DISCLAIMER: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, Kaoru, Sano, Megumi, etc…I just write them because they are so darn cute and cuddly….

JAPANESE WORDS – obaasan – grandmother & ojii-san - grandfather

CHAPTER 6

Sojiro pushed the dinner cart down the hallway, stopping at one room, picking up a tray and taking it inside to the patient. He smiled at the old lady and quietly laid her tray out in front of her. "Thank you, young man." "You are most welcome obaasan. I hope that you enjoy it." He bows and walks out.

He glanced at the next room, number 407. Only three more doors and my job will be done. I will be able to pay for my mother's surgery and maybe have a little bit left over.

He continues to push the cart down to the next room, 407. He takes the tray in and gives it to the patient, noticing that this patient had quite a bit of flowers. He looks at her, she is beautiful but what was with the violet colored hair and mole on the side of her lip. He shrugs, smiles, and leaves.

He pushes his cart, humming an out of tune song, and smiling as he takes a tray into room 408. "Here you go ojii-san." Sojiro placed the food in front of the old man. "Now you eat it all this time, okay ojii-san?" "Hai, I will try." Sojiro smiled and left.

Here we go. He glances around, noting the hallway to be quiet with it being dinner time. The nurses' station was quiet with only a couple of people behind the counter. Sojiro continued to push his cart toward room 409. He glances off to the side looking at the red-headed doctor who was facing room 409. Sojiro smiled as the red-haired doctor looked up at him but did not make a move to stop Sojiro as he picked up the tray labeled "room 409", pushed open the door and walked in.

Kenshin watched as the dark haired boy smiled, picked up a dinner tray, and walked into Kaoru's room. Kenshin sunk deeper into the chair and picked up a chart and started to fill it out.

Kaoru looked up as the door opened, Kenshin, but gasped as she saw who it really was. Sojiro? Oh my God! Kaoru sat up quickly, wincing as she jarred her injured shoulders, and was about to scream when out of no where Sojiro had his hand over her mouth.

Kaoru stayed still, feeling Sojiro's hot breath on her neck. She took deep, even breaths. Don't panic Kaoru, stay calm; you can get out of this without others getting involved.

"You were hard to track down, my little Kaoru. You knew I was coming. You should have expected it, ne?" Kaoru squirmed around trying to look into his eyes, but he held onto her too tightly so she relaxed into his grip as much as possible.

"Good girl. Relax and it will go easier. I really do not want to bring anybody else into this, as I am sure you do not want to see anybody get hurt, besides yourself. Right?" He grabbed some of her hair from the back of the head and yanked Kaoru's head back until she was staring up at him. "I do not believe you understand the dire strait that you are in? Yahiko-san has a long arm and I am the extension of his arm. It is time Kaoru for you to pay back everything that Yahiko-san has done for you. Are you ready to pay him back?"

She looked up into those brown eyes and wondered how he could smile when he was about to kill someone in cold blood. What a thing to think about on the day of your death, Kaoru. She watched as Sojiro pulled out a dagger, taking the tip and lightly caressing her cheek, not hard enough to draw blood, but enough to make her flinch. She felt has he dragged the dagger down her cheek to her throat, caressing the flat of the blade against her Adam's apple, and then jerking it up, bringing the sharp side to her throat.

Kenshin glanced up and noticed that the dinner cart was still outside of Kaoru's room. What the hell? Kenshin looked at the door, why he is still in there unless. Kenshin quickly got up and walked around the counter, across the hall to Kaoru's door. He leaned in, listening to hushed whispers, is that a whimper? Kaoru! Kenshin walked into the room and stopped. Sojiro looked up just as he was placing the blade to Kaoru's neck; Kenshin cried out "Just who the hell are you!" Sojiro just smiled. Kenshin took two steps towards them and Sojiro pulled Kaoru close to him and placed the blade closer to her throat. Kaoru gasped as the blade bit into her neck, drawing blood.

"I would not come any closer." Kenshin stopped, his hands spread out. "Please, let her go. She has done nothing." Sojiro laughed. "Who are you to know what she did and what she did not do?"

Kaoru swallowed, panic filling her lungs. "Kenshin, please don't interfere. I do not want you to get hurt, please."

Sojiro looked at the red-headed doctor and then back at Kaoru. It cannot be? Sojiro thought. "So you're the Kenshin." Kenshin cocked an eyebrow. Sojiro looked at Kaoru and laughed "This is the man you gave your heart too? I thought better of you, Kaoru; he is so weak appearing!"

All of a sudden the door banged open as a nurse came in wheeling a cart; she stopped and stared at the scene in front of her. Kenshin quickly cried out "Nurse, call security!" and then he ran in the direction of Kaoru and Sojiro. Sojiro did not expect this but then he did not expect to have Kaoru yanked out of his arms and thrown back onto her bed. Damn! He is fast! Faster than me! Who the hell is this guy?

Kenshin backhanded Sojiro across the face, grabbing him by the shirt and slamming him against the wall, grabbing his arm that held the blade, pulling and slamming his hand hard against the wall again and again until the blade fell onto the floor, spinning across the room and bouncing off the far wall.

Kenshin stood between Kaoru and Sojiro. Sojiro looked at Kenshin and shivered; what is it with his eyes? They were violet but now they are amber! Sojiro continued to smile as he assessed Kenshin, looking at his eyes, his stance, and the way he had already beaten the crap out of him. Sojiro decided he was not good enough for this man. He was not afraid to admit it. Those amber colored eyes alone sent a death chill down his spine. Sojiro knew when to back down and this was the time to do so. "You are free for now Kaoru, but remember Yahiko-san will always be after you. This is not the end but only the beginning. You will always be looking over your shoulder, wondering when he will strike out. Eventually, you will be in his hands again if not from one of us from yourself as you will grow tired of always looking over your shoulder, always jumping at the shadows and always screaming when someone comes up from behind and lays a hand on your shoulder.

Kenshin grabbed Sojiro more firmly, but Sojiro made a quick move, ramming his knee up into Kenshin's groin. As Kenshin bent over in surprised pain, Sojiro pulled his arms out of Kenshin's weakened grasp and jumped out the window.

"No!" Kenshin cried out and ran to the window. Four floors! Kenshin ran to the broken window, being careful not to cut himself on the shattered glass, and looked toward the ground. Nothing!

Kenshin felt a hand on his shoulder; he turned, and looked into Kaoru's sad blue eyes; "They will be back for me." Kenshin did not say anything but just wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight, knowing that this would be the first and only time that he would have her in his arms. "I will call Saitou for you."

TBC

A/N: I do not have to say it again…please tell me…be nice and kind…catti