Possessed Chapter 7: Locked in My Own Walls, a rurouni kenshin fanfic

D/C: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin…I wish I did though.

Hello! Sorry it took me so long to update, but my mean teachers are cramming me with homework and exams! It's only during the weekend that I'm able to find some time to write, and believe me, that's still not enough! Well, anyway, thank you all for the really nice reviews…and now, without further ado, I present to you, CHAPTER 7! Enjoy!

Chapter 7:

She found out! She finally found out the truth!

Although a huge part of me is delighted that she did, a small part feels upset to see how saddened she was by the truth. When she was yelling at Battousai, I could see the tears flowing down her cheeks and I couldn't do anything to stop them. Much as I wanted to reach out and wipe away her tears and pull her into my arms, I couldn't. Instead, Battousai just stood watching her while she screamed and she cried.

The bastard.

But what could Kaoru do now? Battousai said there was no way I could reclaim my body to myself…alone…but how can I know that for sure? How do I know he isn't lying? Maybe there is a way by which I can get my body back…but the question is: how?

Just a thought…but maybe I could go into his memory? After all, he did access my memory, so it shouldn't be difficult for me to access his…right? And if I do, maybe I'll be able to find a way by which I can gain control over my body again…still, I'll have to find a way to do that without Battousai knowing what I'm up to. And when I know…how will I tell Kaoru?

Battousai sighed and slumped down on the couch in the living room. He stole a glance at bedroom, whose door still stood ajar, and he thought he could hear the faint sound of Kaoru crying. He shook his head in exasperation; things didn't go the way he wanted them to go. He hadn't counted on Kaoru confronting him this soon, and he couldn't simply make up a lie when she did; how on Earth would he have been able to explain the presence of the sword in his room other than the way he did?

It had hurt him to see Kaoru crying like that. He wanted to hold her then, but he knew that by doing so he would only make matters worse. He was also hurt by the fact that Kaoru had rejected him completely. She had refused to let him t ouch her. She had wanted Kenshin…Kenshin…

Oh, how Battousai hated that guy. He wished he could completely erase him from her memory, but he knew that that was impossible. More than anything, he wanted her to love him…and him alone. Kaoru was incredible in many ways…but she lacked something which Tomoe had; Tomoe had loved him…she had forgiven him and she had loved him…she had even sacrificed her life for him. But Kaoru would never do any of those things.

He looked up as she stepped out of the room and headed straight to the door. He remained silent as she reached for the locks, but then he smirked when she paused. She slowly looked around and glared at him.

'Oh, how clever,' she seethed. 'Locked the door and hid the key, haven't you? I suppose you're very pleased with yourself, am I right?'

'Yes, very,' Battousai replied, nodding his head.

'Locking me in won't do you any good, y'know,' she pointed out, and he nodded, his expression nonchalant. 'And I still could make a phone call and have myself out of here in no time, do you know that?'

'But my dear Kaoru, even if you call and tell someone, they won't believe you…' he told her. She frowned. 'I mean, think about what you're going to say…"Could you help me please? My husband is possessed by the spirit of Battousai!"…heh! Like anyone's going to believe that!'

'Yeah, but I could call one of my friends and tell them that I've had a fight with you, and I wanna stay with them for a while…wouldn't that work?' she said, fixing him with a challenging gaze.

Battousai wasn't shaken in the least. 'Yeah, it would…that is, if the phone were still intact,' he replied, smiling amiably.

'W-what? What do you mean?' she sputtered. She turned to the phone, picked up the receiver and held it to her ear. 'No dial tone…I see.'

Battousai held up the rolled up phone cord. 'I'm not stupid, Kaoru, I figured you would try to escape,' he explained. 'And I can't let that happen; it's not a matter of you going and telling someone about me…it's a matter of me wanting you to stay here…I want to go on seeing your pretty face every single day.'

Kaoru scowled at him. 'How can you be so sure I won't escape?' she demanded.

'I just know you won't,' Battousai replied. 'I'm going to keep a close eye on you so you won't be able to even take a step out the door without me knowing.'

Kaoru snorted. 'So you'll be watching me 24/7?' she said incredulously.

Battousai shook his head. 'Not necessarily,' he replied. 'I have friends whose eyes may become quite useful.'

'You're going to put spies on my tail?' Kaoru demanded, and Battousai nodded. 'I don't believe you! You can't do that! You have no right to do that!'

'Kaoru, there's something you don't know about me, and that is the fact that I will do anything to achieve what I want…and right now, I want you to stay here till I know for sure what am I going to do with you,' he said quietly.

'What you're going to do with me?' she repeated in a hollow tone, and he smiled and nodded. Kaoru glared at him. 'So you want to continue seeing me, is that it? Well, I'm afraid your wish won't be granted.'

Battousai laughed. 'Kaoru, I don't think you heard me well, I told…' he said, but paused when Kaoru turned around on her heels and headed to Kenji's room. He frowned, wondering what she was going to do. He stared at her when she came out of the room, dragging a tear-faced Kenji behind her. He cast her with an amused look. 'May I ask what you're doing?'

But Kaoru didn't reply. She just pulled Kenji along to their bedroom. Kenji offered him a small wave before Kaoru shut the door closed. Then came the distinctive sound of a key being turned into its lock. Then, it became apparent to Battousai what Kaoru was doing. She was going to avoid him.

Battousai felt his nerves twitch. 'Yeah, that's right, Kaoru! Keep on avoiding me! We'll see how long you're going to last!' he said, rather angrily.

Kaoru managed to irritate him greatly. Much as he was attracted her, sometimes he felt like Kaoru infuriated him so much he almost hated her. And how dare she take Kenji in with her? She didn't expect him to let that one go without his interference?

He glared at the door and clenched his fists. Well, if it lasted long then I could always break down the door…

'Mommy? How sick is Daddy?'

Kaoru smiled down at Kenji and ruffled his hair. 'He's very sick, Kenji,' she told him. That was how she had managed to get him along with her; she had told him that his father was sick and if they talked to him they would become sick as well.

Kenji frowned. 'But if he's very sick, then shouldn't we stay out there with him and make him better?' he asked, sounding very anxious. 'Shouldn't we take him to the doctor? Shouldn't we go and get him some medicine?'

That's what I would've done on normal conditions. 'No, it's alright, Kenji,' she assured him. 'Dad'll get better soon, we just have to wait for a while…besides…er…if the doctor comes to see Daddy, he'll get sick too…you don't want that, do you?'

Kenji looked horrified. 'No! Of course I don't!' he said in alarm. He paused for a moment. 'But won't Dad feel lonely sitting there all by himself?'

'Don't worry about it, Kenji…it'll only last for a short while,' she told him, although she wasn't sure about that herself.

She felt like she was being stupid by locking herself in the room with Kenji, but she couldn't bear to take another look at the man who was supposed to be her husband. She couldn't bear to see him and hear his voice, and still know that it wasn't Kenshin she was looking at, and that it wasn't his voice she was hearing. They were all Battousai's now. Besides, when Battousai had gone and closed every escape route before her, she had felt so irritated and wanted to do something just to spite him. She knew it was a very childish act, but it made her feel better.

Kenji sat on the bed, swinging his feet off its edge. Kaoru reached out and stroked his hair. He looked up at her. 'But why were you yelling at Daddy of he was so sick?' he asked.

Kaoru was taken by surprise; she hadn't seen that one coming. 'Um…I wasn't yelling at Daddy, Kenji…' she said.

'But I heard you!' Kenji insisted. Tears welled in his eyes. 'I heard you yelling at him from my room! And I heard Daddy yelling at you too! Why were you yelling? I hate it when you yell! It makes me feel so frightened!'

'Oh, Kenji,' Kaoru said softly, and she pulled her son into a hug. 'I'm so sorry we scared you, sweetheart…we didn't mean to do that…we just got a bit angry while we were talking…and when people are angry, their voices rise automatically…they don't mean to yell at each other, but they just can't help it, you see?'

'Really?' he whispered.

'Yes, really,' she assured him. 'Okay, how about this? When I get angry with Daddy next time, I'll try my absolute hardest not to shout? How do you like that?'

'I'd like that very much!' Kenji said happily, clapping his hands together. 'Thank you!'

'But you have to promise me not to cry again, okay?' she said.

'Okay!' Kenji agreed.

Because if you do cry, Kenji, I may find myself crying along with you…

'Another bottle of Sake,'

Battousai sensed that the bartender was watching him warily. 'But, sir, you've already had five glasses of…' he said.

'Another one!' Battousai snapped.

The bartender jumped and quickly got another bottle and placed it on the bar. Battousai pulled it towards him and took a sip of his Sake. The bartender was right; he did have a lot of Sake tonight, but Battousai didn't care. He had been feeling frustrated all day long, especially since Kaoru hadn't said a word to him the whole time. Even Kenji wasn't speaking to him. He didn't know what Kaoru had said to him, but when the kid left the bedroom to go to the toilet, he had shot a concerned and somewhat frightened look at him before running off.

Sitting in that apartment with no human contact whatsoever had really frustrated him. In the end, he had called upon someone to watch over Kaoru and Kenji, before leaving the apartment. He had taken out the car and without even realizing it, he found himself pulling up before a local bar. He didn't feel like socializing at all, even though babes had been pressing themselves against him the whole night. He had just sat and downed bottle after bottle, of Sake.

He had to admit that he was feeling a bit heavy-headed and somewhat nauseous, and knew he had to cut it out with the drinking for the night if he wanted to get back home in one piece. But at the same time, the thought of going back to a home where no one spoke to him wasn't really comforting. In the past days when he had come to live with Kaoru and Kenji, he had become used to step into the house and be greeted by either Kaoru or Kenji…and that simple greeting used to make him happy every time.

He let out a disgruntled sigh. It wasn't his fault that her husband came and cut himself by the sword. No one told him to touch museum property…and besides, it's not like he knew how to get himself out of the body, or he would've done so long ago and gone off to find himself a more suitable body. Kaoru had no right to give him the silent treatment.

But he wasn't going to allow her to sit and muck him all she wants. He would show her that he didn't care if she went in and locked herself in that damn bedroom. Battousai straightened up on his stool and leaned towards the girl who had just come and seated herself on the stool next to him.

'Hello,' he said, flashing her with his most charming smile.

The girl was caught by surprise, but she smiled nonetheless. 'Oh, hi,' she said, blushing faintly.

'Can I buy you a drink?' he asked her.

'Yeah, thanks, that would be great,' she agreed, grinning.

Battousai was going to go outside and have the time of his life, while Kaoru remained locked in that apartment with Kenji. He would show her that it was she who was suffering by her actions, and not him. Childlike as it may seem, but it made him feel better. And eventually, she would come to her senses and unlock the silence.

At least…that's what he hoped she would do.

Kaoru glanced at the clock hanging on the wall for what seemed like the hundredth time that night. It was 4 o'clock past midnight…and Kenshin…or rather, Kenshin's body still hadn't returned. She didn't give a crap about Battousai, but she did want him to return. After all, what good would Kenshin be without his body…that is, if she found a way to restore him back.

She got up from the couch and walked towards the bedroom. She looked inside at Kenji, who was sleeping soundly beneath the blankets on the king-size bed. She had tucked him in long ago, and now she felt extremely lonely in the quiet apartment.

After Battousai had left, she had tried to find a way to escape, even though he had told her that he was going to get someone to watch her. She hadn't believed him then, but when she got to the door, she found that he was as good as his word; through the peep-hole, she saw a sallow-looking fellow lurking in the shadows outside the apartment. She knew she wouldn't be able to set one foot outside the apartment without that guy reacting to it. She had considered walking outside and screaming for help, hoping that one of the residents of the other apartments would help her, but then she realized that she didn't have the key. She didn't even have any way of contacting the outside world; Battousai had taken with him all the cell-phones and the telephone cords.

Kaoru felt extremely helpless.

She smiled sadly at Kenji before returning to the living room. He had been asking questions about his dad the whole day, trying to find ways in which he could make his dad better. His innocent words made Kaoru feel a lot more worse that she already felt, and she was almost overcome by a wave of tears.

She sat down on the couch, and before she even knew it, she had started crying. Thick tears rolled down her cheeks and landed on the front of her blouse. Kaoru buried her face in her hands and doubled over her knees, sobbing. All the tears and anguish she had been bottling in had come out now, and she couldn't seem to stop them.

'Kenshin…' she choked. 'Oh, Kenshin…please come back…'

At that same moment, there was the sound of a key being turned in its lock, and Battousai walked in through the front door. Kaoru immediately stopped crying, and hastily tried to dry her tears…but not before Battousai saw her.

'Kaoru…' he said softly, but stopped when he caught her staring at him.

Kaoru couldn't help but stare at him. His hair was messed up and his clothes were disheveled and dirty…and around the top of his head a white bandage was wrapped, which was stained by blood. She could also see that bandages were wrapped around his hands. These were also slightly blood-stained.

'What…what happened to you?' she demanded before she could stop the words tumbling out of her mouth. It was all she could do not to rush towards him and throw her arms around his neck.

Battousai chuckled. 'I was drunk…and I got into an accident,' he explained. He fixed her with a mocking gaze. 'But I wouldn't expect you to care…not when you're giving me the silent treatment.'

Kaoru, then, remembered that she wasn't talking to him. Feeling slightly humiliated and embarrassed, she turned on her heels and rushed towards the bedroom. She went in and shut the door after her. She leaned back against the smooth wooden surface, breathing heavily…and then she started to cry all over again.

If she had stayed a moment longer, she would've seen the look of hurt which passed over Battousai's face.

'Someone's feeling upset…well, you honestly didn't expect her to care, did you? Because if you did, then you don't know Kaoru at all.'

Kenshin was right, although Battousai hated to admit it. He was feeling upset. He was feeling hurt and upset by the fact that Kaoru had turned her back on him and hadn't given him a second look, even though he had just had an accident.

'Yeah, right,' he snorted. 'Who says I'm upset?'

'Oh, come on, it is pretty obvious, and besides, I share the same body with you; I can sense the way you feel,' Kenshin teased him. 'And everything tells me now that you are hurt.'

'Shut up!' Battousai said angrily. 'I'm not hurt! Don't talk to me like you know me! I would never allow a bitch like Kaoru affect me!'

He immediately knew that that was the wrong thing to say; he could feel Kenshin's anger boiling around him. 'You did not just call Kaoru a bitch,' Kenshin hissed.

Battousai was unfazed. 'So what if I did? There's nothing you can do about it,' he tantalized him. 'I can just go on calling Kaoru whatever I want, and you won't be able to do anything about it.' He called Kaoru a few more names, and enjoyed seeing how angry it made Kenshin.

'Bit rich coming from you, isn't it?' Kenshin said, trying to keep his voice calm.

'What do you mean?' Battousai demanded.

'Well, after drinking a large part of the bar's stock of Sake, fooling with that girl you met at the bar, and getting yourself into an accident on the way back from her apartment, you have no right to call Kaoru what you did,' Kenshin said quietly.

'You bastard…how dare you?' Battousai snapped.

'I'm just saying them the way I see them,' Kenshin replied. 'And from the way I see them, it looks like you're the number one bastard on the block right now.'

Battousai really didn't need this at the moment. First Kaoru and Kenji, and now this…this must be one of my worst days…

A/N: So, how did you like my seventh chapter? I know it's a bit shorter than usual, you don't have to tell me, but I honestly couldn't write anything more in it; I'm building up for the upcoming chapters…and there's also the fact that I have HUGE exams in ten days…(sigh)…well, anyway, if you liked this chapter, then please review! And I always welcome constructive criticism, so don't hesitate to send me any! I promise I won't send my Death Eaters after you if you do! XD

- S. N. B.