EDITED REPOST, 10/09/05. Leave me a review about the editing and I'll love you forever…?

Disclaimers: I don't own anything. Never claimed to either.

CHAPTER 15

"Do I even want to hear this?" Sanosuke yelled over the loud banging that echoed through his house. "Hey hold on a sec Kenshin," he nearly yelled into his phone.

"Yeah that's fine! Oy, Katsu, I have to head out for a bit, so just lock the place up before you leave!"

Since when did Katsu ever learn to install doors? Sano had no idea but he appreciated his help. Any help for that matter regarding his well broken bedroom door. Katsu paused in the middle of his task. "You owe me, kono baka."

"Of course. We'll go out for a drink or two one night or somethin'. It'll be my treat of course," Sano grinned mischievously.

"Keh…" the other spat out. Katsu knew well enough, like any other of Sano's friends, that he'd probably have to end up paying for the tab instead. He shook his head, and waved Sano out.

Pressing the mute button again, Sano spoke into his phone to his eagerly awaiting friend. "Ok Kenshin, I'll be there in about ten minutes."

Driving relatively safely, well as close to safe as Sagara Sanosuke could manage, he made it to Kenshin's within half of the allotted time he had given.

"So did he cause any problems for you last night?" Kenshin immediately pounced onto the subject as Sano made himself comfortable by plopping down onto the couch, his legs automatically swinging up to rest on the glass coffee table.

"Nah, he's all talk anyways that punk. He wasn't even pissed when he woke up this afternoon. He was jus' wonderin' where jou-chan was at. He seemed to think something was up cause right after he asked where you were, and I jus didn't say anything." Sano stretched and let out a lenient yawn. "So that's pretty much that. What happened over on your side? I'm curious to know cause it sounded pretty damn important on the phone. Hell, you got my lazy ass up and over here so it better be worth it!" He concluded by giving Kenshin a settled grin as he comfortably reclined into his seat, physically preparing himself for what he knew was going to be a long story.

"Hai, uh, last night turned out to be pretty crazy I guess. Ah, this morning didn't go all that good either," Kenshin added thoughtfully. Sano carefully noted that Kenshin was biting his bottom lip. It was a public display of nervousness. And Kenshin doesn't do public displays of anything. That gesture stood out plain like the red, cross shaped scar across his one cheek. Oh boy, Sano thought and allowed himself to sigh out loud.

"Alright… and?" he questioned, giving the situation a nudge. Kenshin then himself sighed. Where to begin? It's like looking for the beginning of the rope when it's entangled with thirty others

"After leaving your place I brought Kaoru here with her car. Tomoe had her own last night, and then she left with Megumi and all the rest of their friends. Well anyway, Kaoru-dono stayed here last night, and—"

"Ha!" Snorting into laughter, Sano interrupted Kenshin annoyingly. "After your big denial speech last night, you brought her back here to your apartment! Did you comfort her?" Sano nudged him teasingly but Kenshin kept his face absolutely straight.

"No I did not," he replied through his teeth with obvious irritation. Arghh how can he crack jokes at a time like this? Kenshin wondered this until he realized that of course Sano didn't know the full story… and if I want him to know I have to put up with his lame jokes. Fine.

"Well… just listen," Kenshin began slower this time, and a little more dramatically, hoping to keep his wide mouthed friend silent. "I brought her here because she wasn't in a very good condition to begin with, and she didn't want to be alone. She even got sick on the wa—"

"That yarou! Enishi is up to somethin—"

"We'll get to him after," Kenshin cut in flatly. God, my head is starting to hurt, Kenshin whined self-consciously as he started to rub at his tense jaw.

"Well ok, I wasn't about to dump her back at her place right? I couldn't leave her! I brought her here, helped her get settled in, and I gave her some of my clothes to wear to sleep. Shut up Sano. I know you're just dying to say something but just be quiet. I..uh… assisted her with changing, and that's when she came onto me. Very strongly," Kenshin assured him and also internally was convincing himself as well, "But… I didn't stop her." He paused as Kaoru's words painfully came back to him. I was angry earlier that's why I didn't listen to her… but she was right. He took his mug from the coffee table, and sipped the hot tea slowly. Sano crossed his arms, and continued to smile. He found the whole predicament to be very entertaining.

"Well that's no surprise to me. She was drunk, and she likes you, and you like her. What IS surprising though is that she's dating him when her heart isn't fully there. I mean you can totally see it. Last night was proof enough and why in hell would she come onto you? Why did you let it happen?" As Kenshin's mouth opened he cut in again and answered for him. "I'll tell you why. You like her. Admit it. Jou-chan and you take two!" That end bit he felt he had to add on because he was on a roll.

His friend's eyes shifted into narrowed slits as he gave him an icy look of warning.

"Jus kiddin!" Sano added, quickly hiding his face behind his own large mug.

"Well I guess it's pretty clear that we both weren't thinking." Kenshin's teeth sunk lightly into his bottom lip. The frustrations of his earlier actions were driving him insane. God Damnit! Why was I being such an asshole today with her?

Sano peered at questioningly, aware that his friend had become deathly quiet.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm an idiot."

"I coulda told ya that."

"I am. I really am. I don't deserve Tomoe or Kaoru either."

Sano sighed, placing his elbow on the couch arm, and leaned his face against his open hand. Knowingly he asked, "Why? What else did you do?" He was able to read his friend like an open book and he knew that Kenshin knew. That's what happens when you stay close for years and years. Kenshin and Sano went back, way back and in between casual fights to fist brawls, they shared the best bond ever. Not looking much like brothers, inside they felt it and their pride for one another.

"While we were… busying ourselves I said something that Enishi happened to say to her as well."

"Eh?"

"In the middle of our heated little…" Kenshin began to gesture with his hands, and Sano continued to look at him in an odd way, misunderstood way.

"WHEN KAORU AND I WERE MAKING OUT, I SAID SOMETHING THAT ENISHI HAD SAID TO HER WHEN HE WAS TRYING TO FORCE HIMSELF ON HER LAST NIGHT!"

Sano nearly dropped his mug. "Geez, I betcha the people above and below just heard that all too." Kenshin rolled his eyes in disgust but continued in a wary, low voice.

"She got really upset, and she moved away from me. That's how we stopped ourselves."

Sano slapped the arm of the couch with his broad hand. "What a way to ruin the mood."

Inhaling deeply, Kenshin tried to subside the thoughts of bludgeoning Sano's head in.

"In the morning at around six something Kaoru got up and went to the bathroom. She wasn't feeling very well, so I went to check on her—"

Smirking, Sano couldn't help but adding in another of his quirky comments. "Did you guys end up doing it in the shower or something?"

"NO!"

"Oh," Sano almost sounded and looked disappointed. Kenshin was really running out of patience now. He was so ready to beat Sano till the fool was unconscious.

"Would you just SHUT UP for at least a minute? Let me FINISH! I was so angry this morning. All of last night was spent thinking of Tomoe and this whole mess. I was trying to sort my feelings out, and then there was Kaoru lying in my bed beside me while I was trying to clear my head of this whole situation. I guess I got carried away, and I thought it would go away with sleep but when I woke up I was still feeling like shit." Kenshin lifted his face, and Sano could see the harsh regret written there.

"I was really rough with Kaoru," he said gently, his eyes looking very distant and far away. "I was rude and thoughtless with my words this morning. Eventually we fell asleep again and the next thing I know, Tomoe is standing in my doorway."

Sano eye's widened, and his eyebrows disappeared into his spiky bangs. "Tomoe has a key? Since when?"

"I gave her one awhile back. I didn't see anything wrong with giving her my apartment key…" He drifted off when he saw the sarcastic look Sano was giving him.

"Ok well geez, I never expected to bring another girl home, and have her sleep with me in my bed otherwise I would have never given her the damn key! Naturally Tomoe blew up there and then but she also tried to hit Kaoru."

Sano looked amused. "Seriously?"

"Do I look like I'm joking? Kaoru blocked it but I honestly thought Tomoe was going to try to hit her again. She yelled, and screamed at both of us before leaving."

"Ahh man that's messed up."

"Yeah, and then you know what? Amidst it all I blamed Kaoru for everything. I just couldn't hold it in any longer. I blew up at her, and she left too. Damnit!" Sano nearly jumped out of his skin when Kenshin punched the solid wood frame of the table that sat before them. "I told her that ever since she came here she's been a shit starter!"

The amber was streaking through his violet eyes dangerously. Kenshin stood up, and paced around the living room trying to shake off the anger.

"Why is she with Enishi? Why the hell is she with him? She's so… so damn different. She's beautiful, and caring, unselfish, and after everything she has been through she can still manage to smile at the end of the day." Kenshin abruptly stopped, and turned his head sharply to meet Sano's eyes.

"Why is she with that jackass?"

"I don't know Kenshin," the other replied quietly. "What I do know is that maybe you have noticed that Tomoe is lacking what you need. That's why you're finding yourself more and more attracted to jou-chan. Tomoe has changed Kenshin. Face it. She's changed a lot, and it's not good either. Gomen to say it all like this but nothing like this has ever come up before. And I know the real Kenshin who was happy before would have never considered another girl but look at yourself now! You are, and you're cheating behind her back, and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if that cunning kitsune is too, and has been for awhile. Dating you has seriously gone to her head or some shit because she never used to be like that."

"I can't let go of Tomoe that easily Sano! At that time you remember what was going on in my life? And you remember when her and I became friends? I do. I felt as if I could live normally again. She was like an angel that god sent to me to assist me down the right path. I was given a second chance when I later fell in love with her. She brought out the good in me, and kept it there."

His tone changed drastically. "And now she's changed."

Kenshin slowly walked over to the window and peered outside recollecting his thoughts.

"Living with a twisted being that happens to be your sibling just might do that to you," Kenshin said with his back to Sano.

"Well look at it from her point of view. She and her brother are filthy rich but she doesn't even know where the money came from. Her brother hides his secrets well and she doesn't question anything. They both drive flashy cars; attend one of the best universities in Japan. She's beautiful and she knows she has one of the most popular guys by her side."

Kenshin laughed a false sound with a sharp edge like glass.

"Yeah I knew you wouldn't see it that way but it's the truth. There are a lot of girls that would love to be with you, and it's really gotten to her head."

Kenshin turned to look at Sano through the corner of his eye. "But she wasn't like that when I met her."

"Damnit Kenshin, people CHANGE! Now you're seeing her for what she's really like. Don't you think I hated knowing all of this, and you, my best friend being so blind to it all? Everyone knows it except for you. Why do you think that I'm not hitting you over the head for cheating on her? Because jou-chan is better for you. That girl is different. Can't you see the hurt in her eyes when she looks at you? Don't you see how much it pains her for you to be with Tomoe when you deserve better? Are you also blind enough to miss the fact that she despises Enishi, and yet she's bound to him? There is more than what meets the eye here Kenshin; it goes skin deep beneath the surface."

All the words hit him like a forceful wind. He stood there unmoving, thinking about everything, letting it sink down into his mind to digest.

"I think," Kenshin began lightly after several minutes, "that you're right."

"Of course I am. Me and everyone else. Hey, Kenshin?"

As he turned to look his red hair fell down onto his shoulder. He instinctively pushed it back out of the way, and leaned against the window pane. "Yeah?"

"What did you say to Tomoe in the morning?"

"Nothing major. I wanted to go after her when she was about to leave but Kaoru stopped me. She told me that it would be a futile effort to try to stop Tomoe. I blew up at her again, which caused her to blow me off—"

"Kenshin." Sano grimaced, his eyes squinted shut. "You don't just jump into those kinds of details. Other stuff might lead up to it, and I'm sure you were excited and all but…"

Keeping his hands safely pinned beneath him in order to refrain from knocking out Sano, Kenshin kept his cool

"What?" Kenshin walked over to Sano, and his hand compacted into a fist that met Sano's head dead on.

"Oy! What was that for?"

"You… dumbass!" Kenshin sputtered, "She didn't BLOW ME OFF! She blew me off, as in yelled back!"

"Oh…"

"Yeah! God, what's wrong with you?"

"Ok ok, sorry!"

Kenshin continued on despite being completely fueled up. "She got angry, and I tried to talk to her but she—"

"Well if I was her I wouldn't listen to you either," Sano rubbed at his head, "You got angry at her for last night when she had just woken up, and was probably all refreshed after that incident, then you decide to start it up again."

"Thanks for understanding my point of view," Kenshin responded bitterly.

"Hey I am understanding your point of view. I practically explained it all to you since you're too stupid, and innocent to see it for yourself."

Kenshin could only sigh.

"But she's changed. I know it hurts you Kenshin, I can see it in your eyes. Kami-sama, that sounded gay but ya know what I mean."

"Aa," Kenshin replied. "I think I need some time to myself. A break from both girls maybe?"

"Yeah that might do ya some good," Sano said, and scratched his head. "I wonder if she knows that you're the one who punched her brother out. Damn I'm pretty sure that you left some heavy duty bruises on his face."

"Who knows."

Kenshin took their mugs from the table, and went to re-fill them with fresh, hot tea.

"That could be another problem," Sano called out from the living room. "I don't trust that guy anymore. It's not like I ever really did but who knows what crap he'd say to Tomoe. He obviously knows that his girlfriend wasn't at my place last night, and the only other place she would have been would be yours."

"Hmm," Kenshin agreed.

"Aaaaanddd Tomoe would obviously go and tell her brother what she saw this morning!"

"Of course," Kenshin muttered while handling the pot carefully to avoid any spills. The sound of a cellular phone cut off Sano in mid-sentence. I thought I turned it off, Kenshin thought as he swiftly put the pot down, and rushed into his bedroom to search for it.

"Well now, I wonder who THAT could be," Sano yelled.

"Shut up a sec, it's Tomoe." Kenshin reappeared again but chose to sit away from Sano.

He flipped his phone open. "I'm going to answer."

"Hello?" he spoke.

"Oh Ken-san! I need to talk to you!" Her voice was so loud that Sano could hear every word perfectly. "I was so scared that you weren't going to pick up! I'm so sorry!"

Kenshin's brows furrowed and he looked over at his best friend. Both just stared at one another.

"Kenshin?"

"Hai, what do you want Tomoe-dono? I'm not really up to talking right now."

"Kenshin, I'm so sorry about this morning. I feel like such an idiot right now! Enishi called me and he told me everything. I'm so sorry I ever doubted you."

Mystified, both men exchanged curious looks.

"Enishi told you… everything? And you're sorry that you doubted me?"

"He just called to explain it all to me. I'm so sorry babe. I came over to check up on you this morning, and when I saw HER there, well of course anyone would react the same way I did! That stupid girl. Enishi told me that he was so drunk last night, and that he couldn't take care of Kaoru-chan who had also had quite a bit to drink. You took her for him after he asked you to, and then," she paused to take a breath, "he started a fight with some guy there. He tried to explain that to me earlier but I was so distraught from seeing you… with that WHORE this morning. I don't know all the details but damn it I knew I should have stayed with my brother! I'm so stupid." Tomoe sounded as if she was on the verge of tears.

"So you had to take care of that idiot instead of my brother. Sometimes you are just too nice Kenshin. If I were you I would have dropped her off at her apartment and left her there outside on the steps. That slut totally deserves something like that!" Tomoe's tone of voice changed impolitely.

"What were you two doing in the same bed anyway?"

Kenshin knew Tomoe well enough to hear the barely audible malicious sharpness in her voice. He shook his head. Him, and Sano had a couple more things to discuss after he ended this call. Yeah, he was going to put an end to it. Tomoe was just giving him more of a headache to deal with. That and everything Sano had said was making him sick. He didn't want to hear either of those girl's voices.

"She was sick all night long," he replied, making it sound like it was none of her business. "So I couldn't leave her."

Tomoe detected it, and was shocked. Kenshin never talked back to her like that. She decided to switch the topic, and approach him differently, hoping to sway him away from his bitterness.

"Do you know how I felt when I walked in like that?"

"You should have trusted me." Again he sounded distant, and Tomoe was beginning to feel the worthlessness of her efforts.

"I'm sooooo sorry," she began to nag again, desperate to sway him over back to her side. The hook and line she always used on him had just snapped.

"Listen. I don't want to talk about this anymore. I think I just need some time to myself."

"Please Kenshin! Can we at least talk in person? It'll help babe, I know it will."

"Iie Tomoe. I'd rather not. I'm just not up to it. I just need some time to think things over." Movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention; Sano was giving Kenshin the thumbs up sign. His hand signals abruptly changed, and he began to instruct to cut the conversation.

"Alright, I have to go now," Kenshin was saying but was still staring at Sano. "I'll get in contact with you when I'm ready to talk. I think I need a break from us."

"What do you mean? Are you telling me that we're going to break up?"

"I don't know. I just want some time away from our relationship right now. Please don't call me back until I contact you first."

"No please!" she cried, "Don't do this Kenshin! Don't do this to me! Why are you being like this? Can't we just talk it through in person? I don't get why you won't. I swear to god if you hang up that means that you don't love me anymore and that you're really in love with that slut!"

Eyes closed painfully, he whispered "Gomen," and snapped his cell shut, cutting off her voice. If he had listened for a second later he would have been completely appalled. Sputtering harsh swear words into the now silent telephone, Tomoe glared at it angrily before throwing it across the room.

"This just gets better doesn't it?" Sano remarked. "Like a damned soap opera." He began to quote a line from one. "Like the sand through the hourglass, so are the days of Kenshin's life."

"Shut up," Kenshin muttered.

"Or how about, Guiding Kenshin? Coronation Street Ken-san? Young and the Oro?"

"Would you SHUT UP!" Kenshin yelled, pressing a hand to his pulsating head. Still sounding normally cheerful, Sano questioned what Tomoe had said.

"Don't know why you're asking since you probably heard everything but get this, Enishi told Tomoe that he had asked me to take Kaoru home because he was too drunk to do so himself. After Kaoru and I left he proceeded to start a fight with someone at your house. He just convinced his sister that there's nothing to be worried about."

"Uh… shouldn't he be doing the opposite?"

Both exchanged unhappy looks. Still looking rather unimpressed Sano went on to say, "I don't know whether you should be grateful, or be ready to go punch him again. Why is he covering for your ass?"

Kenshin shrugged. "Are you sure it's my ass that he's covering?" Considering it for a moment he then continued to say, "Maybe he's already talked to Kaoru. She wouldn't say anything to him, I know that for sure. I trust her on that. Still, it doesn't make sense. Why would he lie to his sister about who he fought with…?" With his thumb he pressed down on the keypad which then emitted one final beep before turning off.

"He's up to something. I just know it. Guess we can't do much though except sit back and wait. I'm just glad that I'm not involved in this whole love triangle."

"Love triangle?" Kenshin retorted.

"Yeah," Sano nodded, "You, Enishi, Tomoe, and jou-chan."

Kenshin sat up as he remembered that their tea was still waiting in the kitchen. Even when he came back and handed Sano his full cup, his friend didn't realize his mistake.

"That's four of us. How can that be a triangle?"

He gave his signature sheepish grin, the kind that was expressed when the bill came and he fiddled through his pockets only to find that he'd left his wallet at home for the billionth time leaving Kenshin, Sojiro or one of their other usual friends to pay for his share. "Square, triangle, whatever!" He waved his hand around, "Same damn thing."

"Well, not really Sano because—"

"Shut up."

"Look," Kenshin wanted to get back to their main topic because he had just thought of something, "Enishi had no choice but to bullshit about last night. He couldn't say, 'Oh well Kenshin knocked me out,' that would obviously start even more trouble, and both of us would make sure to tell her exactly what happened, and why I knocked that aho out."

"Wouldn't make a difference to her. She'd stand by her brother."

"Over me? The guy she's been dating for two years, and counting?"

Sano laughed at Kenshin's weak remark.

"Don't make me start over again. We've been through this enough times already. Hey but on a side note here, you shoulda seen your eyes last night man." Sano recalled the feeling he had felt inside when he saw the blazing amber burn from within his friend.

"I really thought you were gonna kill Enishi, Kenshin. Jou-chan stopped it in time. But the look in your eyes… it had me rooted to the spot. I couldn't move. It reminded me of... back then."

Kenshin shifted uncomfortably, preferring not to reply. He didn't need to be reminded of what he was capable of.

"I wonder how jou-chan is doing though. I guarantee you that Enishi's probably already made his way over there to confront her," Sano said as he became aware of the uncomfortable silence that had befallen the two. "Don't call her," he advised before the other could get a word in. "Unless you really want her after you with an axe. She must be really pissed off."

"I… I wouldn't blame her Sano. I really only blame myself right now."

The brunette placed his hand carefully on Kenshin's arm. It was a very meaningful gesture from Sano. Touching guys and being emotional wasn't his thing. Kenshin could just see the lines of strain on his face as he forced himself.

"Just remember what I said before Kenshin."

He didn't answer back. He sat there, his gaze steadily looking faraway as he contemplated Sano's words.

Thanks to my special people who constantly review. It keeps me goin'!

:x Muah!

I was slow at getting this up because I haven't written too much lately. Basically I know how everything is going to go, I have it all written down in my head, and not exactly out on the computer yet. I'm a few chapters ahead, and I didn't realize that I was close to putting up everything that I had. That's when I realized it was time to get my butt in gear, and to start writing so I could post again.

Also sadly I lied. Sometimes I can adopt an attitude that's like, "Oh screw those lazy people who can't review," and then there's other times when it does bother me. To you lazy people, you need a good kick in the butt. It doesn't take very long. And you know what? I's confession time.

I didn't review much before until I actually started writing. That's when I felt the frustration of it all. I know how it feels, and that taught me to review WHATEVER I read whether it be one chapter, or one whole story. It means a lot to the authors, and if one simple review can keep them going, then why the hell not? Hell I even fill out those random survey's that Yahoo posts up sometimes, and other surveys on sites that I like now.

Anyways I think that's enough babbling for now. If anyone would care to babble with me you can email me.

See ya later.