Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

HELLO all my dear readers…I hope that you all have not forgotten about this fanfic…I haven't update for a very long time… I'm SO SORRY! I have been updating my other fanfic: HEALING (go read!) and had been busy for a long time….plus…I somehow just don't have any inspiration to continue on after where I left off….BUT HERE IS THE CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mymomo: first of all, sorry for the late update! The Aorta can sense all their( Misao and Kaoru's) movements, hear their conversations….that is about it. They can also destroy whoever was wearing it. They are control by the people back at The Aorta headquarters. I really like your idea about communicating through pen and paper…so I'll be using it, though not between Kaoru and Kenshin….Thanks for the review and the great idea!

Ruronichik13: SORRY for the Late UPDATE!!!!!!! Sorry! I hope u LIKE this new chapter!!!

Jrz: daughtttterrrr…as u can see…I have not forgotten about this fanfic…not just yet. It's all going to end sooon…..maybe 3-4 chapters more that it will be done……Okies dude……..I hope u like this chapter daughteeeerrr…..


Chapter 15

"Be ready at seven, someone will be there to pick you up."

Kenshin had said….

Kaoru thought furiously, where will Kenshin be bringing her? He said that it was suppose to be a surprise. What would she wear today? She begun worrying again. So many things were on her mind, Misao had not come to meet her as they had planned. Neither did she call to tell her that she wasn't coming. Kaoru had called her but her cousin, Tsubame had said that Misao was not at home since early morning. It was unlike Misao to break a promise. Could it be that something had happened to her?

Pleas god, don't let Misao get any wild ideas now…I hope she doesn't get herself into any trouble.

She tried to focus her mind and use her powers to locate Misao…but before she could find her exact position, someone knocked at her door and interrupted her.

"Who is it?" Kaoru called out.


Misao walked and walked…but something was very tensed….It's all those giggles and stares they were getting from the girls….well… at least Aoshi was getting. She had managed to jammed the bracelet. Which means that they won't be able to listen to her conversations or locate her locations anymore! Misao thought about it gleefully. They were so stupid…using that bracelet on her….she is the one who created it! Eventhoughher Aoshi-samahad changed it a little…that can't possibly fool her. The idiots…

The giggling was getting louder and the girls are pointing at them more openly now.

Misao heard: "Who's that small girl beside him…?? If only she wasn't there…we can go try to chat him up…"

Misao smirked. Let me see you try…you stupid bitches…stop talking already!

Misao was frustrated.

"You should lose that big trench coat of yours…it's so hot and you're attracting a lot of attention…" Misao complained.

Aoshi was following behind her, silent…ignoring her.

"Did you hear me?" Misao asked, turning around to face him. Aoshi just stood still , his expression icy, his green eyes staring back at her.

"Gosh! Don't use that look of yours on me again. I know what it mean okay? The 'back-off' look. You should know very well that I won't obey even if I know what you meant with that look."

"I should?" Aoshi asked.

"Yes!" Misao exclaimed. "You've used that look on me many times, actually on everyone..but I will always continue to pester you…"

"Really?"

"Yes!" Misao exclaimed again. Then, she smacked her head. "Sorry, I forgot that you lost a part of your memory!!"

Aoshi just looked at her silent, silent.

Misao shrugged. "As I was saying…you should lose that freaking trench coat of yours…you've been wearing that forever, don't you get tired?"

Aoshi stared on, still silent.

Misao sighed. He is like a stupid stone…just like before….She reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Come, let's get you some new clothes!"


Soujiro was there, smiling warmly as usual.

"Sou-chan!" Kaoru said happily, hugging him.

Soujiro blushed. "Kaoru," he murmured.

They sat down on the sofas.

"How are you Kaoru?"

"Fine…you?"

"Good too…."

Then, they sat there in awkward silence.

Soujiro finally said something, "Are you really sure that you're okay?"

Kaoru nodded quickly, too quickly and Soujiro looked doubtful.

"There is something that you're not telling me…and it is bothering you a lot, is Himura-san treating you well?"

"He's very nice to me, really!"

Soujiro nodded, still looking at her doubtfully. "I do not know why but I feel that you're unhappy these days. You look worried most of the time and you're usually not concentrating when others talk to you…and Yukishiro-san….when did you become so acquainted with him? I don't trust him, Kaoru and I don't like the way he was looking at you."

Kaoru did not know what to say. Soujiro had indeed noticed a lot. She looked at him, her eyes searching his mind.

"Are you reading my mind?" Soujiro asked softly, sounding amused.

Kaoru put a finger to her mouth to ask him to be quiet…he wasn't lying. He was truly concerned for her..and he had nothing ..nothing to do with The Aorta.

"No." she replied…and Soujiro looked confused. He was sure that she was reading his mind.

Kaoru got up, pick up a pen and some pieces of paper.

On it she wrote: I said 'no' just now because they are listening. I'm going to tell you something but do not say any of your responses out loud, we'll communicate through this piece of paper. But first, you must pretend to leave so that they'll not suspect anything.

Soujiro wrote back: Okay. Who's they?

Kaoru: If I tell you about what was bothering me, you must first swear to me that you wouldn't tell anyone else about this.

Soujiro: I swear that I won't tell anyone about what you're about to tell me.

Kaoru: Okay. Pretend that you're leaving first.

Soujiro nodded. "Since you say that you're perfectly fine, I'll be going now."

"Okay, bye Sou-chan!"

"Bye."

Soujiro went to the door, opened it and shut it again. It was all an act. He came back to the sofas quietly.

They resumed to communicating through paper.

Soujiro: Who's they?

Kaoru: The Aorta.

Soujiro looked surprised

Soujiro: They are here?

Kaoru: Yes. Yukishiro-san, Kamiya-san..they are both major members of The Aorta. I'm not sure how many of them are around us.

Soujiro: Kamiya-san?

Kaoru: Takani-san's father, He is also my father.

Soujiro: Your father? The one who created all the sword techniques you know?

Kaoru nodded.

Soujiro: What does the Aorta want from you?

Kaoru wrote down about how Misao and her was abducted by them, about what they suspected of Kenshin. And how they will destroy everyone if they even find out about their presence. She also told him about the bracelet that she was wearing.

Soujiro: Your father is in the Aorta?

Kaoru nodded again.

Soujiro: And Kenshin doesn't know about you spying on him…? I mean…he might have suspected something.

Kaoru: I'm not sure. He might have suspected…if he did, he did not show it. I don't know what to do…

Soujiro nodded understandingly.

Kaoru: Now that I told you about everything, do you understand why I am so sad these days?

Soujiro nodded.

He was about to write something else when someone knocked at Kaoru's door.

Kaoru looked at the door in alarm and gestured at Soujiro not to make any noise. He nodded at wrote something on the paper.

"Who is it?" she asked, trying to sound normal…despite the anxiousness inside her.

"It's me, Enishi…"

Kaoru looked even more alarmed.

"Can I come in?

Kaoru panicked..what should she do?

"Can I come in?" he asked again.

"Wait, I've just finished showering…hold on," she lied.

Enishi laughed. "Okay."

Kaoru looked worriedly at Soujiro..she can't hide him his room…neither can he stay here….how can he come out without causing any suspicion?

Soujiro smiled at her and pointed at the window. Then, he leaped out of the window easily. Kaoru almost forgot about how fast he was. She had also forgotten about how many powers she had as well. She hadn't used her powers for so long, always she kept them under control…until Kenshin came into her life. And now still, she was unwilling to use her powers…it seemed unfair that she should know things that others do not or to know thoughts that she was not suppose to know…or to use such destructable powers. She did not like using her powers…it hurt to use them…her body could not withstand it if she went overboard.

But she had to use them now. She picked up the papers that she and Soujiro had written on and allow her hands to burst into flames….before the fire devoured all..she read the final words that Soujiro had written : Have faith. She smiled sadly…have faith…..

"Kaoru?" Enishi called again. "Are you okay in there?"

Kaoru slipped on her ear-rings and smudged on a tint of lip gloss so that she'd looked more convincing.

She opened the door and allowed a slight smile to form on her lips.

Enishi's turquoise eyes gazed into hers and it made her uneasy again. He smiled. "You looked beautiful."

"Thank you." She said, walking out of the room and closing the door behind her. "Let's go somewhere else to talk."

Enishi nodded. "Let's get a coffee somewhere…"


Aoshi was wearing a crisp white shirt and long black pants that hugged his long, lean legs perfectly. The first few buttons of the shirt was lose. Misao drooled over him and finally decided. "See! You finally look more normal!"

Aoshi looked into the mirror and shrugged. Misao tugged at his hands. "Come, let's go pay for your new clothes!"

Aoshi just let her dragged him to wherever she was taking him. Girls were pointing at him and giggling again. It seemed louder than ever.

"I don't think these 'normal' clothes do any good on avoiding attention…." He said calmly to Misao.

Misao dropped his hand and turned around to look at him. Her eyes bored into his and she sighed loudly.

"Of course it won't do any good!" she exclaimed, looking at him like as if he was missing something obvious.

"It won't?" he asked, now very confused. First, she had tried to make him look 'normal', then found him 'normal' clothes…and now saying that it didn't help?

"Of course it won't!" she exclaimed again. "It won't because you look so damn handsome and sexy in everything, Aoshi-sama!" She couldn't help saying that…it still hurt her that he had completely forgotten about her.

Aoshi looked a little surprised at her explanation… 'handsome'?... 'sexy'? and 'Aoshi-sama'? Aoshi-sama…he had heard that before.

Misao sighed again. "Whatever! Let's go pay for your clothes!'


"I heard that Battousia asked you to meet him at around seven today?" Enishi asked, sipping at his coffee.

They were at the same restaurant that Misao had brought her to when she told her about her involvement with The Aorta before. So they were enclosed in a room. She did not like Kenshin being called 'Battousai', but all she said was, "Yeah."

"According to my resources, he is taking you aboard his luxury yacht…"

Darn! Why do you have to spoil everything?! She wanted to find out that herself, she wanted Kenshin to surprise her.

"For the past few days…is there anything suspicious him?"

Kaoru shook her head. "There is nothing suspicious about him at all. Nothing. I don't see why I should go on whatever you had asked me to do, when there is absolutely nothing for me to find out. Kenshin is clean…and from what I see, he is nothing like the cold-blooded animal you've talked about. Tell The Aorta to give up and go find the real culprit somewhere else. Leave Kenshin alone."

Enishi remained silent and studied Kaoru.

"You really love him, don't you?"

"Yes. Isn't it obvious? I love him with all my heart …what I am doing now is eating me. There is no way I'm going to let you guys make us so miserable because of your own organization's problem. Please, look somewhere else for whoever that had taken those poor women's powers. I know that it's not Kenshin. It can't be him."

Enishi's heart ached hearing Kaoru's word. Kaoru loved Kenshin and here she was, not doubting the man she loved, pleading so desperately that he was innocent. Enishi wished that he was Kenshin…to be love so unconditionally by the beautiful and special Kaoru.

He finally managed to speak after a long pause. Kaoru was staring at him expectantly, her blue eyes shining brightly.

"What if you are about to become one of those 'poor women'?" he said cruelly. Kaoru gasped in anger and was about to retort something again when Enishi held up a handto stop her from speaking. "I, infact all of the Aorta's member suspect Battousai to be theone behind all this for a reason. Why did he suddenly want 'out' of the organization? Why did the women he had slept with lost all their powers? These incidents are not mere coincidences, that you have to agree. Do you think that he just so happen to be linked to all the women who had lost their powers? I don't think so. Our resources tell us that he is the one. And The Aorta is never wrong. Never."

Kaoru sat there, for a moment she did not know what to say. What Enishi had said did make sense. But she was not going to see that, she'll just overlook it. It was true that her believe in Kenshin wavered when they first told her about what they suspect of him. But today, she had decided that she won't doubt him anymore. Have faith….

"No matter what you say, I'll still believe in Kenshin." Kaoru said firmly.

Enishi sighed and slammed his hand against the table in frustration. "I don't care what you think! You do what you are told to do! I am not a senior in The Aorta so I don't make decisions. If you try anything funny, we won't hesitate to destroy the place and everyone else in it. Do you understand?"

Kaoru just glared at him, "I want to go back. I need to get ready for tonight."

Enishi nodded. "Go to he driver. He will take you back."

Before Kaoru could open the door, Enishi snatched at her hand and brought her close to him. He kissed her lightly on the lips, "We are watching you," he whispered, his breath lingering on her lips.

Kaoru pushed him away angrily and walked out.


"Aoshi-sama! Watch out!"

Aoshi turned and…SLAM! He was on the ground, his head swimming. He could hear screaming and rushed steps…then he saw a blurred vision of Misao on top of him.

"Aoshi-sama!"

It is definitely Misao..

"Aoshi-sama!!!!"

Aoshi closed his eyes.

"Aoshi-sama!"

He turned and saw the bouncing girl smiling at him happily.

"What are you doing here?!" he demanded.

She pouted. "I heard that you came here to work…so I came here as well…do you know how boring it was without you at home?"

"How did you get in here?Didn't anyone try to stop you?"

"No…no one saw me…"

Aoshi grbbed her and pushed her into a room. "You need to get out of here fast. Go now, you don't want to be involve with anything here…"

"No, I won't go away! I want to be involve with you!"

"Misao! I thought we've been through this already! I am 29 yrs lod and you are only 15! You're only a child to me!"

"No I am not a child! I know I am short but I am more matured that you think, Aoshi-sama!"

Violent knockings on the door. "Who's in there?"

Aoshi opened the door and stepped out calmly. The man cowered a little and bowed to him, "Aoshi-sama…" they murmured.

"Oh, they call you 'Aoshi-sama' here as well?" Misao asked.

The men turned their attention to her and glared at her. "Who is this intruder, Aoshi-sama?"

"She is not a intruder,I called her here to the headquarters as I think she'll be a lot of help to our engineering department. I know her, don't worry. May I introduce you to Makimachi-san..." Aoshi said.

The men looked at her curiously and bowed to her. "Nice to meet you…"

"Nice to meet you too! Call me Misao!" Misao said happily.


"Aoshi-sama?"

"Don't bother me now, Misao…I had enough on my mind thinking about trying to get you out of here…"

"What is so bad about this place?"

"You don't understand Misao…"

"Try to explain to me than…"

Aoshi sighed. "Why did you follow me here? I told you already, don't get involve with me in anything, it's no good!"

"Don't get involve with you?! Did I hear correctly? You asked me not to get involved with you? I can I do that when I am hopeless in love with you?"

"Misao!"

"Don't worry, I don't need the words back. But please..at least let me be near you..is that too much to ask?"

Aoshi sighed. "You should go to sleep now, training starts early morning tomorrow…"

Misao looked at him with heart-broken eyes, and she walked out of the room silently.


He was twisting and turning in his sleep. It was bothering him again…the nightmares wouldn't stop..they kept haunting him.

"The nightmares are bothering you again?"

It was Misao standing at his door.

"What are you doing here?" he asked coldly.

"I heard your cries..they are bothering you again…Aoshi-sama?"

Aoshi turned away. "Go back to sleep, Misao."

Then he heard nothing, he turned back to look at the door. She was no longer there…he gave a sigh of relief then turned back again. There she was sitting on a chair beside his bed, staring at him sorrowfully. She was wearing a white night-gown, and her braid was undone..her hair was flowing all the way down to her legs…she looked like a broken angel.

"What more do you want?" Aoshi forced himself to say to her cruelly.

Misao just continued to stare at him.

"Get the hell out of here…" he said again.

Misao got up from the chair but she did not walk out of the room.

She walked towards and kissed Aoshi on the lips.

Aoshi was shocked. Misao was kissing him! What the! Her small hands were on his chest and he did not know why he kissed back. He drew her close to him, kissing her passionately, his hands shoving into her hair violently.

"I love you…" she whispered when they finally broke the kiss.

She spread her fingers across her chest and whispered again, "I love you…Aoshi…"

Then, she lay securely in his arms as he stared onto the ceiling…his arms around her.


Aoshi opened his eyes. What he just saw were not just dreams..they were real..his forgotten memories of Misao….and what really happened. He had loved Misao…they were connected in some way he was not sure of.

"…do you know how boring it was without you at home?" she had said….where was home?

It seemed to him that he and Misao had a long history together. A history that he had forgotten…something that she did not tell him earlier. It was not as simple as what she told him.

"You've used that look on me many times…actually on everyone…but I will always continue to pester you…"

Misao…

Aoshi looked around. He was on a bed, a needle attaching a tube to his arm. His head still hurts. What happened to him?

And then, he saw Misao. Misao was sleeping at the end of his bed, her legs rested on the ground.

Misao….

There was so much more for him to remember...


Minna-san! I've finally finished this chapter!! I hope you like it! And….this is just more development between Aoshi and Misao….PLS READ AND REVIEW!!!!!

KatsunoCZ