Painted Chord

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I can't thank all of you readers who review, because there are too many of you!

So let me just highfive you all right now . highfive!

This chapter for me is kind of slow, but its really all about plot development now. The last few paragraphs are my favorite I had a lot of fun writing them, and hopefully you won't think I'm too crazy o;;

-infidelmaki-

Disclaimer: ahhhhhhhhhhhh XD I don't like own RK? tee hee!

Summary: An artist meets the guitarist of her dreams, the only problem is he has a split personailty disorder. So who is Kaoru really in love with? Kenshin, or his split personality 'Shinta'? (AU, KK, AMi, SMeg Rated T)

Chapter Ten

Nobody's Fault but Mine

Although Kaoru didn't notice it yet, Kenshin was already changing into 'Shinta'. His long red bangs hid his eyes, allowing him to make the transformation unnoticed. His eyes flashed between amber and lavender...then turned a rich orangey color. The struggle continued like this for five more minutes as Kaoru led Kenshin through Prospect Park. Normally, one wouldn't walk through such a park at night, but Kaoru felt totally comfortable with Kenshin around. Finally, his eyes settled on remaining amber. 'Shinta' was here to stay until tomorrow morning.

"It's beautiful at night, ne Kenshin?" Kaoru sighed. 'Shinta' remained silent, he just grasped her hand. He could feel her temperature rise. A smug smile appeared on his face. He led her to a nearby bench and sat her down. He stood up infront of her and leaned down to kiss her. That's when she noticed his eyes.

"'Shinta'!" He smiled at her, which made her face redden. His voice was low and husky as he spoke.

"...Miss Kaoru..." he whispered seductively. Her spine tingeled and she melted. She grabbed his neck and forced a kiss on him, which he gratefully accepted. After a while, the two seperated to breathe. Kaoru felt something new about this kiss. Usually he forced it on her, but this time it was vice versa. Kenshin had told her to use his weakness against him, but she betrayed him and played along. Kaoru felt horrible, as if she cheated on Kenshin.

"Miss Kaoru. Let me remind you that Kenshin and I are the same one man. You haven't betrayed him in any way..." he whispered in her ear. She blushed and kissed his neck. She tugged his collar and pulled him onto the bench.

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Kenshin was awakened by the sunlight that poured through the window like sweet honey. He breathed deeply and instantly was comforted by the beautiful fragrance of...jasmine. His eyes opened immediately to view tuffs of black hair. He folowed the ebony locks to their owner--Kaoru.

"Ka-Kaoru! Not again!" He yelped. She moaned and tightened her grip on his waist.

"Kao-Koshii! Please!" Her eyes batted open and she smiled.

"Mmm...Ohayo Shinta." she whispered.

"Sh-Shinta!" Kenshin growled.

"Kenshin!"

"Kaoru!" Kaoru blushed. She had forgotten about last night. What would she tell him? That she willingly did this with 'Shinta'? Kenshin could read her eyes perfectly. They were like the morning mist over a lake, which usually meant that she was feeling guilty. It hurt him to figure out what happened last night. The last time they did this, 'Shinta' had forced her into it...but the look in her eyes. It was like she had forced him into doing this! Seeing that he read her like a book, Kaoru broke down and began to sob. Kenshin felt pangs of guilt, and pulled her in for a tight embrace.

"Kenshin...I love you..." Kenshin was suprised, but releaved.

"Aishiteru Kaoru." He kissed her forehead.

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Sano held his fiancee's hand as they walked out of the outpatient lobby. She used his shoulder for support and closed her eyes.

"How you feelin'?" He asked in a concerned tone. She smiled, eyes still closed, and answered.

"Much better. I feel so...relieved. Believe it or not, that was a great vacation...even if it was just one night." She chuckled.

"Well speaking of vacations..." he smirked. "Where do you want to go for our honey moon?" she blushed and laughed her 'ohohohohohoho' laugh (her vixen laugh tee hee...) smacking him playfully on the arm. He sweatdropped and snickered.

"Puerto Rico." she snapped.

"What?"

"I want to go to Puerto Rico for our honeymoon." She said as-a-matter-of-factly. Sano looked up at the ceiling. Sano let go of her hand.

"Hey Fox, that's pretty expensive don't ya think?" He looked at her with worried eyes. She shrugged it off and searched her thoughts for a response.

"Yeah but usually the parents pay for things like this." She rebuttled, a malicious gleam in her eye.

"But Megumi you can't ask your mom for that kind of money! I won't let you take advantage of a woman who can't even walk!"

"No no...I'd never to that to my mother...but...what about--" Sano cut in right before she said "your parents".

"Oh no no no! Not my dad. No way are you dragging them into this." He defended.

"C'mon Sanosuke! I've never even met your family! I think it would be great to invite them to the wedding, you have to!" Sano swallowed hard. Sure, he'd have to introduce Megumi to his family sooner or later...but what would she think of...gulp...them?

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Misao placed a pile of dirty dishes on the cart gingerly. She began to wheel the cart to the back of the diner.

"Why in God's name is that old man making me bus tables..."

"MISAO-CHAN!" A voice cackled from behind her.

"Oh...Grampa Okina!" She stammered.

"You have a phone call." He told her with a sweet smile. She knew that behind that lovable 'crazy old man' facade..was a sinister, perverted, old coot. She mocked him from behind as he walked away. She skipped to the front counter and picked the phone up from the reciever.

"Hai, Misao speaking."

Misao-chan.

"AOSHI-SAMA!" She screeched. She sweatdropped as she waved to the customers staring at her. Once they resumed eating, she huffed and continued talking to her precious Aoshi-sama.

I was wondering..do you want to hang out tomorrow? Misao blushed and jumped excitedly.

"Ummm...I don't know." She giggled. She could hear him breathing on the other line...she was so close and yet so far away...

Well good...I was going to actually suprise you but...I got a rental in the Hamptons, and I was going to invite everbody... Misao began to yelp. After a while, she couldn't scream any more and all she could do was mouth an inaudible 'oh my gawwd!'...She tried to calm down and remain cool.

"Sure Aoshi. That sounds okay I guess." He snickered on the other line. She's such a weirdo. He sighed, and continued.

Alright, make sure you let Kaoru know about it. We'll try and figure out when we can all go. The two exchanged their good byes and hung up.

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Sano took a nervous gulp out of his tall glass of water. The overhead ceiling fan roared like a lion on the savana. He shifted in his wicker chair as he waited for his father to enter the room.

"Ah Sanosuke my son!" The man cheered. Sano began to sweat, it was Sozo Sagara, the Captain of the Hampton Bays police force. The man approached him with a wide smile and choked him in a bear hug.

"D-Dad...Where's mom?" He managed to crack out from his father's grip. His father loosened and set him free. He approached a wine rack and pulled out a bottle of Spanish Sangria. He pulled out three glasses from a cabinet and poured the wine into them up to the rim. Sano accepted the drink, took a light sip, and placed it back on the white, tiled table.

"Your mother went out shopping. You know how she is...She'll be ecstatic to see you after so long. You look so...old after six months! My baby boy!" He went to hug Sano again, obviously he was a tad...tipsy. Suddenly, they heard the door click and the sound of numerous bags dropping to the hardwood floor.

"Oh Sozo-chan...I found these wonderful wineglasses..." The voice was too familiar. It sounded like the voice of a teenage boy in puberty. It was the voice of his 'mother'.

"Oh Sano-chan! My little tori-atama!" Kamatari screeched as he threw his arms around Sano. As you may already know, Kamatari is incapable of being of Sano's biological mother. Sano was the product of one too many beers after a Cher concert. However, Kamatari had been with Sano's father since he was a year old, and so Sano had...dare I say it...grown to love him as he would a real mother. He had the grace and style even Kaoru would envy but he was incredibly strong, and would probably be a quite handsome man if he dressed like one. Kamatari let go of Sano and took a seat in a chair across from him

"So Sanosuke...what brings you out to the island after six long months?" He smiled. Captain Sagara leaned in as well, he was quite eager to know why he had taken the time to drive two hours from Brooklyn to the Hamptons. Sano breathed deeply and told them everything. The band, Megumi, his proposal...They sat there looking at him as if he had ten heads.

"Umm..you guys?" He waved his hand infront of his father's eyes. Snapping back to reality, Kamatari jumped up from his seat and danced excitedly.

"Why didn't you tell us! Oh my God I'm so excited!" Sano blinked and looked down.

"What's the matter son, didn't you tell Megumi..that..." Sano cocked his head to the side confusedly.

"That well..you know..." Captain Sagara jerked his thumb at Kamatari, who was oblivious to everything.

"Well...no..." Sanosuke blushed and put his hand behind his head.

"Why not dear? I want to meet her...and her parents too! Oh joy!" Kamatari giggled and danced about the room.

"It's not Megumi...she'd love you guys...It's her..um...her mother." Captain Sagara threw his head back and chuckled.

"Is that all?" The two stifled their laughter. "What is she? Conservative?" they both shifted to hysterics. Sano lowered his eyes onto his wine glass. He brought it up quickly and downed the Sangria while shaking his head 'yes'.

"How conservative is the woman?" Kamatari laughed while wiping a tear from his eye. Sano lowered the glass. Feeling more relaxed, he let it flow.

"Umm...Does 'Bush Vote' conservative fill in the gaps?" He uttered.

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A/N: By the way: sorry to you dubya fans out there, but obviously this family is 'alternative' and pretty much not on Bush's side. I'm not a Bush fan persay..but then again I wasn't really with Kerry either. So I'm neutral I guess hahah! Have you ever seen the movie, 'The Birdcage'? Great movie Weeeelll...Capatain Sagara + Kamatari + Sanosuke as their son... priceless memories stay tuned, and thanks for the love! Leave more reviewage!

Next Chapter: The Song Remains the Same

She was angry for some reason that Kenshin had taken his pill.

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