R.S.: Nothing really to say at the moment. It's about nine in the morning and I just got a wake up call by my cousin so I'm still kinda sleepy. But the story is gonna be good still, sleepy or not! I just need some food! And I'll get that I a few. I just wanted to start on this.

Has anybody ever heard of "Catch the Sun" by "The Doves"? It's one of the best songs I've ever heard and the instrumental version is perfect to me. I was listening to Laguna Beach Radio on and then this song came up. I thought it was going to be stupid, but it's one of the most beautiful songs ever. Listen to it! If you don't like some rock, then this might be one song you'll like.

Anyways, onto the chapter. I hope you like this one a lot. And I'm so sad this story is ending! But I have to do it. It can't be everlasting, now can it?

-Rampaging Sorrow

It's always that one person

By: Rampaging Sorrow

Chapter 24: Grab the rays because each one is your life

Kaoru sat with an electric guitar in the backyard with Michael on the steps. The others were helping make dinner because Shinji was bringing Tara and Yahiko. It was like a "Good-bye to Kaoru" as Shinji said over the phone. It was another weekend and surprisingly, Kaoru had passed all of her assignments and her tests were above 100 with the extra credit. That was another thing to celebrate.

Michael looked in the kitchen and then he saw Kenshin do a dance behind Kaname and pinch her ass.

"Watch yourself Himura!" Kenshin laughed and stuck his head out the window before doing the 'rock out' sign on his fingers and going back in. Michael rolled his eyes before he finished hooking up the guitar to the amplifier. He picked up his bass and then he sat down on the chair that was out there.

"Done. Hit it Kaoru." Kaoru smiled and she did a few chords before she looked at him and she began to play a song he taught her. He sat back and watched her as she sang the words to the song loudly. Aoshi threw a sponge out the window and Kaoru pouted as it slapped her dead in the face. Michael bit back a laugh.

"Here. Let's do this." He whispered in her ear and then they raised it up higher. He sat back down before Kaoru smiled and she began to play a nice song. Michael hooked up a microphone to it as well (A/N: Don't know if you really can, but oh well.) and he put the mic in front of her as she began to sing. Then he came in and the two began to play and sing softly to the song.

"OH MY GOD I LOVE THIS SONG!" Kaoru raised her eyes up to see her Aunt in the kitchen dancing with Kaname and Tyler. Aoshi was just tapping his foot on the ground. She smiled and nodded towards Michael before they started it over and began to sing it more fully and with more sweetness. Michael came back over to her and she smiled at him before they began to sing the chorus.

"Kaoru: Catch the sun, before it's gone
Here it comes, up in smoke and gone
K and M: Catch the sun, it never comes
Cry in the sand, lost in the fire."

"Stop the music!" they looked inside to see Tyler nodding towards his father and running to the garage. Once he was out, he was pushing a drum set on a trolley. Kaoru gasped and she cheered and went to hug him.

"I knew you would play!"

"Not me. Amara is going to play." Kaoru arched an eyebrow as Amara came out happily with drumsticks and the music. Tyler and Michael fixed everything up for her.

"You play Mara?" she nodded before Kaoru just sighed praying she wouldn't mess up.

"Ready?" Amara nodded before they began to play. Surprisingly, the younger Kamiya was fantastic. The others watched as she looked away from the music having already memorized it.

"She's good." Tyler said to Asahi and he just nodded as Amara flipped her hair back and did a little solo before they kept on playing again. Nobody ever noticed Shinji's car roll up and nobody saw the angry look on his face as he saw Kaoru with an electric guitar. Tara held Yahiko on her back as they walked over.

Kaoru stopped the words and they just played without them as they swayed to the music.

"KAORU ANNALISE KAMIYA!" Kaoru didn't hear him and Asahi saw him go for the amplifier. He ran out and he grabbed his twin before dragging him into the house.

"Don't you even dare. Look how happy she is."

"I don't care. I forbid that goddamn electric guitar and she's playing it. Aoshi you're supposed to keep her from playing it!" Aoshi gave a 'what' smile and then he shrugged.

"She sounds good. That's her instrument. Let her play her emotions out with that. It's better than hurting herself." Shinji sat down and he then got up and kissed Karen on the cheek before removing his business jacket and his tie. He unbuttoned his short and then he sagged his business pants before he washed his hands.

"Where's the cream cheese? I have to make cheesecake." Karen smiled before giving him the ingredients. As he cooked, he had to just listen to it as it was good.

"Who taught her to play that?"

"Michael-" Tara covered her mouth in shock because she wasn't supposed to tell.

"Tara, come on!"

"I didn't mean to! Honest!" Kaname glared at her before she sat down in her seat and she began to think. Kenshin looked outside before he took off his button-up and his shoes.

"Kenshin, where are you going?" Tommy and Jacob caught the idea before they did the same thing and went outside. Netalia and Genia whispered to each other before doing the same and going outside. They all began to dance and Kenshin went over to Kaoru before he was just nodding and watching how she moved her fingers. He went to Amara before he put his hands over hers and asked her to move away. He sat down and kept playing in her place. Kaoru looked behind her and she smiled as Amara stretched her hands and went to dance and play with the others.

"Kenshin's pretty good!" Genia said to Netalia as she spun around each other.

"He's been playing for years!" Kenshin flipped his drumstick into the air and then he kept playing and laughing with Kaoru and Michael. Their smiles were cheerful and bright, even though they didn't know at dinner they were going to be kinda upset.

Kaoru sat down next to Kenshin and Michael as they were doing prayer. She was nervous because she hadn't spoke to her father in days or been home. She had been going to school and staying with Asahi.

"Amen." They all said and then began to pass out food and eat. Tommy and Jacob looked at each other and then at Shinji. He had a smirk on his face as he cut Yahiko's food and gave him back his fork.

"So Kaoru! How's school been?"

"I'm back up to A+ again."

"Very good. That's what I always want." Kaoru rolled her eyes and was ready to say something sarcastic, but Kenshin and Michael both pinched her thigh. She bit her lip and the two boys shook their fingers before they smirked at each other as they had the same thoughts in their mind.

It was silent for a few more minutes besides Netalia and Genia talking with Jacob and Tommy about the latest club music. Then Shinji smiled softly at Yahiko and pinched his cheek softly before speaking.

"So Kaoru! You've learned to play the electric guitar from Michael when I forbid you not to!"

"Tara oh my god! Usted boca grande! Joda!"

"I didn't mean to!-"

"Don't talk to her that way Kaoru. It's rude."

"So? You talk to snitches that way." Shinji glared at his daughter as she put some more rice into her mouth. She had decided to use chop sticks because the fork was boring her lately. Kenshin still had a smirk as she twirled them around. Tara frowned and apologized softly. Kaoru then started up a conversation.

"How's work been daddy?" she gave him a smile and looked over to him as he sighed.

"Not so good lately. I haven't found any inspiration to do anything."

"Yeah since you don't do anything." She mumbled and Kenshin and Michael began to giggle and laugh softly.

"Something funny? Let the whole table hear it! This is a family get-together, isn't it?"

"Yes but something aren't meant for family, now are they?" the two glared at each other again before Asahi coughed softly and beat his chest in. Tyler and Aoshi both slapped him on the back.

"Thanks boys." Kaoru turned to Kenshin as Michael was text messaging one of his girlfriends from school under the same. Kenshin arched an eyebrow as she whispered to him.

"You can't be serious." He whispered.

"I am. It'll get daddy upset anyways. I like to see him mad." Kenshin sighed and then agreed with her plan before Kaoru kissed him. Shinji looked up and he got upset very quickly as Kenshin and Kaoru kept kissing.

"Aoshi, switch places with Kenshin please?"

"Yes sir." Kenshin let go and then he got up with a smirk before he and Aoshi switched places. Kaoru was already finished with her meal and she got bored. She took out more food and then she began to play with it and feed it to Michael.

"Kaoru, eat your food."

"No." she gave her chicken to Aoshi and he opened his mouth and ate it before she gave him rice. Everybody could tell the two were going to argue badly later, but for now the little comments would do. Kaoru put her elbow on the table and rested her cheek on her hand. She smiled at her father and she stuck her tongue out at him before he raised her the finger.

After dinner, they decided to dance and wait for dessert to finish. Kaoru laughed as Jacob did the robot with Genia. Kaoru then saw them back up and she took the floor. Tara was helping with dessert because she didn't feel like dancing. Kenshin came in and she smiled before she dipped low in front of him. Kenshin made a face of pleasure and they laughed as Kaoru rose up slow. The two backed away before Netalia began to pop-lock with Tommy. Aoshi came out of nowhere and he

"Kids! Dessert!"

"Okay!" they turned off the radio and they went back to the now clean table. Everybody had a piece of chocolate cake, cheesecake, pound cake, and ice cream in bowl. They also had drinks in wineglasses. Asahi got up and he tapped his glass before he spoke.

"I'd like to propose a toast!" everybody raised their glasses. Yahiko smiled and yelled out; "Toast toast!" they giggled at him and Kaoru kissed his cheek as he was sitting next to her now.

"This is a toast for all of Kaoru's made up work and for having them ALL correct for once!" they all laughed and then Kaoru smiled.

"And this is for Michael's acing on all his exams and for making the town banner in the contest. Let's toast to that." They toasted and then Shinji smirked.

"Oh wait! Let's not forget!" they all looked over at Shinji as he raised his glass.

"Let's give a nice toast and farewell to my dear middle child Kaoru Kamiya who will be going to a very nice boarding school. Let's hope for her success and happiness there." Everybody fell quiet and Kaoru frowned as she stared at her cakes.

"Well then! I'll just toast myself." He tapped his fork to his glass and took a sip Yahiko looked around.

"No toast?" he asked innocently.

"No toast baby boy. No toast."

Kaoru sat on the porch thinking while spinning her thumbs around. She heard the door open and then she saw her father step outside in some overalls and a white shirt covering it. Kaoru looked back down and then she got ready to go, but he grabbed her and pushed her in the seat before shutting the front door.

"Kaoru look at me…. LOOK AT ME." Kaoru looked up and before he could speak, she spoke. Tears were coming up in her eyes.

"What did I do to you daddy? Huh? Why do you hate me so much right now?"

"I will never hate you. Kaoru I love you so much it hurts."

"Then why do you seem so happy to send me away! Why the fuck do you want to get rid of me so bad!" Shinji sat down on his knees and he put his finger to his lips to make sure nobody was listening. Then he put his hands in her lap and looked up into her eyes.

"Do you really think that I want to send you away? You think I'm happy about the arrangements that were made?" Kaoru looked into his eyes and then she said 'no' softly as he wiped her tears.

"Exactly. If anybody's mad, it should be me. I'm your father and this is hardest on me. Not Kenshin, not Michael, but me. I don't want to lose you."

"Then why send me? Why not home school me? That would seem better?"

"Because they won't allow me to do that."

"Who? Tell me daddy!" he put his finger to her lips again.

"Sssh. I want this to be between you and me. Nobody will ever hear of this." He put up his pinky and she locked hers with his before he spoke again.

"This was a big discussion with the whole family. I mean, everybody was in it. On my side and your mother's. When you were in the hospital, everybody met together through the phone, the web cams, everything possible. I was the first one to disagree to my mother's plan, but mother has power like that. So everybody agreed. The only ones to disagree were me, Asahi, Karen, and your mother's side. Sadly, there's more on my side then your mother's, so it was settled on that. Otherwise, you would have been home schooled."

"Grandma wants to send me?... what did I do to her?"

"It's not what you did. It's what you are."

"… I don't understand." Shinji sighed before he got up and jogged towards the sunflower fields.

"Come on! This is important!" Kaoru got up and then she ran towards her father before he took her hand and led her towards the lake. The moon was shining directly on it. Shinji rolled up his pants and she did the same before they went in knee deep.

"Look into the water Kaoru. Look into the water and tell me what you see." Kaoru looked down into the water and she pulled her ponytail over her shoulder before she bent forward and looked.

"I see… I see myself."

"Then you're not looking hard enough. Watch me." Kaoru looked over at her father and then she flipped her ponytail back as it was irritating. Shinji stared into the water and then he took his hand and he swiped it through the water.

"I see my father, Kaoru. I see him because everything I do right now is based on his influence. My attitude towards things is like my father's. And even though my father thinks that I am Shinji Kamiya, I know that I am Takashi Kamiya on the inside. Do you understand?"

"I think so."

"Now you try." Kaoru stared down into the water thinking very hard and then she took her hand and swiped it across the water slowly. Once she raised her hand up, her eyes widened.

"I see… I see mommy." It indeed was true as Shinji was thinking the same way she was. Ruby eyes, brown hair, a smile that could warm up hearts everywhere, it was indeed Annalise. Kaoru looked over at her father's and saw his own reflection before they were almost close together.

"Why do I see her?"

"Because you are your mother Kaoru. Physical features, you are me, but inside, you are her. That is why my mother doesn't take pride in you like she takes pride in your siblings. Your mother and my mother never got along; they always fought, cursed, and said things that would hurt the strongest man alive. It was a hateful relationship between them, and when you were born, she knew you would be like her because after two years you started barking at her the same way your mother did, just no curse words."

"I did?" she was surprised and he nodded with a soft smirk.

"And you're just as dark as your mother too. Your mother, to put it simple, was a Goth, but she wasn't a Goth." Kaoru looked over at him again and arched her eyebrow to show she was confused.

"Your mother was a popular girl, but on the inside she had Goth material. She wrote dark poetry, her favorite color was black, she was a cutter as you know, and at times she was suicidal. Not all Goths are like that, but in the town we use to live in, they were like that."

"I see… but it still is so confusing. Grandma has been a fake towards me?"

"You haven't flipped out on her yet, thus why she didn't do anything to you yet." Kaoru said 'oh' silently with a nod and then she swiped the water again before she saw a picture of her and her mother smiling. That's when she realized what her father said was true. Real true.

"Kaoru, if I tell you something, will you swear not to tell anybody?"

"I swear on my life." Shinji sighed before he spoke.

"Kaoru… out of all my children… you (sigh)…"

"I'm what daddy?"

"You are my favorite child. I take pride in you the most." She looked up at him surprised as he stared down into the water with a smile.

"But… why? I cause the most trouble; I have the most problems, why?"

"Because you are unique Kaoru… When you were born, you weren't born too healthy. I've never told you because I didn't think you needed to know, but right now I think you are mature enough to handle this." Kaoru nodded as they sat down on the dirt and left their feet in the water. Shinji put his hands back to prop himself up as he moved his feet softly and stared up.

"When you were born, you were premature and it wasn't looking too good for you. They thought you were going to die because you were very sick. Maybe that's why you have emotional stress now. Maybe it's something else. But either way you look at it, you were going to die." Kaoru was shocked at this information, but she just nodded and listened to him as the wind began to blow.

"It was hard for your mother to sleep at those times. She kept on crying and praying that you were alright. She thought that she might have pissed off God and he was punishing her by taking her child away. I was at the hospital all the time and Shuichi, Genia, and Aoshi were staying with Asahi. I didn't want to leave your side and after a week off barking at me, they just let me stay there."

"You really stayed there all those days?" Shinji nodded.

"It was for about two months until you were back to normal. And even after that you were still kinda sick. I felt so bad for you, I felt like I had did something wrong when we were creating you. But the thing that made me change my mind was something that will always make me smile to this day. Do you know what it is?"

Kaoru shook her head and then he smiled and turned her face towards him. He opened a pocket mirror and he showed her what he saw. Kaoru looked at her reflection confused.

"Your eyes." Kaoru then saw what he saw. She saw herself, she saw her father; she saw her mother. She saw pieces of a puzzle, and she saw things that made her realize that she would always be who she was no matter who tried to change her. As her father put the mirror away, she felt tears rush to her eyes. The two walked back towards the house and outside the sunflower field, Kaoru sniffed and wiped her tears.

"Come here baby girl." Shinji opened his arms and Kaoru went into his embrace before she began to cry. Aoshi came outside with Genia and they walked over before Shinji opened the hug up and they embraced Kaoru warmly. Shuichi and Tara were helping with the dishes.

"We love you so much Kaoru."

Asahi frowned as he took Kaoru and Michael outside. The two had been talking to each other about where they would run away to and he didn't want to interrupt them. Sadly, it was very important. As they sat on the last step, Asahi crouched down and he ran his fingers through his hair and he looked up at them, his eyes a depressed blue-gray.

"Dad, what's going on?"

"Yeah Uncle Asahi, what's wrong?" he sat down and crossed his legs before he put his head in his hands and thought about how to say what he had to say.

"Kaoru, Michael… something just happened when I was talking over the phone and I… I don't know how to say this." The two grew concerned and their blue eyes looked over into his as he sighed.

"Kaoru, Michael isn't going to run away with you. You're going to have to stay there."

"What! Why!" Michael leaned forward, fear on both their faces.

"There was a phone call, I found out something, it's too risky-I need a drink." Asahi put his fingers in his hair and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Uncle Asahi… I don't understand what you mean. Why can't Michael run away with me?" he sighed again and looked up.

"I just got a phone call. Somebody knows that you guys are going to run away-"

"So what dad? I don't care."

"Yeah Uncle Asahi. That's fine with us. Let them know that we're breaking everything that has been set out for us."

"You don't get it! You don't understand the full importance of this statement!"

"Then explain it to us! Why can't I go with Kaoru! Why can't we run away together!"

"That was my mother over the phone! If you two run away, she is going to send some of her sons to get you both and you both are going to get the full Kamiya punishment. I could lose all I have; Shinji could lose his children!"

The two were shocked and Kaoru put her forehead in her hands before she let out a whimper. Michael pulled her close and he let her cry as she clung onto him and cried for the second time that night. Asahi ran his fingers through his hair and then he looked at them with a frown on his face.

"There has already been a punishment set because I was going to help you two."

"What's the punishment dad? What's going to happen?" Asahi began to mumble to himself and Michael had enough of his father's ramblings.

"Daddy speak english!"

"I JUST LOST MY DAUGHTERS, OKAY! FOR A YEAR, I DON'T GET TO SEE THEM!" it fell silent and Asahi began to sob. Shinji heard the whole conversation and he ran outside and pulled his twin into his arms. Kaoru began to cry harder as she felt guilty and the others went outside to see what was wrong.

"I can't loose my girls. I can't loose them. I take too much pride in them. They mean the whole world to me. This family is not complete without them."

"I will take them Asahi. I'll keep them with me until I can remove the punishment. I promise." Asahi sunk to his knees and Kaoru went to him and began to cry with him as she apologized for bringing him into the problem.

"It's not your fault Kao. (Sniff) I knew what I was risking, but I didn't think it was this serious." Kaoru wiped her face and Michael hit the beam holding up the porch in frustration. The girls didn't understand. Kaname caught on later as Karen put the younger children to sleep.

"No… No! We can't get taken away! I don't wanna go!" she gasped as tears fell from her eyes. It mostly shocked her because she hadn't cried in long time.

"Kaoru, what did you do! What did you do!"

"It wasn't Kaoru, Kaname! It wasn't her!" Tyler held her in his arms tight and began to quiet her down as she whimpered and cried against him. For once, Kaoru didn't want to do anything. She didn't want to fight, she didn't want to protest, and she didn't even want to scream. She just wanted for her Uncle's family to keep together. She felt so guilty about it that she couldn't even bring herself to hug him as Kaname put her suitcase in Shinji's trunk with the twins.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered. Asahi went over to her and he hugged her again before he kissed her neck and he began to speak to her softly before she left with Aoshi and the others. Kaname was silent for everything and her two sisters didn't even realize it as they were very tired. Asahi kissed their foreheads and he then kissed Kaname's as well before he hugged his crying wife.

"Take care of you sisters. You understand me?" Kaname nodded before they drove off and left the four remaining country Kamiya and hit the highway. Michael sat on the porch and from there; he began to scream his lungs out. They were shocked to hear him, but after a few more minutes of it, they just let him scream his voice away. To him, it was better than crying.

In the morning, Jacob woke up Aoshi and he pointed him towards his window. Aoshi opened his eyes more fully as he saw Kaoru down there training and moving non-stop.

"She woke up two hours ago and she hasn't stopped once. She's wasting all her energy, all her anger. And trust me. She won't stop for water, and she won't stop if she's feeling faint."

"(Yawn) how do you know?"

"I do this all the time. I do it so much; it's starting to become a sickness for me." Aoshi went to the bathroom, brushed his teeth, and then he went back into the room to see Jacob examining all his trophies for every sport he's ever done.

"Golf, Aoshi?"

"What? It was with my father." Jacob snickered before Aoshi went back on his bed and he got in the covers. Jacob jumped in bed with him and Aoshi bit his lip at how cold his feet were. He reached over and once he grabbed socks, he threw them at him and Jacob put them on.

"I came to talk to you about your sister." Aoshi put his arms behind his head and he nodded his head before Jacob sighed.

"You… You need to help your sister right now. If you don't help her, Kaoru is in for a lot of trouble when she goes to that school. I know what that place is about when you're there for full time. Cassidy told me all about that place. That's why her parents made her leave and Yuki's parents took her away as well."

"What is that school about?"

"That school is a private school for problem children, but they strive for perfection. Sometimes the students don't even have that. They drug the kids there if they are disobedient. Kaoru probably saw the chamber they have and she is smart to not want to go back."

"What can I do Jacob? I can't do anything without having my father risk losing his children."

"About that… What the fuck is wrong with this family! How can they set rules like that! It's so… so fucked up!" he punched the air and then his hand fall back down once he heard the door knock. He went over to the door and he saw Tommy and Kenshin looking at him.

"Can we come in?"

"Not right now. Me and Aoshi are talking. I'll bleep you on the Nextel when we're done. Promise." He closed the door and then he sighed.

"GET AWAY FROM THE GODDAMN DOOR!" he heard quick feet and then he sighed before telling Tommy to go too. Once he heard the door shut, he locked it and went back to Aoshi's bed.

"Little children." Aoshi smirked and nodded before they began to talk again.

"The Kamiya family is so strict. That's why grandma doesn't like certain children. Especially Kaoru. Kaoru is just so rebellious and has broken so many rules already; they can't take the disobedience anymore. They let it go because mother is dead, but now they're starting to get angry and take her acts of disobedience as her own crimes."

"But still. They don't know half the things that go on around here."

"I said that, but father just said for grandma to speak her mind and let Kaoru bark and bite back at her." Jacob then sighed before he turned over onto his stomach and sat up on his elbows.

"Aoshi, all that stuff you told me is harsh, but Kaoru is going to get herself killed. Kamiya rules or not. That's why I came to ask you to talk to her."

"Yeah, but what can I do?" Aoshi sighed before blowing his bangs up and out of his eyes.

"Anything you want to do. As long as the message gets across to her that she needs to change. And fast."

"She will hate me for telling her that. She keeps hearing it. It's going to make it worse."

"Just try Aoshi! You have to try!" Aoshi looked over to Jacob and noticed for the first time he had fear on his face.

"Aoshi, if you don't talk to Kaoru, she's set on a path towards DEATH. You understand me? DEATH." Aoshi's eyes opened to that and he looked towards the window to see Kaoru on her hands and knees.

"Tell me this and tell me right now. Do you want her to die?"

"No- Hell no! Why would I want that!"

"If you don't want her to die, you will go out there with me now, and you will try to convince her with me." Jacob got up and he took Aoshi's pajama pants lying on the floor.

"Mine are in the car." Aoshi nodded before he threw another pair on.

"Remember Aoshi. If she gets mad, you let her scream at you. If she strikes at you, do not hit her. Just hold her and make her understand. I'm out there to help you if things get out of control." Aoshi nodded before Jacob rubbed his shoulders and put his forehead against his.

"I know this seems gay and totally out of character… but I'm hoping that Kaoru runs away from that school."

"Why?"

"Because if she does… she'll be free."

Kaoru had headphones over her ears as she put her head on the kitchen table. Jacob came into the room and he walked over to her before he wrapped his arms around her waist and he turned off the music. Kaoru didn't complain and she didn't protest. She just closed her eyes and leaned against him. To her, Jacob was her brother. After what he had told her in the morning, she felt that he was on her side and was looking out for her health.

"You alright?"

"Mmmhmm." Jacob sighed a 'good' before he just kept there silent with his eyes closed. Kaoru stared out the window as Jacob began to hum softly and think about what to d. His gray eyes opened once he heard familiar footsteps.

"Get the fuck off my girl Jacob." Jacob smirked before he let go of Kaoru and put his hands up. He turned around with an innocent smile to see Kenshin angry.

"What's the problem?"

"The problem is you hitting on my girl Jacob. What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"He's not hitting on me." Kaoru got up and picked up her CD player before she nodded towards Jacob.

"In fact, he's been helping me. I owe him thanks." And with that she left the room. Kenshin glared at him and he growled before Jacob sat down and arched an eyebrow.

"What's wrong? You jealous?" Kenshin said 'whatever' and Jacob then let out a soft laugh before he threw a water bottle towards Kenshin.

"Drink it. It'll cool down that attitude of yours." Kenshin threw it back and Jacob sent it right back at him.

"Drink it now." Kenshin glared at him before he drank it down and threw it back.

"There. Now we can talk." Kenshin leaned against the doorway and waved his hand for him to start.

"First of all, I'm not hitting on Kaoru. In fact, she's become my sister, so I can't hit on her not matter how hard I tried or even if I wanted to. Second of all, I have Cassidy, so I don't need her. Third of all, Kaoru is getting help from me before she is sent off so that she knows what to do when she gets there."

"What are you talking about?"

"Kaoru and Michael are still going to run away. But this time there's a twist to the whole thing."

"And that is?" he pointed to himself with a smirk.

"I'm giving them the time they need to escape. I'm going to fight Kaoru's brothers and cousins and that will be a diversion for them to go to Italy since Shinji will call a meeting on it."

"Italy-Italy! You mean she's leaving the country! Italy as in the country in Europe Italy!"

"What Italy did you think I meant? Downtown Italy in Carrizo?"

Kenshin heard Kaoru's phone ring and then he picked it up before talking in a girlish voice.

"Hey, this is Kaoru speaking. Who's this?" he choked back a giggle and then stopped all together at what he heard.

"I hate you Kaoru." Kenshin arched an eyebrow and Kaoru came into the room before she took the phone. She heard the same thing and then the phone cut off before it rang again.

"Hello?"

"I hate you Kaoru. You ruined my life and you messed up everything I tried to hard to make perfect. I hope you rot in hell."

"Who the fuck is this?" Kaoru never got an answer as the person hung up and then Kenshin looked over to her.

"What the hell was that about?"

"I don't know." Kaoru then sighed and looked into his eyes.

"But I hope that this isn't some joke. If it is… I'm not laughing."

Kaoru went to school with the others and she smiled and hugged all her friends through the hallway. As she was moving towards her class, she saw Tomoe. It shocked her that she was back in the building, but she paid no attention to it. As she was passing her, the two's eyes met and Kaoru noticed that Tomoe's eyes were empty and dull. It was almost as if she was dead. Kaoru shivered before Kenshin hugged her and opened the door to their class.

"Welcome back Kaoru." Kaoru smiled at her Math teacher and then she waved to her friends in the class before going to her seat. Ten minutes later, Tomoe walked into the class with her head bowed.

"Tomoe, you're late again. You have detention today after school."

"That's fine. I apologize for being late again." Kaoru watched her as she went to her seat and then she did the assignment on the board.

"Kaoru, would you like to pass this stuff out?" Kaoru nodded and she went down to the teacher before she took all the papers the teacher passed out and began to pass them around. She made sure the teacher wasn't looking as she explained to some students what they did wrong. She put her made-up work on her desk before she went back down to Tomoe. She noticed Tomoe was drawing murderous pictures. It made her blood run cold.

"Tomoe." Kaoru saw her jump and cover her work before looking up.

"Sorry if I startled you." Kaoru was trying to be nice and then Tomoe nodded before she put the papers on her desk.

"Next time, multiply first. Then add. If you had done that, you would have gotten an A+." Kaoru put a finger to her lips as if to say 'sssh' before she went and passed out the rest of the papers. She didn't know why she had done it, but she just felt the need to help her. She looked as if she lost everything already. She sat down and Kenshin smiled to her softly as he had seen what she did.

"You're so kind. I wouldn't have done it." Kaoru just gave a soft smile and ran her fingers through her hair. Little did she know, those murderous pictures that Tomoe were drawing… were about her.

Kaoru sat down at home on the computer while the others finished up their homework. Kaname and her sisters were not too happy about going back and forth without speaking to their parents, but they understood it would make the situation worse. As they did their homework together, they spoke quietly about how they missed their family. Aoshi noticed and he frowned because he felt bad for them.

Kaoru was scanning through her mail and one of them caught her interest. It said 'DEATH TO THE KAMIYA'. She opened it out of curiousness and then she let out a gasp and a scream of pure horror. The boys got up and went to the computer.

"Oh shit." Tommy and Jacob said. It was a horrible picture, but it was so descriptive in the way it was drawn, that it was scary. It was a picture of Kaoru dead, bleeding from different sports, bullet wounds to her chest and her throat slit. Kaname looked at it and then she felt sick.

"Who sent this?" Kenshin asked angrily and then he saw it was unknown. He picked up his phone and then he sent it to his cousin Tai.

"Tai, I want you to find out who sent this to Kaoru and see if you can do it fast."

"… OH GOD! That's disgusting! I'll see what I can do Kenshin. But whoever sent this is sick and is mad at Kaoru."

"I know. When you figure out something, please let me know?"

"Of course cousin. T-t-y-l now."

"Alright. Bye." He hung up and then he deleted it before Kaoru just closed her mail. She didn't feel too well anymore. Kenshin helped her into a seat and Kaoru drank some water that was in his bottle before she leaned her head back.

"Are you alright Kaoru?" the twins asked and they looked concerned.

"I'm fine you two. Don't worry about me. Just finish your homework."

"Okay." The two went back to their work and Kaname looked over before she shrugged her shoulders at Kaoru's arched eyebrow.

"I don't know who it would be either Kao. That's too sickening for me to do. And that's evil anyways." Kaoru nodded in agreeance before sighing and leaning her head back.

"Boy oh boy, mother. Trouble seems to stick to me like magnets, huh?"

In the morning, Tai still didn't know who it was. He was very close as they left the house and headed for school. Once at school, they went to their classes. Kaoru sat in class just thinking to herself as she stared out the window. Half an hour into the class, Tomoe entered the class soaking wet. It was raining hard outside. She panted and ran her fingers through her hair pulling it back.

"Tomoe! This is the last time you are late for this class. One more time and you fail. Do you hear me?"

"I'm sorry, but my mother is sick!"

"No buts!" Tomoe bit her lip and then she glanced up at Kaoru before she sat down. Kenshin noticed that look and he arched an eyebrow before whispering to his brother that he didn't like the look Tomoe gave.

"Leave it alone Kenshin. It must have been a mistake. She's been on watch forever." Kenshin sighed and then he looked back down. Something still wasn't right to him and he could feel that by the end of the day somebody was getting hurt.

Kaoru was by her locker as the rest of the students just moved to their classes. Tomoe came up to her holding her bookbag to her chest. Kaoru turned as Tomoe sniffed and looked up into her eyes.

"Kaoru, why did you do what you did? Why did you steal Kenshin away? Why did you put my brothers in jail, why did you mes up everything I had? Why?"

"I didn't do it on purpose Tomoe. Things… things happen that way." Tomoe let out a bitter laugh and she wiped her tears. Behind Kaoru was the doors that led to the other part of the building. They were wide open. Kaoru looked at Tomoe's bag and how she was pulling something out. Once she saw the silver, she knew it was a gun. The light came up on her face.

"I guess things are going to happen this way too, huh?"

"Tomoe, don't do this." Tomoe wiped her tears with the back of her hand as she stared at Kaoru coldly.

"I'm sorry. But this is the only way." Kaoru began to back away as Tomoe picked up the gun, her hand shaking. She turned around and tried to run, but Tomoe let off the bullet before Kaoru could make it to the door. Kaoru let out a cry and her legs gave out before she felt her world go black. Misao, who was yards in front of her, let out a blood curdling scream and then she sank to the floor and she saw the bullet go right past her out the window.

Kenshin heard the bullets and he saw students running and screaming that somebody was attacking the school. He, Tommy, and Soujiro ran towards the scene and Kenshin felt his blood run cold at the sight.

"Kaoru?... KAORU!" he ran fast Tomoe and then he went to Kaoru. A pool of blood lay around her. Tomoe looked at Kenshin in shock as he put Kaoru in his lap and tried to call out to her.

"Kaoru, come on… talk to me… please!" Kenshin looked at Tomoe.

"What did you do Tomoe!"

"I made it easier for us to love each other! Without her in the way, we can grow to love each other again with ease!"

"What are you talking about! Why do you keep pursuing what you will never get! What don't you understand when I say 'I will never love you'!"

"Why! Why won't you love me anymore! I love you so much it hurts to see you get taken away by her!"

"If you love me so much, then why can't you let me be happy! Why can't you just let me love Kaoru in peace!" Tomoe was crushed. She was ready to sink to the floor in pain and sorrow. Then she got angry.

"If you won't love me… then nobody will love you." She raised the gun and was about to shoot.

"You shoot that gun, it will be the las thing you do." She felt cold stell to the back of her neck. Kenshin sighed as he saw Jacob standing behind Tomoe and tieing her hands together as Tommy called an ambulance. Aoshi ran over once Soujiro got him and then he ordered Soujiro to hold Misao. He went to Kaoru and eh saw her blood coming out fast.

"That bullet… Kaoru's losing too much blood because of it." Kenshin was trying hard not to cry as Misao screamed in Soujiro's chest and cried. Kenshin checked her pulse as he heard sirens coming up. It was fading away.

"Kaoru please. I beg of you. Don't die. Please." Blood ran down Kaoru's lip as Kenshin cradled her body and cried. He never heard the stretchers come up. All he felt was Jacob and Aoshi pull him away. Blood was all over his shirt and his pants as they put a mask over her mouth and strapped her in.

"NO! LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" his eyes were gold as Aoshi ordered Tommy to go with the ambulance. Kenshin tried to get out of their grip, but in the end, he just began to cry as the cops took Tomoe away.

"I love you Kenshin! Don't ever think otherwise!" Tomoe yelled back, but Kenshin didn't care.

"I'll kill you!" he glared at her and they held him against the wall as he was ready to go.

"I'll kill you! I swear if I ever see you in my face again you're dead! You're dead, you hear me! You hear me you crazy bitch! I'll fucking kill you!" Aoshi hugged him as he began to cry hard.

"My life is so fucked up! Why does everything I love get taken away from me! Why!"

Shinji was bawling like a baby in Asahi's arms as he held him in the waiting room. He didn't care what they thought of him anymore. All he wanted was Kaoru to come and hug him. Kenshin sat with his head in his hands.

"This is my fault… this is my fault… I knew Tomoe was going to do something like this. It was her with the e-mails. It was her with those phone-calls… I should have been with her." Shinji let out a scream as he punched a hole into the wall. Tyler, Shuichi, and Asahi held him there as he kept on beating the wall in.

"Relax Shinji! You have to calm down!"

"How can I calm down when my daughter is in there fighting for her life! They just said she might die! You tell me how to calm down and I'll calm down!"

Kenshin sat there, dazed and in his own little world. His clothes were red from the blood and there was blood on his cheek. They had tried to clean him, but he refused to be touched from anybody. He was in the corner, his knees red with blood as he put his forehead against them. He didn't move, he didn't even make a sound. He just sat there and he cried. You would have never known he was crying if you didn't see his violent shaking.

Aoshi sat down and he held Misao as she began to whimper and cry again.

"I saw the whole thing. I could have told Kaoru to drop. I could have warned her… I was so shocked from it I froze up." Aoshi told her to 'sssh' as he kissed her forehead and let her cry silently. Kenshin got up and he wiped his face before he removed his shirt and his pants. He sat there in his boxers shivering and just holding himself as he rocked back and forth. His father removed his jacket and he put it around him.

"NO!" he removed it and apologized before Kenshin went back to holding himself and shivering. Shinji then knew what he wanted. He took Kaoru's ribbon that the doctors gave him and he movd away from the wall before they watched him go to Kenshin.

He got down on one knee and he held it out. Kenshin didn't notice until Shinji tied it around his wrist. Kenshin put his wrist to his cheek fast and he inhaled her scent before he sighed and kept rocking. Shinji backed away and he watched as Kenshin Himura broke down into a mental case..

"Poor Kenshin." Misao cried softly as Kenshin put his arms over his head and went down into his thigh as he let out a cry. They were silent as they watched him shake and talk to himself.

"I swear to you, god. I'll go to church every Sundays. I won't smoke, I won't drink, I won't lie, I'll worship you in anyway I can. Just please don't take my light away from me." He let out a scream and yelled out now.

"Please don't do this to me! You already took my mother, what more do you want from my life! I've had nothing to live for until her, please let me have something to force me to excel! Don't let me rot away like she did."

Kenshin's eyed were gold and purple as he got up and shakily went to the door. They watched as he his hands shook and went for the knob.

"I-I need to go. N-Need to feel clean. C-can't feel dirty." Aoshi opened the door and Jacob got up before Tommy followed him and they led him out the room and down the hall.

"Poor Kenshin." His father sighed and he looked down.

"Kenshin has a disorder. In times like these, he breaks down and he stars to become insane. I've never said anything about it, but I think he might need help for this."

"We all need somebody to talk to." They turned to Michael. He was crying quietly and he wiped his face as he put his hand over his nose.

"We need to get things off of our chest and we need to pray for Kaoru… I'm going to talk to somebody right now. I'll take Kenshin with me." Michael got up and he took out his cigarettes before he put them down with everything else in his pocket. From there, he walked to the door and leaned against it for a few seconds. Then he regained himself and left the room.

"That boy acts so strong… but when it comes to his cousin, he's mush."

"Michael and Kenshin love Kaoru so much that it's like they're equal. Out of this whole room, those two and Shinji love Kaoru the most." Shinji didn't answer as he wiped his face. Yahiko was still asleep in Genia's lap and he was oblivous to everything because Genia put headphones over his ears. She didn't want him to know.

"Kaoru better come out alive. She has to. With everything that has happened to her, she has to make it out of this."

"That's true… but with a bullet that close to her spinal system and that much blood loss… not even Kaoru might make it out alive."

Kenshin walked down the street without care as Jacob and Tommy stood next to him. He held himself as he walked. He felt glass cut up into his feet, but he still didn't care as he kept on moving towards home. One thought was running through his mind over and over again and at one point, he spoke outloud and to himself as he thought about it.

"Kaoru… Don't die without me…"

R.S.: This chapter took me long to do. I was trying not to cry since it was kinda emotional for me. (Sigh) But this chapter is done. Tomoe shot Kaoru and it's pretty bad for everybody. Kenshin is going crazy, Shinji's in pain, and everybody is going to be changed with what the doctor says.

I'm not gonna give a preview for next chapter because I want you to think and see if you can guess. :p

Until next time, love everybody out there.

-Rampaging Sorrow.