"Police," was the first thing Kaoru thought of. "I'll call the police!" Rushing to the phone, her hand stopped midway to the receiver.
"What claim do I have?" Kaoru moaned to herself. "An un-signed note, that won't stand for anything." Kaoru felt herself tremble uncontrollably. All the old fear that used to rule her life came flooding back.
"Kenshin," Kaoru thought suddenly. "I can call Kenshin!" Her hand flew to the receiver. But before she could even pick up the phone, it rang. Stifling a shriek that erupted from Kaoru's throat, she hesitated. Finally, she picked up the phone and answered.
"Hello?" Kaoru's voice was soft and shaky, the sound of her word could barely be found within her breath.
"Hello Kaoru," the voice was familiar, all too familiar. The deep sound of it sent shivers racing down Kaoru's spine.
"What do you want Enishi?" Kaoru asked, fighting to make her voice sound strong.
"You," came his simply, breathy reply over the phone.
"You ruined your chance," Kaoru hissed, her anger overcame her fear. "Leave me in peace and start over."
"You're such a good actress Kaoru," Enishi purred. "But I can see right through your bravado, literally. You're like a scared kitten in the rain."
"What do you mean?" Kaoru gritted her teeth and jeered.
"I can see you Kaoru," Enishi continued. "I can see your entire living room. The tiny, crap filled life you've created. You're standing by the counter, and you're wearing a red blouse with blue jeans."
"How," Kaoru felt all courage and anger drain from her body, like water being sucked down a drain; only for it to be replaced with one other emotion, fear.
"Simple really," Enishi replied. "You've got a big window; I'm across the courtyard also with a big window. Plus I have a nice pair of binoculars."
"You're sick Enishi," Kaoru whispered as she clutched at the phone.
"I'm tired of people telling me that," Enishi replied with no emotion. "Now, you're going to listen to my terms."
"Why should I?" Kaoru asked; some bravery returning. "You have no hold over me."
"Don't I?" Enishi chuckled low in his throat. "What about that new boyfriend of yours? You two looked pretty cozy on the couch last night. I must say Kaoru, I'm hurt you replaced me. I didn't replace you."
"You can't," Kaoru whispered, horrified. "You couldn't."
"Yes I can," Enishi responded. "It would be so easy; you know how much time I spend at the shooting range. I can easily follow him like I do you, and it would be so easy to pull the trigger. His red hair makes him a clear target."
"Please Enishi," Kaoru begged quietly. "Don't pull him into this."
"If you want to save him," Enishi's voice gained in volume. "You will do as I say. I want you to cut off all contact with him, even at work. I know he's your boss and that he relies greatly on your impute. Stop seeing him, at work and outside of work. Believe me; I will know when you talk with him; even in the safety of your work building."
"How," Kaoru began, but Enishi cut her off.
"What did I major in Kaoru?" Enishi asked her sweetly.
"Computer technology," Kaoru whispered, horrified by the truth.
"That's right babe," Enishi lost his sweet act. "I'm a professional hacker now and can easily gain access to the security system within your boyfriend's work building. And the room's that don't have camera's, well, the red head hottie put in lots of windows so I can easily watch from a distance."
"Also," Enishi continued. "I am tapping your calls, so don't even think about calling anyone. Pull the shades in your living room; I'll shoot the annoying co-worker in your office."
"Sano," Kaoru whispered, mortified.
"I'm bad with names," Enishi replied nonchalantly. "I'll come and get you when I'm ready and we can spend the rest of our lives together just like we planned; now good-night Kaoru." The phone line went dead. Kaoru stood stock still, knowing Enishi was watching her. She could feel his eyes burning through the back of her body, leaving searing holes in her soul. She couldn't sleep; Kaoru didn't think she could ever sleep in her apartment ever again. Limply, Kaoru replaced the phone on the receiver.
'How could I have let this happen?' Kaoru asked herself. 'I've got so many people involved.' Standing stock still for the longest time, Kaoru tried to figure a plane, any means of escape from her trap. She stood, transfixed like a deer in the headlights. Finally, Kaoru went to her couch and sat up stiff straight. Even though the T.V was on, not a single sound passed Kaoru's ears.
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For fourteen days Kaoru lived in a sort of hellish nightmare. She trudged to and from work like a mindless toy; she was programmed for movement, but not for emotion or thought. Sano was very inquisitive about her strange behavior, but she wasn't too worried about him. Kenshin tried to contact her once or twice, but after she gave him very good excuses, he stopped. To say in the least, Kaoru was hurt. She thought maybe he would be able to figure it out, discover that she was being controlled by her ex-fiancée like a puppet. But with him not even trying, Kaoru lost all hope. She rarely slept, if only by accidentally dozing off on the couch; and she ate only for survival. Food no longer held any taste for her; it just felt like dry dirt being gritted in her mouth. Kaoru soon began to look haggard, the skin on her face tightened up from lack of sleep and food while dark circles appeared underneath her eyes.
"Kaoru this is insane!" Sano finally exploded one day. "Something is wrong and you're not telling me what it is."
'Stupid dolt,' Kaoru thought fondly. 'Why do you care so much?'
"It's nothing," Kaoru replied out loud. "I just need a new mattress."
"B.S," Sano swore. "You're not sleeping and you rarely eat, what is wrong?" Kaoru just shook her head firmly. Pulling up a chair, Sano leaned in close next to Kaoru.
"Come on Missy," Sano whispered in a kind and sympathetic voice. "I'm you're friend, and as strange as you may think it is, I care about your well being. Something isn't right and I want to help."
"Sano," Kaoru felt her emotions well up in her body. "I can't, I can't tell you."
"What's wrong," Sano leaned in closer, his spiky brown hair mixed with her black tresses. "Is someone harassing you?"
"Sano please," Kaoru began, but Sano interrupted.
"You can tell me Missy," Sano insisted gently. "Everything will be fine." His last sentenced was interrupted by an ear shattering sound. It happened so fast, the glass of a nearby window somehow smashed into a million pieces, and Sano was on the floor with blood dripping from a wound in his chest.
"Sano!" Kaoru screamed at the top of her lungs as she leapt to her feet. "No, Sano!" Kaoru broke down, kneeling next to her fallen friends. Various co-workers screamed and were dashing around the room. A few stopped to stare in horror at Sano.
"Someone," Kaoru pleaded as she regained a few of her senses. "Call an ambulance, hurry. Please call an ambulance." No one in the close knit circle moved, all were transfixed by the scene in front of them.
"Now!" Kaoru screeched, her voice ringing off the walls, drawing people out of their stupors and back into reality. People quickly rushed, taking any excuse to get away from the gut wrenching view.
"Sano," Kaoru was nearly blinded by tears. "This is my entire fault, oh Sano."
"Kaoru," Sano sputtered out, his mouth was filling with his own blood.
"Don't speak Sano," Kaoru soothed. "Help is arriving soon. Save your strength and stay awake." Kaoru felt her body shake, tremor after tremor ripping through out her entire being. It was thanks to her Sano was hurt.
"Damn you Enishi," Kaoru whisper as she clenched her teeth together in anguish and clamped her eyes shut. "You son of a-,"
"What just happened?" Kenshin had arrived, standing in the doorway with a truly frightening face. His golden eyes landed on Sano and Kaoru and his color drained away, leaving pale irises in place of gold. He rushed over to the couple, crossing the room in a matter of seconds. Kaoru hardly noticed him as he knelt down beside her.
"What happened here Kaoru?" Kenshin asked as gently as he could. Kaoru felt another damn break.
"What does it look like you jackass?" Kaoru screamed out in frustration and trepidation. "Someone shot him, someone shot him!" Kaoru's voice was high in pitch as she struggled to stay in control.
"Someone shot him," Kaoru repeated over and over, as she gently touched Sano's face.
"The ambulance is here!" A bystander shouted as he looked around the room nervously. "And the police are on the way."
"The police?" Kaoru asked breathlessly.
"Anything wrong?" Kenshin asked as he turned all his attention to his wounded friend. Kaoru didn't answer, Enishi would not be happy if police came. He could strike again, probably would strike again. She couldn't allow it, wouldn't allow it. Tearing herself away from her bleeding friend, Kaoru stumbled to her feet like a drunken man. Turning quickly while clutching at her face and chest, Kaoru fled from the room.
"Kaoru!" Kenshin called after her, his voice contained confusion and anger. How could someone shoot Sano just like that? True, his friend had a gambling problem, but hopefully it wasn't too serious that someone would put him on their hit list.
"Kenshin," Sano moaned from the ground, turning his head to face him.
"Don't speak Sano," Kenshin turned his attention back to Sano. "The ambulance has arrived.
"Go after her Kenshin," Sano whispered in agony, his body withered in pain.
"Kaoru?" Kenshin asked, than quickly scolded himself for asking questions. Sano was clearly wounded, and it could be fatal.
"Someone's following her," Sano moaned again, his body arched up before relaxing once again. "Someone who is really dangerous. That's who shot me, because I was questioning her to much."
"Someone's following Kaoru," Kenshin mused out loud. That would explain her strange behavior.
"She said a name," Sano became desperate, trying to tell Kenshin more as the paramedics started to take him away. He grasped his friend's shirt tightly in his hand, and with any strength he had left, hauled Kenshin to his side.
"Enishi," Sano hissed as he was rolled away. "She said Enishi!" Sano screamed louder as he left the room, strapped down and immobile. Kenshin pondered everything that was just spoken to him, and then he tore after Kaoru. She hadn't gotten far; she had crumpled up on the floor and sobbed once or twice before forcing herself to move. Stumbling horribly, her tears blinded her.
"Kaoru!" Kenshin called as he raced down the hallway, trying to sense where she could be. "Kaoru!" He could sense her chi, full of turmoil and fear. She was almost to the elevator. Racing down the hallway, Kenshin ignored all the strange looks he got from his employee's. He could see her now; she was already in the elevator shaft. Pushing himself even harder, he ducked inside the doors just as they closed. Kaoru looked startled to see him, he had gotten in so quickly that she had hardly noticed.
"Kaoru," Kenshin turned to her. "What happened back there, what's going on?" Kaoru shook her head ferociously and backed into the wall, clamping her hand over tightly over her mouth to try and stop her sobs.
"Kaoru please!" Kenshin pleaded as she took her shoulders and shook her gently.
"I can't," Kaoru moaned so softly Kenshin hardly heard her speak at all. "He'll see." Suddenly, Kenshin understood. Turning sharply, Kenshin turned to the control panel. With a swift punch, his hand crashed and broke into the elevator. Thrusting his arm powerfully, he ripped out several wires. The lights and power flickered then went out. For a moment everything was pitch black. Then the emergency lights switched on, bathing the two in a pale blue light.
"Everyone is broken," Kenshin spoke calmly. "The camera's are down, the only thing with any power is the emergency lights."
"It's my fault," Kaoru clutched her head with her hands before clasping on the floor. "It's all my fault Sano was hurt."
"No it wasn't Kaoru," Kenshin crossed the room and took her in his arms. "I understand now, Enishi is back isn't he?"
"Yes," Kaoru nodded and she molded easily into Kenshin's arms. "He's a hacker and can follow me wherever I go. He said he'd kill the people close to me if I told anyone. Sano got so close to the truth back there that Enishi shot him."
"How long has this been going on?" Kenshin began to rub Kaoru's back.
"A little over two weeks," Kaoru replied numbly. Kenshin cursed himself slightly, how could he have let this happen for so long, how could he not have noticed the change in Kaoru. With her now, he could see she physically and mentally strained to the max.
"We'll figure this out Kaoru," Kenshin buried his nose in her sweet smelling hair.
"How?" Kaoru squeaked as she tried to pin her sobs back again. "He holds all the cards. He's probably suspicious already, the elevator stopping like this."
"Don't worry," Kenshin gently kissed Kaoru's temple and pulled her face back so he could look at her. "For just a little while longer, we'll pretend that you are still under his control. I'll contact the police and hide you away one day, for now just tell him that the police thought the shooter was in the building and shut down all electricity to try and stop anyone from leaving the building."
"That could work," Kaoru replied meekly after thinking for a while. "How long do you think we have in here?"
"I don't know," Kenshin began to gently brush his fingers across her face in a feathery movement. "Anywhere from six to twelve hours I suppose with all of this confusion."
"Poor Sano," Kaoru murmured softly.
"It wasn't your fault," Kenshin insisted smoothly. "I heard the paramedics say it wasn't too serious." Kenshin lied easily, anything to calm her down. Kaoru turned to look Kenshin in the eye once again. Her eyes glimmered softly in the pale blue light, tears threatened to spill again. Kenshin never felt more torn. He wanted nothing more than to go out himself and tear Enishi up limb from limb. Suddenly Kaoru leaned forward and captured his lips with hers. Completely shocked, Kenshin was knocked back against the wall of the elevator. Kaoru twisted her body so she was straddling him. She easily broke the weak defense of his lips and her tongue plunged deeper.
'What is she thinking?' Kenshin asked as he felt his senses slip away. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pinning her body unbearably close to his. Her kiss was desperate, unlike anything she had ever done before. Her head pushed forward, begging him, pleading for something he could not place his finger on. She broke away, and Kenshin thought it was over for a brief second. But she descended again, this time her lips danced over his neck. Kenshin groaned out loud. Her hands were between them, doing something. But he didn't know what until cold air touched his chest. She had unbuttoned his shirt. She ran her hands down his smooth, well-toned chest, soon followed by her lips. She nipped and licked painfully at his skin, but Kenshin still loved the feel of it against his skin. All control slipped away and Kenshin pushed himself forward, laying Kaoru flat on the ground and underneath him. His hands were up her shirt, down her pants, touching everything her body had to offer, and she did the same to him. They struggled for many minutes, diving at each other, trying to get underneath the layer of clothes. Undressed, Kenshin could tell even in the watery light how perfect her body was, and he wished that he could see it in real light. Her pale skin glistened like moonlight captured in a jar. As they progressed Kenshin could clearly tell she had never gone this far, she had never done anything up to this scale. The way she gasped in pain or frustration, the way she arched and screamed for more, he knew she had never been with anyone else besides him. He knew he should stop, knew she wasn't in her right mind right now. But he couldn't, he couldn't stop from touching her, tasting her in every aspect. She was seeking comfort in the most complex form, and he had no power left to deny her of what she wanted. Their bodies blended together, and when they were finally finished she gasped underneath him, her body shaking from exhaustion. Clutching her to him, Kenshin knew she would soon come to her senses, like he had. She would soon regret what they had just done; he knew they had just violated one of her deepest morals. Yet he still had no regrets.
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Thanks once again to all of you who have reviewed. It really means a lot, I'm also so happy when I read them. Just a few simple notes, I know most of this is very unrealistic but I simply didn't want to drag things out. I find it boring when that happens so I decided to speed it up a bit. Sorry if it disappointed any of you. One other thing, I do not support premarital sex, but it just seemed fitting for the situation. Once again, I am not encouraging sex before marriage in any way. So thanks to all of you who have taken the time to write out a short (or long) message. It really does mean a lot. Thank you so much!