Did ya miss me? No? Damn, it was worth a try though. Oh yeah, this chapter's title is my favorite line from 'The Godfather'. This guy has just gotten his head blown off and all the assassins can say is…. Well…. read the title.

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. Or 'The Godfather'.

All In The Name Of Cement Shoes: "Leave the Gun. Take the Canolis"

Kenshin watched the worried woman from the corner of his violet eye as they drove down the dirt road that led to the Shinomori Estates. They had been driving a good portion of the night and had just reached the iron gates as the morning sun rose to greet the world. He slowly eased up beside the communication system and rolled down his window to press the button.

"Shinomori Estates." Kenshin immediately recognized the raspy voice of Okina.

"Okina, it's Kenshin. I need to speak to Aoshi." He gave a swift reassuring look to Kaoru before Okina spoke again.

"Ah! Kenshin! It has been so long since we've seen you here. Ever since that trip…What am I saying? It's always a pleasure to have you here. But…I'm afraid that Master Shinomori is a bit…preoccupied at the moment. Perhaps you may come back later." Kenshin pressed a small round gadget that open the sunroof of the expensive car, giving Okina a perfect look of the woman who looked terrified next to the vibrant redhead.

"As you can see, Okina, this cannot wait." Without another word, the elderly butler opened up the gates to Kenshin and the mystery woman.

Minutes later, the couple had parked the sleek red vehicle beside the main entrance hall. Kaoru was two seconds behind Kenshin when he stopped abruptly and began to lightly push her back towards the car.

"What are you doing Kenshin?" Her large eyes were filled with unshed tears and it broke Kenshin's heart to make her stay put.

"Aoshi tends to have a tamper. I've known him a long time so therefore I can usually handle that temper. But I'd rather not put you in harm's way." She opened her mouth to speak but was silenced by the kind smile that lingered among Kenshin's lips. "If your friend is indeed up there, then I will find her and bring back news to you." Kaoru still wasn't quite sure of what to do but followed the man's orders and leaned against the car door.

Outside Misao's bedroom door

"I'll ask you one more time – will you join me for breakfast?" Okon and Omasu watched from a safe distance as their master tried to make amends with a locked door. He was failing miserably. Okon smoothed out invisible wrinkles in her apron and moved tentatively towards her master.

"And I'm telling you one more time – no." Misao's venom laced voice echoed throughout the hall, causing both maids and master alike to wince.

"Master Aoshi…perhaps, maybe if you apologized for last night, she would accompany you to the dining hall this morning." Aoshi glared at his maid and ran a hand through his shaggy morning mane.

"Why should I have to apologize to this…this…this witch –''

"I can hear you, ya know!" The tall millionaire sighed heavily before resting his head upon the cool wood of Misao's bedroom door. This was not at all how he had imagined his morning.

"Fine. Misao, I am sorry for the way I treated you last night."

"And?" Aoshi's icy blue eyes widened at the question. There was more? He turned towards the two maids with an inquiring glare. Both women shrugged and turned to return to their normal duties.

"Will you please join me for breakfast?"

"No."

Inside Misao's Bedroom

Misao stared at her petite toes as she leaned against the large wooden door. It had been only an hour ago that a loud knocking had awoken her deep beauty rest. It had been Aoshi informally inviting her to breakfast. He had come a long way since he woke her up. The conversation began as a demand and slowly evolved into a hardened invitation to breakfast.

The young wedding planner smiled as Aoshi pleaded in a harsh voice with Okon and Omasu to somehow convince Misao to join him before night fell upon them and he would have to beg her to come down for dinner. It was a humorous thought indeed. It was in that moment that Misao finally got to check out the bedroom she was assigned to. She had been so angry last night that she never once looked at her surroundings. It wasn't too fancy. There was an oak chest of drawers and a large closet that housed what little clothing she had. Misao wondered if Aoshi was truly rich or just plain greedy. But Misao had to give Aoshi's interior decorator major kudos for the rest of the room. On the eastern wall was a large, four-post, queen size bed. A sheer blue material was draped in long waves amongst the posts creating an almost serene décor. But Misao's favorite piece of the bedroom wasn't the closet, the bed, or even the French doors that led to a balcony. Not even close. Above the bed was a mural of the Milky Way painted on the usually white ceiling. The stars were brought to life at night by a flip of a switch somewhere in the house, and were lit up by an intricate system of fiber optics. It was truly special to Misao.

She grinned up at the faux night sky and turned her attention to the French doors as the sound of a car engine rumbled outside. She cautiously made her way towards the doors and peeked through the opaque glass. She noticed the redheaded man first. How could one not pay heed to the bright flash of hair? It was so…well, red. Her eyes suddenly darted from the man to a thin figure with a determined look in her eyes. Misao's oceanic orbs widened as she realized that it wasn't any girl…it was Kaoru! In a blink of an eye, Misao was at her bedroom door, trying desperately to unlock it before Okina came upstairs to announce Kaoru's arrival. She finally managed to unlock the door and raced past Aoshi and the two friendly maids. Aoshi calmly folded his hands behind his back so that he wouldn't strangle the nuisance panting before him.

"I'm glad you finally came to your sen-"

"Can't talk now. Have to go talk to someone!" She smiled politely before bouncing down the stairs; knocking down an old butler in the process. Aoshi simply stood there in a stunned silence. Did she realize that her hair wasn't in the usual braid? He had known her for only 24 hours and he could tell already that Misao was a simple girl. She wouldn't waste time primping her hair. Not that he was complaining…

Misao slid around the corner of a checkered floor that began when the staircase ended. The redhead was keeping busy by glancing over the paintings that graced the main hall. Misao eyed him carefully before taking a step towards his turned back.

She had wanted to be quiet about it. She had wanted to ease past him and work her way outside to her friend. But the clueless Misao had forgotten that it was: 1) morning; 2) because it was morning she was still wearing her pajamas; and 3) she was still wearing her socks. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that you just don't go taking off on tiled floor with socks on. Misao, however, is not a rocket scientist and learned a very important lesson that day – friction is a good thing. And with that last thought, she went crashing down, feet flying up in the air in a very unladylike manner.

Kenshin was immediately beside her, wrapping a lean arm around the petite girl and gently pushing her up on her rear. He was hoping that luck was on his side and that the clumsy thing before him was the runaway bride's Plan B. He watched as she shyly bit her bottom lip and peered up at him with the largest blue-green eyes he had ever seen. And something melted inside him.

"What's your name?" Her voice was quiet and raspy from the fall.

"Kenshin." She nodded hastily before throwing herself against him and hugging him tightly. It was then and then only that he heard the large and foreboding footsteps that could only belong to Aoshi. "Kenshin! It's been so long! I can't believe you would come and see me!"

Misao simpered as the man named Kenshin's cheeks reddened to a shade much like his hair. She lowered her head down to his ear and whispered, "Meet me outside and I will tell you and Kaoru why I'm here." He nodded and waved at his former coworker who looked ready to kill as Misao pulled him outside.

"Misao!" Kaoru launched herself at her friend the moment she spotted her. "Why are you here and not at your apartment? I was so worried last night! Wait, did you sleep over here? With Aoshi Shinomori? What's he like?" Misao's brain had to recuperate from the sudden interrogation. She settled down next to Kaoru and leaned against the car.

"I'm over here because I was left for dead by Aoshi Shinomori's bride to be that he never met. She stole my car, my wallet, and my Snapple." Kaoru's mouth began to drop slowly but popped back into place as she watched the small twitching in Misao's eyebrow that only best friends seem to notice.

"I'm getting the idea that there's more to this." Misao suddenly found more interest in her feet than the conversation but decided to go on.

"The servants here care a lot about Aoshi and for some odd reason I think he thinks of them as his family." She quickly shook off the idea of Aoshi having warm feelings for anything. "They seem to believe that I could do more good for him than the woman that stole my car. So…" Kaoru squinted her eyes to get a better look at her friend.

"So…?" Misao smiled weakly.

"So…I'm marrying him…"

"WHAT!" The startled question came from both Kenshin and Kaoru. Misao twirled a lock of hair around her thin figure nervously as the red headed stranger and his new partner in crime gawked at her.

After what seemed like an eternity of persuasion and the selling of the idea of marrying a complete stranger, Kaoru reluctantly agreed to not tell anyone. Somewhere down the line of begging, she gave in and allowed her friend to stay with the multimillionaire under the condition that she would call her if anything, and she meant ANYTHING, happened to go awry. Kaoru then squeezed her friend tightly and turned back to the expensive looking car. Misao smiled gratefully and leaned in towards Kenshin who had nodded for her to come closer the moment Kaoru pulled the car door shut.

"Just…be careful." It was a simple statement but Misao knew there was an underlying hint of something else; a fearful warning. But Misao knew what she was doing. Right?

A cloud of smoke colored dirt swirled around Misao's ankles as Kenshin and Kaoru took off down the hill and through the gates. The wedding planner didn't stop waving at the vehicle until it was well over the horizon. She then curled her arms around her body to block the chilly wind that had begun to stir up her body temperature without her knowing. With a soft sigh, she headed back inside the equally cold mansion that belonged to man that put the ice in…well…icy. She was sad to see her friend go. Kaoru had always been just a hop, skip, and jump away, but now…now Misao would have to travel a long ways to just spend some quality girl time with her. And for what? Romancing the thing upstairs? She sighed once more as she closed the giant doors behind her and soundly locked them.

"Who the hell are you?" Misao's knees locked in place as the firm voice in front of her sucked the adrenaline right out of her form and paralyzing her to the marbled floor. The man in front of her was quite the sight. He was slightly balding from age but only a few gray streaks highlighted his jet-black hair. An ebony pinstripe suit hung from his muscular form. Misao gulped as his bulging knuckles popped one after another. He was Italian in every stereotyped aspect. And it scared the shit out of Misao. An even larger man stood next to him in a simple three piece suit, his bright jade eyes being the only bit of color on him. He moved slightly when Misao's head popped up and a bright sparkle of silver caught her eye. Oh no…oh no no no no no no no.

"You're not my daughter, so I'll ask you one more time – who the hell are you?"