could this boy really be deceiving her? He seemed so genuine and caring. He had many opportunities to kill her if he had so desired. He also could have kidnapped her and then killed her in front of Kenshin, if Sano's theory was accurate. She wiped a tear as she thought, what good would that do? By the way Kenshin was treating her that wouldn't destroy him at all. Damn it, she thought, what was happening lately? Out of nowhere some police officer comes to their home and asks for Kenshin, he goes away, and when he comes back everything has changed. What could have happened in that span of time? She sighed. Then she met Soujiro, who was supposed to be the bad guy but turned out to be the person she most needed. As she the thoughts consumed her, so did slumber and she fell sound asleep until the next morning.

Excerpt from the following chapter:

'Don't leave…I am sorry, I…I won't see him again.' Kaoru felt her heart throb as she said she wouldn't see him again, this wasn't a promise she could keep. As she continued with her argument, Kenshin had already begun to walk away. Then everything became blurry and then suddenly she saw Soujiro's face, upset at her for suspecting that he was going to harm her, just as she was going to apologize he pulled out his well concealed sword.

Is it really going down next chapter? Is the shiznit going to hit the fan? You decide! smirks as she leaves an evil cliffhanger

I will definitely update this by 10/24/05, at the very latest. If I don't you can come to my house and force me to write it 3. Also…read and review and let me know you guys are still reading it! Much love.