Sorry about the long update. I'm just getting over a nasty flu, and I got little sleep last weekend. It has been brought to my attention by mulitple reviewers that things in my story are happening too fast. I am sorry. I guess I never realized it while I was writing it, which probably makes it worse. I'll try to slow things down where I can but right now it will just have to go with theflow of the story.Thank you for the positive feedback on this story. I'm a constant pessimist, so its good sometimes to see some positive thinking for a change.You guys are great. I have 1100+ hits! THANK YOU EVERYONE!

Disclaimer: Idon't own Rurouni Kenshin...or any of the characters...


Chapter Six: Running and Rescues

(I know probably the lamest chapter title in the story so far, but I couldn't come up with anything else)

Shiro, the man who encountered Kenshin and Kaoru a couple nights ago, was lounging back on a pile of cushions piled haphazardly on an old beaten mattress. It was a little sloppy but strangely charming in its clutter. Next to him was a little woman not much older than Kaoru. Although she seemed plain she had a pretty face and a thin waist. That's all Shiro needed. Her eyes were averted in submission. Underneath the little cloth she wore were thick bruises. She was property of the Gouka. And unfortunately just like the rest of the harem.

To Shiro or any other Gouka member she was just a play toy. They never bothered to know her name, where her family was, or more importantly whether or not she wanted to participate it their ravish lusts. They owned her. She was never to be freed from their control. In fact none of the girls were, but one managed. And she would rather die than return. Kaoru would not return to the Gouka, so they had to find her.

Shiro sat up when a man entered a brown trench coat trailing in his wake. "Wolfe." He said. The nameless woman curled into a tighter ball to the sight of the foreigner. "What brings you here?" He asked cheerfully.

"Save it, Shiro." He snapped. "The Choshu will cast Kamiya out of their little camp soon. The Battousai will probably not be with her. Right now is the time to strike."

Shiro stood up. "Yes sir." He turned to leave. "But sir?" Wolfe grunted to looked up at him. "What if Battousai is with her?"

Wolfe grinned. It was a kind of grin that only a crazy man could classify as benign. "He has something to keep him busy." He said simply. "If not then I will face him. And reclaim my property." He glanced at the shivering woman who hid her face from he gaze. Then thought of Kaoru. "How long has it been?" He asked vaguely.

"Since?"

Wolfe looked at the girl again and then he elaborated. "How long since Kamiya…?" He trailed off. Then Shiro knew what he meant.

With a grin he said. "Six weeks." Wolfe was thoughtful for a second. He had made sure Kaoru would never be able to escape his grasp. Even if she chose not to follow through with it, she would bear the guilt for the rest of her life. She could never forget him. And quite frankly, he would never forget her.

After Shiro left, he mumbled to himself. "I will make sure you will not forget me. If it's the last thing I do." The woman Shiro abandoned heard every word and was genuinely confused. Who was he referring to?

He looked at her with an evil glint in his eyes. "You may not be Kamiya," He began and the woman shrank away. "But you will do." He crouched down next to her. His hand ran up her thigh and she squirmed. "Don't fight me." He growled. She stiffened but went beneath him. She was unwilling but too weak to fight him. He would have what he wanted with her, as he always did with the women he encountered.

The woman clenched her teeth thinking about her one time friend, who had once been in the same position as her. Kaoru-chan, she thought. Is this the hell you spoke of?


Kaoru was walking through the streets of Kyoto with her bag of little possessions, the clothes she stole from the Choshu camp. She continuously felt guilty for robbing the people who were kind to her, but still her room in the rundown inn that she stayed in with her father was destroyed and with her dojo being in Tokyo. She had nothing.

Kaoru was going to go to Tokyo. She was going to the dojo her father founded, his pride and joy. It made her smile to think of the fun times she had during her training in the beloved dojo she called home. A year ago Kaoru and her father moved to Kyoto after her mother had passed away. Once they were here, hell began. Her father joined the Gouka and Mr. Wolfe developed an obsession for her. She had wanted to run from that time, but she couldn't.

She shivered as she thought about her last encounter with Mr. Wolfe. He had claimed her as his slave and then he had his way with her. Kaoru had fought against him the best she could but she was beaten into submission and later lost conscience. Although she wasn't aware of his actions, she was almost certain what he did. Kaoru knew that he wanted her in a way she couldn't comprehend. And he had taken advantage of her…

(If only Kaoru understood that there weren't that many men like Bradley Wolfe in this world, perhaps she may have been more trusting of Kenshin. If she wasn't treated so poorly she could open her heart to the true meaning of love. My dear Kaoru, if I knew how pain this has brought you…

But nobody knew. Beside she never had the courage to speak up).


Ayaka sat in the kitchen and sighed. Kenshin hasn't been out of his room since earlier in morning. She came back for him, but has he found someone else? She didn't like Kaoru. She was too naïve, and she was in the way. Ayaka continued to brood on the topic hoping that Kenshin would forget Kaoru and return to her. Instantly she felt guilty. I barely even know her, she rationalized. Maybe there's something else going on.

As she absentmindedly prepared dinner, Ayaka listened to the gossips of the maids and other cooks. Even the innkeeper made an appearance.

"I heard Kamiya-san left this morning." A young kitchen maid said. Ayaka flinched and tried to look absorbed in cutting a fish into decent sized portions.

"I did too!" Someone else said.

"She and Himura-san had a quarrel and he forced her to leave." Another girl said. Ayaka thought about the incident. Kenshin didn't force her to leave. He wanted to her to stay…Ayaka slammed her knife through the fish she was cutting, harder than she intended. It made a loud noise and everyone stopped their chatter to stare at Ayaka's strange behavior.

The innkeeper narrowed her eyes at Ayaka, who looked away sheepishly. She mumbled her apologies. Silence stretched in the room until the topic was brought up again.

"Are Himura-san and Kamiya-san lovers?" Ayaka didn't know what else she could take. She quickly finished up her job and left the kitchen as fast as she could. She had to see Kenshin. She needed to know if he still had feelings for her. She needed know…

She straightened her kimono and swished her hair behind her. Ayaka looked like a seductress. She was ready to reclaim the Battousai as her lover. She was there longer before Kaoru and she wasn't about to lose to her. I know I am selfish, she thought. But I also know what I want.

Ayaka walked to Kenshin's room. She allowed the collar of her kimono slip to her shoulders slightly. It was a little tease. She thought it would be very effective. She knocked on the shoji to Kenshin's room her in a flutter. There was no answer. She knocked again. Curious, Ayaka sneakily slid the door open to reveal an empty room. She cursed.

Why am I even surprised? She thought enraged. He loves that stupid cow, not me! Ayaka felt her anger and jealousy consume her. This wasn't part of the deal. She wanted Kaoru gone, even if she had to dispose of her herself.

She stomped back down the hall and stopped at a room with a half-open door. Curiosity got the better of her as she pushed the door open to reveal a room that smelled like jasmine. She wrinkled her nose at the signature scent of the girl she despised. Ayaka, turned ugly by envy, strolled in looking for anything she could use. The sheets of her bed were tossed in frenzy. Furniture was overturned. To put it bluntly, it appeared as though a typhoon collided with Kaoru's room.

On the floor she found a blue ribbon with silver petal prints. It was pretty. Ayaka stashed it her pocket, not knowing if her boss would want it. She continued looking when she found a letter addressed to Kenshin. She picked it up and unfolded it; not caring that it wasn't for her and it was definitely not her business. She read the first line.

Dear Kenshin,

I am so sorry, but I can't stay any longer. The Gouka are after me again and I can't bear the thought of you getting mixed up in this on my account…

Ayaka stopped reading. She couldn't continue. Kaoru obviously loved him. Almost as much as she did. Ayaka crumbled the letter in her fist. She left the room and went outside. She saw an open campfire and did the first thing at came to mind. Ayaka threw the balled up note in the fire and watched it shrivel it the flames. Guilt settled in the back of her mind as the last piece of the paper turned to ashes. Ayaka knew what she did was evil, but she just couldn't care…


It was a little past noon and Kaoru had eaten at a newly opened restaurant called Shirobeko. It was small, but had friendly service. Kaoru was able to pay her bill and slip out unnoticed. The Gouka had eyes and ears everywhere. She sighed. If only she had enough money to afford a trip back to Tokyo.

Kaoru sat down on a bench under the shade of a tree and was content on watching people walk by. Nobody stopped to notice her. Not even a sidelong glance. Kaoru didn't know whether or not it was a good thing to be invisible. Suddenly she got the feeling she was being watch. She opened her pack and carefully pulled out her two katanas and clipped the scabbards to her hakama belt. She resettled her bag over her shoulder. Kaoru started to walk away knowing she was still being followed.

She continued walking away from the city streets and near a forest. The footsteps behind her grew louder as she knew her stalker was gaining on her. She twirled around with her hand on the hilt of her sword. Standing there staring her down was Shiro.

"What do you want?" She demanded.

He grinned. "You know what." He replied. "Wolfe-sama is getting impatient. He needs you."

"He has a funny way of showing it." Kaoru said with a calm façade.

Shiro laughed. "You know him. Honestly I don't know what he sees in you." He drew his sword and pointed it inches from her throat.

"Neither do I." She replied coolly. She stepped back away from his blade and drew hers.

"My orders are to bring you back in one piece. But I personally would rather kill you." He swung his sword that her right side. She instantly blocked him and jumped back. She didn't hit him back, which aggravated him. "Fight me, damn it." He swung at her again and she tried to block but he managed to knick her wrist drawing blood. She winced and gritted her teeth against the pain. She still didn't hit him back.

Shiro grew angry with her and kicked her back against a tree. Her back slammed into the bark and she gasped as the air was knocked from her lungs. Shiro cut her hand causing her to drop her sword. He grinned and rushed in for his chance. He pouched her in the stomach and she curled over in pain. He grabbed her by her ponytail and flung her into ground. She coughed and spat blood.

Kaoru pushed herself into her elbows and knees, but Shiro drove his foot in the center of her back. "You made this too easy, Kaoru-san. Why aren't you fighting back?" She groaned in pain as he drove his heel in deeper. "Don't tell me the great Kamiya has given up." He taunted completely enjoying Kaoru's pain.

"Leave me alone." She managed to cough. Shiro laughed.

"I really regret that Wolfe-sama has such an interest in you." He lifted his foot for her back and kicked her. She rolled onto her side, curled into a ball. He brought down his sword so it teased the skin on her neck. "This won't hurt a bit." He said as brought his sword up. Kaoru gulped knowing the end was near. Forgive me.

Shiro brought his sword. Kaoru tensed when she felt a wind next to her ear. She closed her eyes. This was it.

CLANK! She heard the sound of metal hitting metal. Kaoru opened one eye to see another sword blocking Shiro's. She looked up at her savior.

"Why don't you fight someone with a weapon?"

Kaoru's body completely froze as she stared into the eyes of her rescuer. Then were like molten hard stones of amber, blazing with a cold fury that paralyzed Kaoru with fear.

"K-ken-shin?" She whispered in awe.


I told you the separation wouldn't last long.

Ihave a little bit of writers block that refuses to go away. And its annoying.

Please Review!

Silent. Midnight. Rose.