Kaoru staggered into the small house which she shared with her parents who have been MIA for almost two months now. They would occasionally call and say they were on their way home but they never came. She flipped the lights on and collapsed onto the couch. She blinked rapidly, attempting to make the doubling of everything in the house stop. It barely worked.

She clutched her stomach when she felt that burning nausea rip through her. She didn't even try to go to the kitchen to calm the hunger pains. She didn't buy anything to eat because she had just finished paying bills.

"Gotta wait til' Friday," she said while patting her stomach. Her eyelids grew heavy with sleep. She battled it, knowing that she may not wake up. She also knew she wasn't getting up again. Her body felt like a thousand pound weight and the wet clothes weren't making it any better. She let the sleep win her over.

Kaoru jolted up from her sleep and looked out the window before looking down at her watch. She already knew she had missed school but she could still make it to work in an hour. She stood and held onto the couch for support until the dizziness subsided. She dragged herself into the bathroom and looked at her own reflection in the mirror.

"Shit," she muttered.

She moved her bangs at her face to make a closer observation of the wound on her temple that was caked with dry blood. She sighed before grabbing a fresh towel and heading into the shower room.

Kaoru placed the food in front on the customers, shooting them the nicest smile she could conjure up at the moment.

"Two steak burgers and a garden salad. Anything else you need," she asked kindly.

They shook their heads no and she went back to the bar area of the diner.

"Kao-chan," came a voice from the end of the bar.

Kaoru could only smile because she knew the owner of the voice. "Hey Misao. What's up?"

Misao pouted and folded her arms over her chest while giving Kaoru "The Face". She knew something was wrong.

"What is it Misao?"

"You missy," Misao began. "You weren't at school today. Why?"

Kaoru rolled her eyes and began wiping down the counter top. "I overslept. We all do it."

Misao scoffed at Kaoru's generic answer before glaring at her longer. "You are a terrible liar. Who "oversleeps" for eight hours? You may have tried to cover up that black eye, your busted lip, and that big gash on the side of your but I can see it in your eyes. Your eyes usually do this flicker thing when you lie... and quite frankly you just seem sad. You plaster on that phony smile to make it through the day hoping no one will notice but we all do. We may not say anything but we do."

"Misao... That was deep, especially for you," Kaoru said lightly, trying to brush off what Misao just said even though it hit home. Every word was true. She saw the looks she got, but just blew them off and chalked them up to her awkwardness. Smiling became an everyday chore and it hurt.

"Kaoru, stop it. I'm being serious. Just move in with me. My parents like you and they'll help you find your parents. Just stay with us. They worry. Last time they saw you, they thought you had some sort of eating disorder you were so frail."

Kaoru cut her eyes at Misao and stopped wiping down the counter. "You know full well why I can't stay with you..."

Misao looked down and the fire that had been burning in her eyes had simmered down. She spoke softly. "Kao-chan, he won't hurt you with my parents there. He may be stupid, but he's not that stupid..."

It was Kaoru's turn to be angry. "And what about when I return there everyday with some new bruise on my body and your parents question that? What am I supposed to say? 'Hey, your son has been bullying me since high school began. What's for dinner?' Do you know how fucked up that is? Accusing their son of daily physical abuse."

Kaoru watched as a tear streamed down from her friend's emerald green eyes. She quickly brushed it away and pulled her friend into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry," she whispered. She pulled back and gave Misao a genuine smile.

Misao wiped her face. "Okay, can you just stay for the rest of the week though? It's just two more days until Friday. Please Kao-chan"

Kaoru smiled. "As long as it's okay with your parents then sure."

Misao squealed and hopped off the bar stool, drawing the attention of everyone in the diner. "See you later tonight Kao-chan," she waved as she exited the diner.

Kaoru shook her head with a smile and went back to work.

Kenshin leaned back in his chair at his desk and let out a frustrated sigh. This case was busting his ass. Clearly his client was guilty and his job was to keep his client from becoming someones prison bitch. The client wasn't helping with his constant mouthing off to the judge and blabbing when Kenshin tells him to keep his mouth shut. Kenshin growled and slammed his hands down onto the desk.

He looked up when he heard a startled gasp. It was his secretary. He beckoned her into his office. She hesitantly made her way to his desk and laid some files down. He skimmed through the files and just shook his head.

"What is it Trish," he asked when his secretary didn't leave.

Always so timid, she answered him softly. "Mr. McCoy would like to see you."

Kenshin looked at the clock on his computer and made a face at her.

"It's almost nine. What are you still doing here?"

She turned a deep red before looking down. She was a gorgeous woman. She had thick auburn hair that came down in perfect ringlets to her waist. Her body had curves in all the right places despite having two kids. Her eyes were a sea-green and her mouth made a perfect bow. Her cheeks had a permanent flush to them even though she never wore make-up. With her looks, anyone would've though she flaunted it around but she just seemed so misplaced in her body.

Kenshin smiled up at her. "You should go home before your husband thinks I stole you from him."

She smiled. "Thank you. Goodnight," she mumbled before walking out of his office.

Kenshin went back to looking down at his desk and sighed when he remembered his boss needed him. That was another problem, his boss. The Irish prick was constantly riding his ass as if he had no work of his own. He got up from his desk and exited his office. He walked up the stairs that were rarely used. He couldn't deal with being bothered right now. He walked slowly so he could light up a cigarette and enjoy it.

He took a long slow drag and held it in. He invited the warm burning in his lungs compared to the cold stairwell and the stress of work. When he finished, he stubbed the bud out with his shoe and finished his journey up the stairs. He entered his boss's floor and headed toward his office. He didn't bother to knock.

'You wanted me so don't expect me to knock,' Kenshin thought.

He entered the room and stood in the middle of the office. He wasn't going to get comfortable in his office because as soon as this is over, he was going back to work.

"What do you want," Kenshin inquired.

McCoy leaned back in is chair with his usual cocky grin. "Himura, if you were anyone else, you would've been outta here. But since you're good at what you do, I let you stay. I could've had a woman bent over my desk"

Kenshin scoffed at him. "Your hand doesn't count, McCoy."

McCoy let out a loud laugh that had his belly bouncing with each intake of breath. He wiped a tear from his eye before sitting up.

"I like you. But no more buddy-buddy stuff. I want to know how you're gonna get this moron off the hook."

Just like that, he went from playful to serious.

"I'm trying my best. I wish he would just take my advice. I'm just gonna plead insanity because the man is deranged then blame it on the trauma from his childhood."

"Do whatever, Himura. I just want my money."

"Whatever. I'm gonna work late today. Too many distractions at home." Kenshin walked out of the office and back to his office.

Forty-five minutes later, Kenshin had lit three more cigarettes and had a headache so bad, a hangover couldn't compare. He leaned back in his desk and ran his hand through his hair for the umpteenth time, successfully loosening the ponytail. He put the files in his briefcase and powered down his computer.

He grabbed his briefcase and his overcoat and made his way to the elevator. The elevator ride seemed to take an eternity when his stomach started to eat itself. He decided on going out to eat because he wasn't going to cook for himself tonight.

He walked toward the parking lot and hit the unlock button on his remote. He entered his black M3 BMW and put everything in the backseat. He threw the car into first gear and sped out of the parking lot. He looked at the clock on the dashboard and sighed. 9:37. He sure as hell was not going to cook for himself at this time of night.

He drove a few blocks down to the diner not far from the firm. He whipped into a parking spot and got out. He walked in and sat at the counter.

"Do you need a..."

Kenshin heard the hesitation in the voice, but brushed it off. He just wanted to eat and go home.

"I'll take a steakburger and a glass of water," he ordered.

"Um... Okay. Is that all," she asked.

"Yeah," he said simply.

Kenshin looked around the diner. The placed was packed full of teenagers. There must've been a football game because everyone was decked in school paraphernalia. A majority of them had their faces painted and were topless. Everyone seemed to be crowded around one table before a chant started.

Kenshin pinched the bridge of his nose when the waitress came back with his food.

"Can I get the bill now so I can leave when I'm done."

"Sure...," she said.

Kenshin finally looked up and he froze. She was biting her lip and held the check out nervously toward him. He slowly took it and met her eyes.

Kenshin broke the awkward silence between the two. "How are you?"

She laughed. "I should be asking you the same thing."

He smiled. He looked down and realized he looked like shit. His hair was a mess, his shirt was wrinkled, and he smelled like cigarettes.

"Yeah..." He ran a hand through his hair and smiled at her before the crowd got louder. "Is it always this loud on Wednesday night?"

"Only when the lacrosse team is here... Well I have to clock out. Have a good night."

With that said, she walked into the back to retrieve her things before leaving.

"Wait," Kenshin called. "You forgot something."

She turned and looked back at him. "What did I forget?"

He reached into his wallet and pulled out a ten.

She nodded at him and smiled. "Thank you."

He nodded back and turned to his food.