Another chapter!

"I could never love a coward like you. At least Kenshin fights for what he wants. You just sneak around and steal it from others." She said in a threatening tone. He held his hand to his heart, acting like he was hurt by her statement.

"Kaoru, I am the bad guy. What do you expect?" He asked innocently.

"I expect you to fight Kenshin and win my love like a real man." She said standing up quickly. She grabbed her napkin, her knuckles turning white from gripping it so hard with anger. Her knitted forehead twitched with irritation and her blue eyes flared with rage. She threw her red napkin down on the table and stomped towards the door.

Kessler stood up, seeing his date leaving angrily made him worried. He was a lover not a fighter and he hated to leave a date disappointed. "Kaoru! Wait Kaoru." He said as he jogged up next to her. Her hands were balled into fists at her sides as she stormed towards the wooden door. She held her hands out and pushed the door open furiously. Kessler followed.

"Kaoru, Don't be this way, living with you angry at me all the time wont get this relationship working. Didn't you have a good time with me last time? Before all of this? What changed?" He asked, his tone sounding almost, worried.

"Kenshin and I have worked some things out, I love him and you taking him away from me just to have my money and 'be with me'" She said moving her fingers to show how sarcastic she was. "Makes me want to puke rather than be with you." She said harshly.

"But we can work it out to. You'll see. I'm not such a bad guy." He said holding his hands to his chest.

"You're not a man at all Kessler..." She paused looking up to him. "You're a monster." She said her tone serious. She stood there, poised in her position for a few seconds letting him soak that in, until she turned sharply on her heel and left him, speechless.

Dark. Cold. Damp. Average adjectives for an average, yet uncomfortable situation. Kenshin wasn't in an average, yet uncomfortable situation...it was worse. Adjectives better suited for the way he felt, and the conditions he was surviving would be as follows:

-Dingy

-Melancholy fog

-Chills seeping to the bone

-Clinging wetness

Kenshin was sitting up against the wall, his legs spread out in front of him, his head lowered, slack. He was drifting in and out of consciousness. He felt like a over weight elephant had decided to take a nap on his chest over the night. His mangled red hair fell, limp into his dreary anapaestic eyes, slowly dripping with red water. His head, under his mangy hair, was throbbing and aching, the feeling of a large square spike being ground into his skull. Painful memories fogging his senses while he was awake and tormenting his dreams while he was asleep. The ground was covered in water, tainted by blood, and spiders running quickly across it. A cricket could be heard, echoing through the dungeon, calling for its mate. The musky smell of piss and vomit was the only thing keeping him awake, or causing him to black out for a moment.

The ground was stained a gray red and the light sound of snoring was heard far down the hall. Kenshin's eyes opened once more, but this time, instead of his vision blurred and the strong smell blocking out all other senses, he actually came to. He looked down his legs, which looked long in his position and saw dirty, wet ripped jeans and thick black shackles at his ankles. Later on he would look back and laugh at how juvenile they were. He was bare footed, and he already knew there would be nothing in his pockets. He slowly lifted his head to see he was in a small room.

There was no door, there was an opening were the door should be, but instead of a wooden or metal plank set in the frame, it was thick gray metal rods, cemented in the ceiling and floor. They were close together, but you could still see to the other side of the hallway. He looked around, not sure how he got into the cell if there was no door. There was a bed, more like a box with a mattress on top of it, and a toilet. Kenshin smiled, looked around, and for the first time in his life, wished someone would save him. He had always done things for himself, he even saved others, but had never asked for anything in return. He had never really been saved, in a life or death situation. Kenshin shook that thought from his head, realizing quickly that noone could save him but himself, and he was capable of getting out.

He placed his hands on the ground and pushed himself all the way against the wall so she could get a better look at everything through the thick darkness. He glanced upwards and saw a latch. He looked back up and realized there was a opening. Of course it was a small door, like a door to an attic, but it was still a door. Now he knew how he got in the cell, and now he knew how he was going to get out. Kenshin leaned his head back on the wall, staring hard at the door.

Why do I need to get out?

Is there even a reason anymore?

What's waiting for me?

A big empty house, a job that will lead me to no good, and...and...Kaoru.

Kaoru, the girl I thought I hated. Kaoru the woman I feel in love with. Kaoru my reason to live.

Kaoru is why I have to get out of here, Kaoru is what's waiting for me.

A smile danced over his chapped lips. Life returned to his sorry eyes. He sat up, off of the wall and looked around once more, analyzing his situation. His hand met his head, and he felt a thick liquid, sitting in his hair. He looked at his hand and it was stained crimson. He looked from his hand to the ceiling to his hand again.

They dropped me from the ceiling?

He sighed and , realized the blood leaking form his head, and the water dropping form the cracked roof was the reason for his drenched hair, dripping with red water. He closed one eye and leaned his head back again, a feeling of dread and regret settled over his body and mind.

First, I'm going to get out fo here. Then I'm going to find myself a guard to take my anger out on. Then I'll take his weapon, hopefully a gun. Then I'll find Kaoru, and I'll make sure she is safe. Then I'll find Kessler and blow his fucking brains out. Then, I'll take Kaoru home and get my reward for saving her. Then I'll get a big fat check from my boss for getting rid of Kessler. Then, I'll sleep.

Kenshin's thought process was a little stirred up from his condition. However, he was determined for what he was about to do. All he had to do was gain enough strength. Just as he was thinking about his elaborate plan to save Kaoru then sleep the latch on the door flung open and the door pulled open. A metal bucket, with a strong tied to the handle came down, obviously by a man. The bucket set down on the floor and the string was dropped and the door slammed shut. Kenshin, curious as to what was in the bucket began to crawl towards it, but not without faltering a few times.

His head throbbed harder and he could hear his heart beating in his ears. His vision began to blacken but he was determined. His sinuses cleared and his mouth became dry as he peered into the pale. There was a large ham sandwich wrapped in a yellow plastic bag. There was also a bottle of water and a large bag of chips. Both bags had holes in them, to keep anyone who owned the bags from attempting suicide. Kenshin ignored the fact that this food looked iffy and grabbed the bottle of water. He took two large sips then realized that he must be dehydrated. If he drank the whole thing quickly he would throw up, and the air already smelled like vomit, he didn't need to add to it.

He started on his sandwich, tearing off pieces and eating it slow, to let his stomach react to the now foreign object called food. He finished his sandwich, and feeling his tummy could handle the chips he inhaled them. All the while he was slowly taking sips of his water. After his stomach settled and his food was digested he felt he was ok to stand up. Slowly he pushed himself up off the ground and stood slowly. The blood rushed to hsi head and his vision blurred. He stammered towards the wall and rest his hand on it to sturdy himself. He shook his head and the aching pain disappeared and he could see once more. Now that he was standing the celled looked small.

He felt better, the throbbing died down, he thought his head stopped bleeding, he was no longer hungry. He looked up at the door on the ceiling and walked underneath it. He stared up at it, questioning it. "You can't get up there." Came a confident voice from beside Kenshin. He didn't flinch, he had been through to much pain to think anything worse could happen to him. However, his head did snap in that direction, his eyes narrowing, and his head throbbing once more. The voice belonged to Kessler of course. And it made Kenshin want to hurl. It had nothing to do with that fact that Kenshin hadn't heard anything louder than a cricket in god knows how long, causing his ear drums to be very sensitive and he couldn't remember when his last meal was, aside form what he just ate...oh no, it was the sound of his voice.

"Were is she?" Was the first thing Kenshin asked, his eyes dangerous slits, flashing amber.

"My, my, is that all you two ever think about?" Kessler asked a light chuckle emerging from his chest. Kenshin spat on the floor, a it surprised to find blood still mixed up in it.

"Is she ok?" Kenshin asked walking towards the metal bars that should be a door.

"She's fine...and sadly so are you." Kessler said quickly adding the last part. Kenshin gripped the bars of his cell tightly.

"When I get out of here I'm going to kill you and mount your head above my fireplace." Kenshin said angrily.

"Now, Battousai." Kessler said as if scolding a child. "I wouldn't say mean things like that to your captor if I was you. I do have your largest weakness in my possession. We wouldn't want something to happen to her would we?" He asked Kenshin pacing back and fourth outside his cell.

"You wont touch her!" Kenshin said emphasizing the word touch.

Kessler just smiled at him, winking as if he knew something Kenshin didn't. Kenshin punched the wall next to him hard, but Kessler only stared at him, blinking. Everything about that man bothered Kenshin. Everything. Kenshin couldn't see what Kaoru saw in him that day at the hospital, but whatever it was she was over it now...or at least he hoped she was.

Kaoru punched her wall hard, her fist making a loud cracking noise. Anger and pain rolled over her face as she looked down at it. Her hand was not broken, but it was injured. She had hit the wall so hard in her anger a small cut appeared on her middle knuckle and a drop of blood poked through the cut in her skin. She ignored it and clenched her teeth.

Kenshin loves me!

Her fist hurled through the air once more and painfully smashed against the red wall, beginning to drip with her fresh blood.

He has to love me!

Bam! Her fist struck the wall again, causing the light above her to rattle and the light to flicker.

Damn you grandma for telling me punching a wall relieves stress.

Kaoru's knees buckled and her body fell to the floor. Her hands, bruised and cut, flew to her face and covered her eyes. Hot salty tears flowed from her eyes, causing her eyes to inflame and redden. Her nose stuffed up and her mouth felt moist and sticky. Her tears tormented her face, running down her cheeks. She felt a thumb slowly slide across her tear stricken cheek, clearing away all of her doubt filled tears.

Her inquiring blue orbs looked at the familiar hand, she looked up to the face of the owner of that hand.