a/n: As promised here's the next chapter... Don't forget to drop a review!

Disclaimer: Everyone wants a Kenshin body slave. But nobody really owns one...

Exchange
Chapter 11: Confrontation

Kenshin wasn't home when she opened the bathroom door, but she didn't really think he would be. She shook her head; she had known he was at the door no matter how hard he had tried to conceal his ki.

She would've rather that he didn't know about her knowledge of Tomoe, but there was nothing that could be done now. She could only assume that Kenshin had gone to question Hiko about his involvement with her. Sighing she picked up her weaponry.

She had something to settle.

She couldn't wait for Enishi to make contact with Megumi and the others. In the space of time that could take, he could have already hunted down Kenshin ten times over and she couldn't let that happen. She had to take action now. If talking didn't work, she would resort to force no matter how much she didn't want to.

And she really didn't want to.

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"Baka deshi, what an unpleasant surprise," Hiko said conversationally as the door to his office flew open with more force than necessary.

"You told her," Kenshin said quietly.

Hiko raised an eyebrow. "Told who what?"

"Kaoru," he snarled. "About Tomoe!"

"She asked," was his nonchalant response.

"But-"

"Did you really think she was naïve? She is the leader of her kind; it would be foolish to assume she didn't know who Tomoe disappeared with," he explained. "She merely wanted the missing pieces."

"And you provided," Kenshin finished angrily. "You said you'd never tell anyone."

"I did say that," he admitted.

"You lied."

"You have to understand that what occurred was an exchange," Hiko told him patiently.

"An exchange? And you would keep your word?"

"Unlike some people, yes. Do you think I would've lived if I hadn't?" he asked skeptically. "She would've had no problem killing me on the spot."

Kenshin couldn't argue with him there. He had no doubts that Kaoru would indeed attempt to kill Hiko if he hadn't kept his end of the exchange. But he also doubted that she would be successful in such an attempt.

"I do not think she would be capable of killing someone as strong as you, shishou," he finally confessed after his thought process.

Hiko laughed. "She is more capable than either you or I. Keep that in mind when your testing her patience."

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"Kaoru!"

She didn't answer, but rather kept her distance.

"I have finally proved it," he said happily. "I know she is dead."

"Enishi," Kaoru started, "she died of her own will."

"No! He killed her!"

She nodded. "He did. But not in malice."

"Yes! He murdered her and did it with a clean conscious!" he shrieked.

"You are so young," she sympathized. "You understand so little."

"I…"

"I would not lie to you Enishi, although I am not happy with you right now," she told him carefully.

"Kaoru, listen-"

"Not only did you disobey my direct orders, but you defied Aoshi too," she said, keeping her eyes level with his. "But I would not lie to you."

"Kaoru, I've done my research! Tomoe has talked with me! She wants revenge!" he screeched.

Kaoru's brows furrowed in confusion. Tomoe would not have even attempted to talk to Enishi, she knew that. It broke more than one code and she almost always played by the rules. Not to mention Kaoru herself had declared Enishi mentally disabled after his sister's disappearance. This just made her think that she had been more correct in her diagnosis than she had originally thought.

"Enishi," she began, "she would not have risked it. I think you are seeing things."

"I'm not! Kaoru, why don't you believe me!"

"Kenshin did not murder your sister!" she said firmly, her anger growing.

"He's turned you against us all! You don't give a damn about your people! You're a fucking liar!" he screamed at her.

She slapped him, her eyes narrowed in distaste. "How dare you," she hissed. "How dare you."

He simply stared, holding his offended cheek in his hand. His eyes darted from her hand to her enraged face, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

"I would never betray my people for a mere human. Never forget that Enishi. I wasn't the one who turned my back on our kind for a human. That was you," she snapped.

Enishi's eyes flared with unspoken anger. "You are no longer my leader, bitch. Slap me again and I'll blast you into the next life," he threatened before shimmering away.

She cursed loudly as the last of his image disappeared from her vision. He was nothing more than a thorn in her side.

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Kenshin was waiting for her in the dark when she returned. She flicked on the lights and stared into his glowing amber eyes for a moment. Neither felt compelled to break the silence right away and she walked past him to sit on the edge of the counter, her encounter with Enishi replaying in her mind.

"Well?" he finally demanded, moving closer to her.

"Well what?"

"Where were you?" he asked roughly.

"Trying to fix a problem," she answered, feeling a throb in her temples.

"Care to elaborate?"

"Not particularly."

"I think you do," he stated calmly. "Talk. Now."

She felt her collar burn and hissed in annoyance. "I was trying to take care of Enishi, but I believe I've only aggravated him further."

Kenshin laughed bitterly. "I'm supposed to believe you?"

"Have I given you a reason not to?"

"You knew," he whispered. "The whole time."

"I did."

"You didn't say anything."

"Did you want me to? Did you want me to tell you that a psycho is after you because you accidentally killed his sister? Did you want me to tell you that I feel sorry for you? What? What did you want me to say, Kenshin?" she asked.

He licked his lips. "Kaoru, I'm… I was going to tell you," he told her.

"Why?"

"You deserved to know. I…"

"I was a replacement. You think I didn't know this?" She laughed. "You are the naïve one."

He stood in between her legs, his eyes pinning her to her spot on the counter while his hands held her thighs in place.

"I didn't like lying to you."

"I didn't think you cared," she said sarcastically, uncomfortable with the closeness.

"I do," he whispered, leaning forward. "I care about you."

"Kenshin…" she murmured, unsure what to say, what to do.

"I care more than you know…" His lips were barely brushing hers and she could feel the heat rising up her cheeks.

"I…"

She couldn't finish as his lips slid over hers, carefully cherishing them. She gasped as his tongue danced along the seam of her lips, granting him an entrance even if it was accidental. Her hands came to rest on his shoulders and she leaned closer to him, returning his kiss.

His tongue rubbed against hers sensually and her eyes drifted shut and as her mind shut down with the sensations. Kenshin's hands were holding her hips gently and he was pushing himself against her. She moaned softly and the noise jarred her from her desires and she pulled away suddenly.

Kenshin, still dazed, attempted to follow her lips as they moved away from his. He looked up at her with glazed eyes and she stared back into his, something like shock lighting them.

"I-I can't," she told him breathily before pushing him forward and fleeing towards the bathroom.

"Kaoru, wait-!" The slamming of the bathroom door cut him off and he sighed heavily.

He rested his elbows on the counter and held his head in his hands, trying to comprehend what had just happened. He had kissed her. And she had kissed him. He groaned, fighting down the urge to chase her down and tackle her to the floor to finish what they'd started.

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Kaoru's breathing was harsh. She'd let him kiss her. She should've pushed him away sooner than she had, but-but it had been so good… and…

She shook her head. It was impossible to deny it. She had enjoyed what he'd done to her and she wanted to kiss him again. She clenched her eyes shut. It could never happen. She wouldn't let it happen again.

She would have to carry on a charade in order to give him peace of mind…

But would it really be an act?