Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is copyrighted and owned to its respective owner(s), of which I am not one.


Warnings: AU.
"Why didn't you recognize your neighbor was Battousai sooner?"

Kaoru had been ready for this question since the answer was actually quite simple. "He didn't have that scar on his face when I saw him all the other times. And his eyes were more violet, not gold." She paused, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "He can change his eye color? What an interesting phenomenon."

"Perhaps when I find him, we can all sit down with a cup of tea and ask how he does that," Saitou drawled. "In the mean time, what do you mean he didn't have his scar? It's quite real, I assure you."

Kaoru shrugged, ignoring his sarcasm. Funny how the more time she spent with him in his stifling, cigarette-stinking office, the easier it was to do that. "I'm guessing maybe make-up or a skin patch. I'm not sure. I did think one cheek was a slightly different color than the other. I just thought he was one of those people who tanned unevenly or something. It's not like I make it a habit going around trying to see if all the red-heads in the city have a scar on his cheek."

"And you're certain the scar was in the shape of a cross on his left side?" Saitou pressed.

Kaoru didn't even hesitate. The picture was so fresh in her mind she didn't even have to search through her memory again. She nodded and said firmly, "I'm positive."


Himura Kenshin absently scratched his left cheek, staring out of the diner window to watch the flow of cars zip by in the early morning hours. He was hunched in a booth by himself, a neglected cup of tea at his elbow. The restaurant was rather quiet since he was only one of two customers lingering inside, watching the world from within a glass cube. But it was his fate to change destiny rather than allow it to go its own way. Today would prove no exception to that rule.

The door chimed open and a tall, dark haired man entered the diner. His frigid gaze swept the room in the span of two seconds before he turned and made his way towards Kenshin. As he moved, his long trench coat flared out to reveal dark, pressed trousers and a black turtleneck, encasing a lean body that rippled with feline grace. As he passed by the waitress, she actually drooled on the counter.

He ignored her and instead slid into the booth across from Kenshin. Studying his friend's face for a long moment, he finally said, "You look better without that skin patch on your cheek."

Kenshin offered him a rueful smile, remembering his shock at how different he looked without the scar he had borne for most of his life. "I don't know. I appreciate the anonymity, even if the thing is rather itchy. It'll probably give me a rash or something." He scratched his cheek again, half-heartedly irritated.

"Stop touching your skin, you'll make it worse." There was a pause as he waved away an approaching waitress before turning back to his companion. "You called me earlier than expected."

Kenshin nodded. "I had some trouble in the city."

"You were recognized by the Kamiya woman. I had anticipated it would happen eventually."

A half smile lurked on the red-head's lips at the not-so-subtle censure in his friend's voice. "You always expect the worst, Aoshi."

Shinomori Aoshi inclined his head slightly, apparently unperturbed by the wry comment. "Yet I am rarely disappointed. You have completed the mission?"

Kenshin nodded again. "The message has already been sent to Hiko. How did you know Kaoru was involved in this?"

"It was on the news late last night and this morning. The police raided your apartment. There were several shots of the crowds and she was with the police officers. It did not take me long to realize she was the most probable cause for your disappearance. How did she recognize you?"

The shorter man shrugged nonchalantly, striving for a casual tone even though he already knew how Aoshi would react. "She saw me while I was executing Handa Michi for her betrayal. I must admit, I rather admire her courage to go to the police with her knowledge."

Aoshi exhaled slowly, the disapproval palpable in his words. "If you knew she was there, you should have eliminated her to prevent any possibility of backlash in the future. You are far too notorious as it is."

Kenshin scoffed at the ridiculous suggestion. "And killing an innocent woman wouldn't garner attention?"

"Murders occur in the city every day," Aoshi said evenly. "She would have been assumed to be just another victim."

A brief frown crossed the red-head's face, slightly perturbed at his friend's dispassionate comments about Kaoru. After all, Aoshi had been introduced to her as well. It was one thing to be able to discuss killing someone he hadn't met before; it was another to talk about taking the life of an acquaintance. How could he be so matter-of-fact about killing someone whom he knew personally? "Your cynicism is making you far too dour, Aoshi."

"And your feelings for the Kamiya woman are clouding your judgment. She is not one of us. She would not understand."

There was nothing Kenshin could say to that so he didn't try. Instead, he glanced out the window of the diner again, watching the steady stream of cars barrel by. "She is a brave woman," he said softly. "She did what others never have done." He could still see her, clinging to her courage despite her obvious fear of him. Kaoru had drawn herself up straight to meet his threat head on, jaw set in resolve. No one else had ever dared to oppose him. No one had ever told him to turn himself into the police. No one except one woman whom he had admired the first time he had met her.

Kamiya Kaoru wasn't what many people would consider a gorgeous woman but to Kenshin, she was beautiful. It was more than her long, glossy dark hair, flashing azure eyes and slender figure. There was a quiet, luminous quality in her that beckoned to something inside Kenshin that he couldn't explain. She was a surprising mixture of brashness and modesty, of brilliance and determination. She had a tender, loving side yet was also prone to scolding the people she cared about. Her vocal and physical demonstration of that temper always made him smile – especially when he wasn't at the receiving end of it.

Every time Kenshin saw her, his whole being felt infinitely better. He could spend a lifetime in Kaoru's presence and he knew that feeling would never fade. He liked to think that, in another lifetime, perhaps they might have had a chance to be together. But now, in this present, he wasn't certain he dared to keep his promise and return for Kaoru.

After all, she had called him 'Battousai'. And while Kenshin hadn't appreciated that name coming from her lips, how could he argue with it when, to everyone else, he was a manslayer? He didn't like the fear in her eyes, either, as she had faced him down. Still, he knew it was merely a natural reaction upon meeting the one the news media called the 'bloodiest killer in all of history.' Even so, she had held up rather well and that made her all the more intriguing. Kaoru was a special woman and Kenshin was glad he had met her.

"I can admire her tenacity and fortitude, but she may quickly become a liability, Himura," Aoshi was saying. "There might come a day when she must be silenced for the greater good."

Silent protest immediately welled up within Kenshin, protective instincts he didn't know he possessed kicking in at the vague threat. He narrowed his eyes at his friend. "No one will touch her, Aoshi. I will make that clear right now. She is an innocent woman in all of this and I will not sully what we consider our 'noble cause' to do something so dishonorable."

"If it is required of us then we must do it," Aoshi said, keeping his gaze steady on Kenshin's face even as he noted the violet eyes melting into burnished gold. A menacing aura flared up from his companion so quickly Aoshi nearly flinched from the sheer power directed at him.

The thought of Kaoru suffering in any way was unacceptable. Those who would dare harm her would be taught a permanent lesson. The manslayer's expression hardened as he locked eyes with his friend. "I mean it, Aoshi. She is to be left alone. She did her duty as a citizen and there is nothing else she can do or say to compromise us." Kenshin returned his look with a cold stare of his own. No one was going to harm Kaoru, least of all his allies.

After studying his face for a long moment, the taller man seemed to relent as he finally inclined his head and dropped the subject altogether. "If you are ready, I have your next mission."

Kenshin slowly relaxed, the violent sensation gradually ebbing away as he nodded. "I'm prepared. Who is next?"


Kaoru wasn't surprised when Megumi breezed through the door of her apartment only a scant hour after Sano had left. In fact, to prepare for her friend's inevitable visit, she had readied the coffee maker which she turned on as soon as the tumble of the locks was heard.

Megumi shut the door behind her. Dropping the paper bag she was carrying on the couch, she slipped out of her coat and hung it neatly in the closet before turning to Kaoru. "Care to explain why you were all over the news about Battousai this morning?" she asked in a sugary, sweet voice. Kaoru recognized that tone as 'I'm as mad as hell that you put yourself in danger and you didn't tell me about it.'

Kaoru barely stifled a sigh she knew her friend wouldn't appreciate. Maybe she should just tape record herself so she wouldn't have to keep telling what happened over and over again. "It's a long story. Coffee will be ready in a minute. Are those danishes you brought?"

They were. While Megumi restrained herself until the coffee percolated, Kaoru happily pulled out the box of warm, sugary goodness that would serve as their breakfast. They were still fresh out of the oven from a nearby bakery so she didn't even need to reheat them. Transferring two of them onto separate plates, Kaoru slid one across the table to Megumi and flopped down on a chair. It was only then a thought occurred to her.

"Hey, Megumi, why aren't you at the clinic?"

The doctor didn't even bother glancing her way, eyes glued on the coffee pot as it slowly filled with the dark liquid. "Took the day off, considering the newspaper is filled with stories about how my best friend somehow got herself involved with Battousai." She shook her head in exasperation. "Only you, Kaoru. Only you."

"It wasn't by choice, you know," Kaoru mumbled. "I didn't ask for this."

"They also mentioned Sanosuke was wanted for questioning by the police. I told you to stop hanging out with that rooster-head. He's nothing but trouble." Megumi pulled out two mugs, the container of sugar, and creamer in anticipation of her life's blood. "I bet he's disappeared too, hasn't he?"

Kaoru frowned at her danish. "He's a good friend, Megumi. You have to give him a chance to prove himself." She scraped part of the icing off her pastry before looking up. "Are you still upset about Sano asking you out?"

"I wasn't upset by him asking me out, I was upset by him asking me out every day for two years," Megumi said patiently. She poured out the coffee into each mug and stirred in the proper amount of sugar and creamer before bringing the cups over and setting it down on the table. "And no, that has nothing to do with it. He still has contacts in the criminal world, Kaoru. You're the only one too naïve to believe it."

"It's not a crime to be a friend to a criminal," she argued. "And the last thing I'm going to do is tell Sano who he should be friends with. I don't understand why you hate him so much after all this time. And this is even after he drove three hours to pick us up after your car broke down in the middle of the road last year." Kaoru picked up her coffee and took a sip.

Megumi sighed. "All right, that was a very nice thing for him to do, I admit. But I still can't help but worry. And now that he's known as a 'subject of interest' to the police because of Battousai, I feel like I've been vindicated in my suspicions."

"We knew Kenshin, too," Kaoru pointed out quietly.

"Sano introduced us to Kenshin. He's barely an acquaintance to us. And might I remind you I had my suspicions about Kenshin from the start?"

A wry smile twisted Kaoru's lips. "You're suspicious about everybody, Megumi. Even me, and we've been friends for years!"

Megumi slanted her a frigid glare normally reserved for those whom she believed were being deliberately obtuse. "Don't change the subject, Kaoru. Promise me you'll stay away from Sano, all right?"

Kaoru sighed in exasperation at the ridiculous request. "I'm not going to promise you something when I don't intend to keep it. I'm fine, Megumi. There's no need to worry."

A frown crossed the doctor's face and she took a long sip of her coffee. There was an awkward silence while both women stubbornly refused to give in to the other. Finally, Megumi sighed in resignation. "All right, tell me what happened that got you tangled up in this thing."

Kaoru didn't particularly want to tell her story all over again, especially since Megumi would insist on every last detail on the killing she witnessed. But there was no way around it so she gave in, if not particularly gracefully. She patiently recounted struggling with the decision to go to the police and the grueling interview with Saitou. She then described the raid into Kenshin's apartment only to find out he had already disappeared. But she didn't tell her about Kenshin's visit – no need to get yelled at for that, too.

Megumi frowned throughout the whole story, holding her mug with both hands. "He must have known you were there when he killed the poor woman, Kaoru," she said at last. "Why else would he have vanished so quickly afterwards?"

"If he saw me, why didn't he attack me afterwards or something?" Kaoru pointed out. "I think he just finished with his … whatever and just left the city. It would be pretty stupid of him to stick around and get caught."

"Think about it, Kaoru. He took the time to find an apartment and establish himself as a neighbor in the building. He was seen around frequently. If Battousai was only here to kill that woman, why didn't he just do it and leave? There's no reason for him to go through all that work and then disappear after finishing with a simple killing."

Kaoru frowned as she considered her friend's words. "So you're saying he wasn't going to leave after he killed the woman?"

"Or he may possibly have other targets in the area and wanted to establish a cover." Megumi peered at Kaoru. "I'm surprised the police didn't speculate on this. I've heard of Inspector Saitou and he's reputed to be extremely good at his job. If anyone can track down the Battousai, it's him."

Kaoru shrugged. "I'm sure he did, but they wouldn't bother to share any details with me. Most of my questions went unanswered." The irritation at being so dismissed was evident in her voice. She lapsed into thought for a long moment before saying thoughtfully, "So you think he didn't intend to leave the area after he killed that woman and was planning to stay instead?" She wasn't sure how she felt about that.

Megumi nodded, worry creasing her brows. "Which is why I'm rather concerned about your safety. No doubt he's rather angry at you for ruining his cover. He may come after you."

Kaoru remembered Battousai's last words: "I'll make sure to come back for you soon." She shivered at the memory of his heated tone and the possessive gleam in his molten gold eyes. Part of her hoped he would come back, if only to kiss her again like she was the last woman on earth.

And the sensible part of her warned that tangling herself up with Battousai would be the biggest mistake of her life. Plus, Megumi would absolutely murder her.

Karou scowled at the table in disgruntlement. She had had a crush on her neighbor ever since she had met him and now she found out that not only was he a wanted killer but also a fantastic kisser. How messed up was that? Life just wasn't fair sometimes but that was like rubbing salt on a wound.

Apparently, Megumi mistook her silence as one of fear because she swiftly said, "Don't worry, Kaoru. You can come and stay with me for a while. After all, I live in a very secure building. Maybe we can even get some police protection from you." The doctor frowned. "Though I am rather upset that Inspector Saitou didn't offer it to you in the first place. He must realize that you may be next on Battousai's list."

Startled out of her thoughts, Kaoru blinked at her friend before the words sank in. Her lips curved up into a half smile as she shook her head. "Thanks for the offer, Megumi, but I'm going to stay here. If Battousai wants to find me, nothing will get in his way, not even the police. And I don't want to put you or anyone else in danger, either."

"I'm not going to have you sit around and be a target to this madman," the doctor argued. "Maybe you should move."

At that suggestion, Kaoru vehemently shook her head. "No way! I happen to like my apartment and this location. I'm not going to let Battousai run me out of my home. If he wants to come to me, he'll have to answer to my bokken first."

The mention of her wooden sword surprised Megumi. She knew Kaoru had given up kendo years ago claiming lack of interest in the sport. "You're going to start training again?"

Kaoru flashed her a grin. "All the better to whack people with, my dear."

"Violent, violent girl," Megumi murmured but she was smiling a little when she said that. "Well, what about Sano?"

"Eh, what about Sano? Like you said, he's probably gone." At least, I hope he is, Kaoru thought, worried. Why did she tell Saitou about him? She wished she had kept her big mouth shut.

"He'll be back, that silly rooster-head," Megumi predicted darkly. "Just wait until I get my hands on him. How dare he introduce us to Battousai?"

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "You know, Megumi, even if Sano knows some dangerous people, it doesn't mean he would expose us to them. Maybe he thought Kenshin was just misunderstood or something."

Megumi slanted her friend a look that clearly stated Kaoru was exercising her naïveté again. "Are we talking about the same man who's credited with killing a hundred people?"

Kaoru exhaled, trying to counter that point. Unfortunately, she couldn't think of a good argument. "Yeah, I guess you're right." She lapsed into silence for a moment before something occurred to her. "Hey, are the reporters still camped outside?"

Megumi nodded and automatically glanced out the balcony door, raising her eyebrows at the new position of the bookcase. Luckily, she didn't question it. "All sixteen of them. It's funny, they seem to be keeping at least fifty feet away from the door. I was rather surprised they didn't try and run over your doorman to get up here. What's going on?"

Unable to stop the smile from forming on her lips, Kaoru said, "Saitou threatened that if any of them so much as stepped on the sidewalk in front of the door, he would personally pay them a visit. No mention of what he would do exactly, but apparently it was enough to scare them away."

"He's a man in control. You have to admire that quality in someone." Megumi sat back and watched her friend. "He'll find Battousai. Count on it."

Kaoru flinched at her friend's confident tone. As ridiculous as her feelings were, she was still vaguely disturbed by the thought of Kenshin being caught by the uncompromising Saitou. The choices were painfully limited for a serial murderer. And Megumi was right: if anyone would be the one to catch the manslayer, it would be the police inspector.

Clearing her throat, Kaoru tried to get her mind off the possibilities of what would happen to Kenshin should he ever be caught. "Oh, yeah, and I had to unplug my phone so don't bother to call. Those reporters wouldn't stop calling and I got tired of answering it."

The doctor nodded, not bothering to give her another lecture on why Kaoru needed to join the new century and get a cellular phone. Instead, her gaze sharpened as she observed her friend shifting uneasily in her seat. "Kaoru, why did you react so weirdly when I said Saitou would catch him? There, you twitched again!"

"I did not!" Kaoru denied quickly. She didn't twitch, did she? Well, when in doubt, play stupid. Not that it ever worked with Megumi. But there was a first time for everything. Kaoru prayed it would happen this time.

No such luck. Megumi narrowed her dark eyes and suddenly bolted upright. "You don't want him to get caught, do you?" she exclaimed, horror lacing the absolute astonishment in her voice. "Kaoru, what did that madman do to you!"

"If anything, I'd think it was Saitou who messed me up," she mumbled, averting her gaze from Megumi's in shame.

"Don't you dare change the subject. What has gotten into you? Why wouldn't you want Battousai to get caught?"

"I never said that," Kaoru protested feebly. She just didn't like the idea. But that didn't mean it was a bad one.

"You were thinking it. I know you. You shredded your danish into pieces when I talked about Saitou finding Battousai."

Kaoru glanced down at her place in surprise. Megumi was right; the pastry now lay in several zillion pieces with filling oozing all over her plate. Laying her fork down, she sighed and closed her eyes, tilting her head back. "I don't know what to think anymore," she mumbled.

Megumi still had that suspicious, appalled look on her face as she contemplated the other woman's odd behavior. Something was off here which meant Kaoru was hiding something. "All right, what happened that you don't want to tell me about it?"

Sometimes it really didn't pay to have a friend as sharp as Megumi. But really, it wasn't much of a surprise; she had known she'd have to tell the doctor eventually. Kaoru could hardly hide a secret, let alone something big like this. She briefly wondered how Megumi would pit against Saitou. It would be interesting to see them interact with one another. "Fine, I'll tell you. Just promise you won't yell or anything, all right?"

Megumi crossed her arms across her chest. "I can't promise something if I don't know what you're going to say."

"I can't tell you if you don't promise," Kaoru countered. She could be just as stubborn as her friend when she wanted to be. Now seemed like a good idea to practice that streak of obstinacy. The last thing she wanted was another lecture on how naïve she was or something.

They glared at each other for a long moment before Megumi sighed and gave in again, softening her belligerent stance. "Fine, I promise," she said, waving her hand. "But don't expect much sympathy, either."

Kaoru doubted she would get any sympathy but decided not to mention that. Megumi would find out soon enough. "Um, when I finally got home last night, Kenshin was here."

"In your apartment?"

Kaoru winced at the half-shriek that arose from the doctor and made a pleading gesture to calm down. "Yes, but I'm fine as you can see. He didn't do anything … much."

Megumi leaned forward, dark eyes flashing in both fury and concern. "So then what 'little' did he do?"

Kaoru coughed, dropping her gaze to the table. She really didn't want to tell her friend but there was no choice. A painful twenty minute lecture and maybe a physical whack or five would ensue if she didn't. "He uh … kissed me," she mumbled.

There was a long pause while Megumi sat back to digest the news. Kaoru peeked up nervously and watched her friend calmly pick up her coffee mug and drink down the rest of the liquid. Silence invaded the room.

Kaoru waited another minute until she was unable to stand the quiet. "Um, Megumi?" she said tentatively. "Are you all right?"

The doctor exhaled slowly as if trying to remain calm. "No. But I'm going to pretend I never heard that happen. Just tell me … did he try to hurt or force you in any way?"

Shaking her head violently, Kaoru said hastily, "I'm fine, he didn't do anything but kiss me. Honest, Megumi, nothing else happened." Perhaps she shouldn't tell her about Kenshin's promise just yet. She didn't want to be responsible for causing her friend to have a heart attack.

"Does Inspector Saitou know about this little rendezvous that occurred?"

Kaoru blinked and stared at Megumi. "Um, no. Do you think I want to tell him about my love life?"

Megumi's eyebrows shot up and she set her coffee mug down so hard the table rattled in protest. "Love life?" she repeated forcefully.

Crap. That wasn't what Kaoru meant to say. She grimaced at the slip of the words, trying to figure out how to get out of this one. "I mean, you know, then Saitou would want to know how many other guys I've kissed or something," she said uneasily.

Unfortunately, Megumi didn't seem to buy her lame excuse. "Uh huh," the doctor said, slanting a flat look in her direction. "Because Saitou thinks that you've kissed all the criminals in Japan. Kaoru, are you thinking about Kenshin? You know you can't, he's the Battousai."

Kaoru had used that very tone in saying Kenshin's name to Sano not an hour ago. It was just amazing how she would freak out about him one minute and defend him the next. And all this over the same man. She couldn't even fathom her own mind. "I know," she muttered, dropping her gaze back to the table.

Megumi sighed and reached over to pat her on the arm gently. "Look, I know you had a crush on Kenshin but now that you know he's a cold-blooded, dangerous killer, can you really imagine your life with someone like that?"

"Sano doesn't think Kenshin's killing for money or anything evil," Kaoru mumbled rather petulantly. She felt like a child sulking because a treat was denied to her.

The doctor rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Well! If the rooster-head says so, it must be right then! Give me a break, Kaoru! Sano's just guessing like the rest of us. He's very close to Kenshin so of course he would be in denial. That's part of the reason why I wanted you to stay away from that no-good fighter. Who knows what that baka might do? He may even try and clear Battousai's name from those murder charges or something."

Megumi paused and assessed her friend's countenance. Deciding more convincing was in order, she added, "Besides, let's say that Sano is right and Battousai is killing for a 'good reason'. Murder is still murder and it's the worst crime you can commit. And if he is, in the extremely unlikely instance, innocent? Well, that's for the legal system to decide once he is caught."

Kaoru sighed. She knew her friend was right but that didn't make it easier to accept. "I know."

Satisfied her friend was finally getting the idea, Megumi leaned back in her chair. "Good, then we agree. It's best if Battousai is caught by the police. Hopefully that'll happen soon and your life can go back to normal."

Normal? Two days ago, her life had been like everyone else's. But with her bad timing suddenly everything was off-kilter. Kaoru shuddered as she recalled the graceful arc of the sword and the spray of crimson liquid. And hours later, the owner of said sword had kissed her to near senselessness. She couldn't help but wonder if life would ever be back to normal again.


AN: Once again, many thanks to Laegdin for her input and terrific suggestions in making this chapter so much better. I know it's a slow start but things will be picking up starting the next chapter. The schedule of updates are posted in my profile.