A/N: The world as the 'Group' knows it is about to change.
Chapter Five
The Somber Man's Lighthouse
Walking along the beach was much easier than traversing the narrow suffocating path had been, and the group made much better progress than before. They covered the two and a half mile distance in just a little over an hour, and as they rounded a sharp bend in the shoreline where it came up against the rising bluff, the dark silouette of the old abandoned Lighthouse loomed before them. They had finally reached their destination. Hackler's point stretched out from the bluff for about 700 yards or more and then it dropped off sharply ending at the waters edge. The lighthouse itself was situated on a small island made entirely of gray and black granite.
The island rose straight into the air for at least 150ft or more, and it was completely surrounded by jagged unscalable cliffs of razor sharp stones. On one side there was a long switch-back of wooden stairways that laced up the treacherous stone from base to top, and this was the only way up to the lighthouse for many years until the mid 1800's when an old iron and wood bridge that had been built from the bluff out to the island.
The Lighthouse had been built in the early 1800's by the fisherfolk who had made their lives from fishing these waters, and at that time, the great Lamp was lit with a huge oil cauldran surrounded by the huge reflective angled mirrors and glass. But then, during the late 1800's the oil was replaced by the electric light, and the power of the Lamp was increased by a hundred times.
The lighthouse had been built as far out onto the water as they could get it so that its beacon could be seen as far away as possible, and it was a well known historical fact in Evermore, that the lighthouse had saved many a fisherman and Navy man from peril with its great white lamp. There were stories that had been told and retold of how the massive lamp was said to have been able to pierce through even the thickest fog and shine through the worst storms and bring the men home safely. There had hardly been a ship or a man lost while the lighthouse was in operation. Because of its lonely location so faraway from town, and so far off shore, the lighthouse had been named 'Somber Man'. This was partly due to the fact that any man who was hired to tend the massive Lamp, was usually left alone for weeks on end. His only contact with the outside world were his monthly supply deliveries, and the occassional ship that dropped anchor. It was a terribly lonely job and dispite its obvious importance it was a difficult possition to keep filled.
Of course, it did not help matteres at all that the first man to ever operate the Lamp was rumored to have murdered his young mistress while in residence at 'Somber Man'. There had never been any actual proof provided against him because no body was ever found, but everyone had believed with a certainty that he had thrown her off the catwalk surrounding the Lamp. Only six months after the girl disappeared, the man had been found dead inside the Lamp itself. He was clutching an empty bottle of whiskey in one hand, a recently fired revolver in the other, and his bloody brains were splattered all over the new glass and floor. One of the expensive panes had been completely shattered by the bullet, but strangely enough, the bullet was never found.
It was generally believed that he had killed himself because he could no longer live with what he had done to the girl and so no investigation was ever established into his death. It had never occured to anyone how difficult it would be for a man to shoot himself in the exact middle of his own forhead using a revolver with a 10 inch barrel and being sloppy-assed drunk at the same time. They also never bothered to notice that the wound in his forhead was at least three times bigger than the one in the back of his head. Many, many things had been over looked for the sake of a simple open-and-shut case, but there were those who would not let what happened be forgotten so simply.
For over two hundred years, nearly every person who tried to man the post at 'Somber Man' had left for the exact same reason.
They swore it was haunted. There were a dozen and fifty-one different stories if there were two, but one had always stood out among all of the others.
The sounds of a furious argument could be heard in the very late hours of the night. The distinct voices of a man and woman were easily distinguishable amid the noises of a struggle and breaking glass. Then the unmistakeable sounds of running feet making a wild dash up the circular stairwell inside the tower coupled with ominous echoes of ragged frightened breathing were heard as someone desperately tried to find a place to hide or perhaps escape. But this mad flight was soon followed by a second pair of much heavier feet whose steps rang thunderously through the cavernous lighthouse until it seemed the stones themselves vibrated with their fury as they followed the first pair. What happened next would invariably send the occupant or occupants of 'Somber Man' screaming from the lighthouse, and then packing back to Evermore to hand in their resignation.
A frightened scream cut short, the sounds of a fierce scuffling, and then the door to the catwalk would slam open with such a force that the mirror panes in the Lamp would rattle. The squeaking and moaning of the wrought iron railing that surrounded the Lamp, a shout of rage, a strangled scream of terror... And then...
"No... Please, don't... please." A woman's pleading voice.
"It is too late for that, you little whore. Too late." The deep timbre of a man's drunken fury.
"No, it.. it's not too late... let me explain, please let me explain... please... wait."
"I am through waiting on you, Cassy. No more waiting... no more... Your whoring days are over, Bitch. It's time you met your maker."
"Please, Daniel... Listen to me... Dan..."
"Go to hell... and take your whore's lies with you."
"DANIEL! NO! WAIT!" The sounds of a short struggle would ensue, and then the night would be split by a blood chilling scream that dropped from the top of the tower and fell the full length of its side only to disappear somewhere out of hearing range. Then the night would become so deathly quiet those among the living could almost hear their own heart beats until the moment those hearts froze to stone within the fullness of a terror before unknown to them.
The shimmering apparition of a tall dark-haired man was walking down the circle-stairs with his head drooping down to his chest. His long black hair fell in an unruly mess over his forhead all but obscuring his face, but it was apparant he was quite good looking. The puffed-sleeve white shirt he wore was torn down the front revealing a chest that had been deeply scratched and gouged by what could have only been the woman's fingernails. As he rounded the last turn of the staircase, he stopped on the steps and reaching out a shaky hand, he tried to steady himself by placing it up against the cold stone of the tower wall.
"Oh Dear God..." His voice was filled with purest grief. "What have I done? What have I done?" Slowly he sank to the steps until he was sitting, and then leaned into the cold stone covering his face with trembling hands. "Cassy..." He began to cry like a small child. "What have I done to you, My Princess? Oh God... CASSY?!" And then, in the blink of an eye, the man who was called 'Daniel', would disappear.
"It looks creepy." Yahiko's voice was low and a little trepidacious dispite all of his recent bravado and claims of fearlessness.
"It's supposed to look creepy, stupid." Quii playfully shoved him to one side as she grinned into his pinched face. "It's haunted, remember?"
"I remember." He bit back in a tight voice. "And don't call me stupid. I don't like it."
"Your sister calls you 'stupid' all the time, so what is the big deal?"
"Th-that's different. She's my sister. You aren't even really my friend yet, so you don't have the right to call me anything. Ok?"
"Ok, fine... calm down. Sheesh, you don't have to get all tweaked out of joint you know. I didn't mean anything by it." Quii looked away feeling slightly embarrassed. "I was just fooling around with you anyway."
"Ok... but just don't call me 'stupid' any more, all right?"
"Whatever."
"What's going on over here?" Ruakii suddenly appeared at Quii's side with his face a mask of brotherly concern. "Is this little jerk giving you trouble Quii? I'll kick his ass if he so much as..."
"He didn't do anything, Ruakii, so chill out, Ok." Quii shoved her brother away from her and glared at him angrily as her level of embarrassment increased. "We were just talking about how creepy the lighthouse looks, that's all."
"You sure? Cause from where I was standing it looked like he was talking shit to you."
"Well, you are way off this time. He didn't say anything bad to me, so why don't you go crawl back in your hole and leave us alone, Ok?"
"Fine, whatever, but HE better behave while he's around you or ELSE." With one last glare in Yahiko's direction, Ruakii turned and walked back over to Tomoe and left the two younger kids alone again.
"Sorry about that. My brother can be a real dog sometimes."
"It's cool. At least he's looking out for you."
"Yeah... I guess. I just wish sometimes he'd look out for me somewhere else, you know. It's like I can't even breath without him looking down my throat."
"He's just keeping his responsibilities up to you, you know. He's your big brother, he's supposed to take care of you especially since you are a girl. It's just something brothers are supposed to do."
"Do you watch out for your sister?"
"I try, but..." His voice trailed off into silence and Yahiko stared out at the lighthouse with blank eyes.
"But what? What's the matter?"
"She won't let me do anything for her. At least not since our parents died. It's like she thinks she has to be the one whose responsible for everything and everybody. She treats me like I'm six years old or something. Sometimes, it really makes me crazy."
"I didn't know your parents were dead." Quii looked at the younger boy in sincere sympathy. "I'm really sorry, Yahiko. How did they die?"
"Our house burned down two years ago. They were trapped inside and never got out. The police said the fire was caused by a faulty gasline leaking gas into the internal furnace duct system. Once the gas reached the pilot light..." Yahiko paused and drew a ragged breath. "I remember my dad throwing me out of my bedroom window just before the furnace blew up."
"Oh my God..."
"The fire raced through the ducts like crazy... it was everywhere all at once. It was shooting out of the vents and catching everything on fire in everyroom in the house. The whole house was on fire in just a couple of seconds... there was no way for them to get out."
"You... You watched..."
"I watched my house burn down with my parents inside."
"Where was your sister? Where was Kaoru?"
"Sleeping over at a friends house. The police had to go and get her to tell her what happened. I can still see her... She was totally hysterical screaming and screaming and screaming. I have never seen Kaoru like that. She was always so happy and fun to be around. She hardly ever got mad or upset over anything. But, now everything is different."
"What do you mean, different?"
"She hardly ever smiles. She never laughs, and she cries a lot at night when she thinks I can't hear her. I know she misses Mom and Dad, but I miss them too. How come she took it so hard? Why isn't she getting better? It has been two years ago, and she seems to be getting sadder instead of better. I want to help her, but she won't let me do anything any more. She won't even talk to me about what happened any more. I just wish I understood why she has ended up the way she has. I really wish I did." His dark eyes instinctively moved until they found the slender form of his older sister. "But she won't tell me anything any more."
"I'm really sorry, Yahiko. I really am." Quii put a gentle hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "I promise I won't ever call you 'stupid' again, Ok? I promise."
"Thanks." He dropped his head and then looked up at her and smiled. "Will you hang with me tonight when we go 'in there'?"
"Sure. Come on. Let's go see what everybody is doing, Ok?"
"Cool, works for me." He turned to follow her lead, but then reached out and grabbed her by the arm. "Quii?"
"What?" She stopped and looked back at him.
"Thanks for listening... you know."
"Sure, kid. Not a problem." And with that, the two of them continued on until they joined the rest of the main group.
"All right, is everybody ready to go?" Sano was looking over the group and counting heads making sure that everyone had made it to the Point and that no one had gotten left behind.
"Of course, we are ready to go, Sagara. We have been ready to go for over an hour, you big dork. So why don't you quite all the jabber-jawing and just get going already."
"I have had enough of your shit, Saitou." Sano hissed in a dangerous voice. "If you want to try and make the walk over the bridge and stuff by yourself... be my fucking guest, otherwise, shut your mouth and let me do my job."
"YOUR JOB?" Ruakii burst out into rude snide laughter as he eyed the taller more slender Sanosuke. "Since when did leading this little expedition become your 'Job'? I don't remember us holding any kind of a vote and declaring you 'The Grand Pupa'."
"I'm the Leader because it was my idea to come, and because I'm the only one who know's the way, you braying ass. So if you think you can get out to the lighthouse by yourself... go ahead... PLEASE."
Ruakii became quiet for a moment and then tried to save face by meandering nonchalantly past Sano in the general direction of the cliff edge. "Fine," He said amiably. "Show where the bridge is... and I will."
"No." Sano's voice was stiff.
"What do you mean, 'No'?"
"Because, Saitou. Even though you are a royal pain in the ass... and even though I told you to go... I can't let you do it."
"Why not?" Ruakii walked back to Sano and looked at him in frustrated confusion. "What's up your butt now?"
"Nothing, Ruakii, he just does not want to be responsible for you and Tomoe either getting lost or getting hurt." Kenshin suddenly materialized out of the dark and appeared next to Sano's shoulder. His face was a calm mask of cold dislike. "So, why don't you stop thinking about padding your own ego, and start thinking about the possible danger you could be putting yourself and Tomoe in... I assume from what happened earlier that you would be taking her WITH you... Yes?"
"You talk to much, Himura." Ruakii growled in a low embarrassed voice as he took a threatening step towards Kenshin. "One of these days I'm going to shut your mouth for you."
"I look forward to it." Kenshin's voice took on a deadly calm as he met the murderous gleam in Ruakii's eyes. "I hope you give me a better fight than you did during Kata finals... I did not even hardly break a sweat defeating you then."
"Damn you to Hell, Himura." Ruakii's voice dipped even lower to an evil hiss of pure hatred. "I hope somebody breaks your fucking holier-than-thou neck one of these days... and I hope that somebody is me. I want to watch them carry you away in a bodybag."
"You know what they say, Ruakii..." Kenshin's eyes narrowed, and even in the eerie semi-darness, when they changed to a glittering golden-amber, it was unmistakable.
"What?" 'Holy... Did his eyes just change color? I've never seen them do that before.' The hackles on the back of Ruakii's neck raised in defensive response to the uncomfortable feeling that raced across his nerve endings.
"Be careful what you wish for... " The statement was in reference to an old mythical warning about making wishes for the wrong things, but there was an implied threat behind Kenshin's words that had Ruakii's heart thundering to an alarming speed as its meaning hit home to him.
"Don't fuck with me, Himura."
"Then don't make foolish idle threats, Ruakii. Not unless you are prepared to carry them out." Kenshin took one step towards the now alarmed Ruakii. "If you are not prepared to meet the promise of your own words, do not speak them. You are not as good as I am, and we both know that. The only way you could ever beat me is if you cheated or caught me off guard... And that would make you nothing more than a coward." One more step brought him right up to the other boy, and Kenshin sneered into his pail wide-eyed face. "I never thought of you as a coward before, Ruakii. Are you a coward? Would you sucker-punch me from the back just to beat me? Would you?"
Ruakii tried to meet the fierceness of the strange golden gaze for as long as he could, but found to his shame, he could not hold the look for longer than a few short seconds. Dropping his head, he slowly shook it in answer to Kenshin's question. No, he was not a coward.
"Good. I really did not think so. So why don't you stop all this 'Top Cock' bullshit, and just try to get along with people for once in your life. It would make everything a whole lot easier on everybody... including you."
"Yeah, whatever." Ruakii looked away and swallowed hard against the lump of fear that had somehow congealed in his throat when he had looked into those strange eyes. 'How did he do that?' He wondered as he dwelled on the bazaar phenomenon. 'He's never done THAT before that I know of. But I know I saw what I saw, and it scared the shit out of me.' Ruakii looked back and warily watched as Kenshin exchanged a few short words with Sano, and then walked back to his place in the small group he had been walking with all night. A nervous knot suddenly clenched tightly inside his stomach.
Quii had been walking with Himura all night. 'Shit'. Suddenly Ruakii felt very inadequate.
It did not take very long after the altercation between Sano, Ruakii, and Kenshin before Sano was gingerly leading the group along the edge of the bluff. The drop down to ocean had increased from the sandy beach to one of about 50-75 feet, and it was straight down.
"Everybody be careful, Ok. The wind can pick up real unexpected, so stay alert. I don't want anybody get swept or pulled over the edge."
"Great..." Misao muttered as she looked warily over the edge and took in the crashing waves far below. "Just what I always wanted... to go hiking at night in the pitch black, on the edge of a cliff, with the possibility of getting sucked over the side by wind surf."
"Do not worry, Misao." A strong warm hand reached back and took ahold of first her wrist and then wrapped around her slender fingers. "I will look out for you, and I promise that while you are under my watchful eyes, you will not come to harm."
"Ooh..." Misao turned and looked into the handsome but ever serious face of Aoshi Shinomori, and her knees felt like they were going to turn to water. "Thanks... Aoshi, but you don't have to do that." 'WHAT AM I SAYING???"
"I realize that, Misao, but I would be very upset if something happened to you when I know I might have been able to prevent it, so, if you will allow me... please, I would like to be your partner tonight while we go through this... ah, little adventure."
"Ok." 'Is THAT all you have to say??' Misao mentally slapped herself for not saying something grand or sweet or... just something. But it did not seem to matter to Aoshi. He simply nodded and pulled her closer to his side as his hand closed more tightly around hers. Misao was in heaven.
"Wow! This has got to be like the wierdest night in the entire universe." Quii's thin voice was filled with amused bewilderment.
"Why do you say that?" Kaoru moved up next to her and looked at the younger girls smile of uncertainty.
"Everybody is pairing up... and the 'pairs' are not anybody I would have EVER put together. I mean, look at them." She pointed ahead of them at the three couples that were walking slowly along the edge of the bluff holding hands. "There's Sanosuke Sagara and Megumi Takani, My brother and The Mouse-girl, and now there is Misao and that strange Shinomori guy. None of those pairs make any sense at all. They really don't."
"Well, I cannot really agree with you because I do not know any of them very well, but it is very odd how they are all ending up in couples... like you said. Maybe it is something in the stars... you know, cosmic destiny or something." Kaoru looked up into the tiny twinkling lights high in the midnight sky and sighed. That was something her Mother used to say to her all the time.
"You can see your entire life in the stars, Tanuki, if you know where to look. It is all right there... your birth, your life, your death. All of it."
"What about Love, Mum? Is the boy I'm going to Love up there too?"
"Of course he is, sweetling. And your children too."
"Children? You mean babies and stuff?"
"Yes, Baby... I mean YOUR babies and stuff."
"Wow!"
But Kaoru could not see anything up there any more. No matter how hard she tried to find the flowing string of her life links, there just was not anything there. She was all alone.
"That is a romantic thought, Kaoru. Maybe you are right." Quii turned her yellow eyes up to the sky and gazed at the stars with Kaoru. "It is certainly the right night for it."
"That it is." The gentle rolling tenor of Kenshin's voice interrupted the girls star-gazing, and they both jerked around to find him standing right next to him. "Oops, sorry." He smiled apologetically. "Did not mean to startle you. That I did not. Are you two ready to go. It would appear everyone is leaving without you, and Sano says the bridge is not faraway now." He pointed off to his right and Quii and Kaoru saw that he was right. Everyone was indeed moving on without them. "Yahiko and I thought we better come back for you two... It would not due for either one of you to get lost just now. It's getting really cold, and it seems to be getting darker so..."
"Mr. Himura's trying to say that we came back to get you guys before you got scared or tripped out or something." Yahiko bounced up and down with a big grin on his face as Kenshin glared mild daggers at him.
"Thanks brat. I think I was making myself quite clear without your assistance."
"Sure you were... you were just taking waaaaaay too long."
"Fine." Kenshin ruffled the younger boys hair in playful indulgence. "Then you take Quii and get moving, and I will escort your sister, Ok?"
"Ok. Quii and I had already decided we were going to go together anyways... So would have gotten stuck with the 'Tanuki' anyway."
"The 'Tanuki'?" Kenshin looked at Yahiko in confusion.
"Yeah, that's her nick-name. Tanuki, it means..."
"I know what it means. Why do you call her THAT?"
"Yahiko..." Kaoru's voice rose threateningly, but Yahiko ignored her and continued.
"'Cause our Dad always said she looked like a big Racoon first thing in the morning when she woke up with all that mascara-crap under her eyes. You know, the big black eyes." He was laughing as he made big circles around his eyes with his fingers. Kaoru groaned.
"Yes, Ok... I get it. Now get out of here kid. You are really getting on my nerves." Kenshin smiled wickedly at the guffawing 13 year old and shoved him ahead of himself and the obviously embarrassed girl. "You two be careful, all right?"
"Yeah, ok. No sweat Mr. Himura."
"Little demon-spawn." Kenshin mumbled to himself as he wondered what he could say to Kaoru that could possibly make her feel better.
"You have no idea." Her voice was limp with defeat and resignation. "I cannot take him anywhere that he doesn't humiliate me."
"I would not exactly call 'this' humiliation... but he does need to learn to stop making you look foolish in front of other people." Kenshin motioned for Kaoru to come with him, and they started to follow the rest of the group bringing up the rear. "Why does he do that? Do you know?"
"I'm not really sure? I... I think he hates me if you want to know the truth."
"Why would you say that??" Kenshin looked at Kaoru sharply as he asked that surprised question.
"I... I guess because... I'm not Mom and Dad." Her voice was the saddest thing Kenshin had ever heard, and he had to look away so she would not see the effect her words had on him.
"How long have they been gone?" He asked gently.
"Two years in November."
"You mean next month?
"Yes."
"I'm sorry. We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to."
"It's Ok. You were just asking why my brother is such a little jerk to me, and I was trying to answer. It is not a big deal."
"It does not sound like 'its not a big deal', Kaoru. It sounds like 'it's a very big deal', and I feel bad I brought it up. I'm sorry."
"No, really. It's Ok. I am supposed to be getting used to it by now. That they are gone... my parents, you know. I'm supposed to be getting used to their being gone..."
"It does not sound like you are." He cast a worried look at her pale profile, and wondered what was going on in her head.
"You are right... I am not." Kaoru breathed a shaky sigh, and then lifted her head and looked at him. "I need to say something to you, but it is sort of hard for me... but it's important that I say it. Ok?"
"All right. I do not know what you think you need to say, but I am listening... take your time. We have all night." A gentle smile touched his lips and Kaoru felt a shiver of... What? travel up her spine.
"It is about what happened earlier... while we were still on Campus. You know, by the stream?"
"You mean tonight?"
"Yes, tonight."
"All right," He was still not following her, but continued to give her his full attention.
"I was really... I should not have... I said..."
"Hey, Kaoru," Kenshin reached out and tenderly took ahold of her cold hand and squeezed it gently. "It's Ok... calm down. I am NOT going to bite you. Whatever else you might think of me, I am not going to do anything to YOU. I promise you that. You are completely safe with me. I swear it."
Her large round eyes looked searchingly into his earnest face, and Kaoru remembered what she had seen earlier and what she had thought. The look was there again, only this time it was not going away so quickly as it had before. She could see Kenshin's aching heart crying out in pain from the depths of his beautiful eyes, and the sight of it made her want to cry. In a very strange way, he looked like a small lost little boy.
"I am really sorry for what I said about you making me nervous because of all the stuff I have heard about you..." It all came out in one ragged rushed sentance, and once it was out, Kaoru drew a deep breath of relief and dropped her eyes. "I should not have behaved that way... I mean, I did not even know you. I had never met you or anything, and I was judging you by what other people had been telling me about you. I... I'm really sorry. I know I hurt your feelings, and I am really sorry for that. I really am."
They walked along in total silence for several minutes before Kenshin said anything to her about her heart-felt apology. "You do not have to apologize to me, Kaoru. It is not necessary."
"Why not? I did something I am very ashamed of, and I needed to tell you I was sorry."
"I understand what you are saying, but... an apology is not necessary." His voice was calm, quiet, and very flat. Kaoru was totally confused and a little bit angry.
"I don't know what kind of a game you are trying to play with me, Kenshin, but whatever it is, I don't like it."
"I am not playing any game." He bit out through clenched teeth, and felt her stiffen beside him. 'Dammit! Calm down Himura.' He berated himself. "What I am trying to say is... No one ever apologizes to me... I am not really worth it. I don't notice things anymore... Not really anyway, and what you think you did really did not bother me as much as you think it did." 'You have learned to lie so much better than you used to, Himura. One day perhaps you should try acting. You would be damn good at it.' "It is not a big deal, Ok? So, just forget it. I already have." He tried to smile at her but failed miserably and found himself facing forward desperately looking for Sano's back.
"Ok. If that is how you feel about it. But just for the record," Kaoru reached over with her free hand and tugged on his jacket making him look at her. "I think you are worth more than you think you are. And whether you want my apology or not... You got it, and that is just the way it is." Then, as her head dropped slightly and she became quiet, Kenshin felt her hand tighten around his.
"Kaoru?" His voice was low and a little tremulous.
"What?" She answered and looked over at him. He was looking at the ground in front of them as they walked.
"I meant what I said before... about you being safe with me. I would never do anything to hurt you or put you in danger. I would always keep you safe."
"I believe you, Kenshin. I am not sure why, especially since I really do not know anything about you, but I believe you."
"I won't let anything happen to you, Tanuki." He whispered as he met her eyes for a long moment. "I promise."
"Hey, you guys. We made it!" The loud over exuberant voice of Sano Sagara split the peaceful quiet of the night, and broke the moment of connection between Kenshin and Kaoru. "Here is the gate to the bridge. I need somebody to come and help me pull it open."
"Why?" Kenshin asked loudly. "What is wrong with it?"
"Feels like it's rusted shut or something. Can you give me a hand, Buddy?"
"Sure, hang on. I'm on my way." He looked at Kaoru for a quick moment and his eyes told her he would be right back, then he jogged up to the front of the line and joined Sano at the old iron gate. A great creaking and tearing noise could be heard coupled with the grunts and groans of the two boys as they struggled to pry the old gate open.
CRRREEEAAACCCKKKK!!
Suddenly the old rusted iron gave way and the gate opened beneath the pressure of Kenshin and Sano's combined efforts. They yanked on it until it was open far enough for a human form to squeeze through.
"That ought to do it." Sano sounded more than a little triumphant as he smacked Kenshin on the back. "Thanks, Bud."
"Sure, Sano." Kenshin quelled the temptation to smack Sano back knowing that if he did, they would be picking the taller boy up off the ground, and he did not want to make him look too bad in front of Megumi.
"Let's go. Gotta go single file through the gate, but we can go doubles up the bridge." He held his hand out for Megumi who grasped it eagerly and stepped to his side. "But watch yourselves. The bottem of the bridge is made of wooden planks. Some might be rotten, so go slow and feel 'em out before you step on 'em." As he finished speaking, he gently pulled Megumi behind him and entered the gate.
Behind him entered Ruakii and Tomoe closely followed by Aoshi and Misao. Then Yahiko and Quii slipped through. Only Kenshin and Kaoru were left standing on the bluff waiting to go through.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked her in a quiet odd sounding voice. "We can still go back if you want to."
"No. I have to go. Yahiko is out there, and I cannot leave him here alone." Her large dark eyes rose and looked into his concerned face, and then she watched as he held his hand out to her.
"Ok, then... Let's go before we get completely left behind." He waited patiently while she considered his hand for a long drawn out second or two, and then she reached out and accepted it.
Kaoru shivered with a strange nervousness as she felt Kenshin's warm slender fingers close firmly around her's and then pull her next to him. His face was close to her's and she could almost see the deep violet of his eyes as they caressed her face.
"I promise, nothing will happen to you." He whispered softly as he leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers for a moment. "I promise you, Kaoru. I will keep you safe."
"I know you will." She whispered back and found herself pressing her head against his in response to his unfamiliar contact. "I trust you, Kenshin."
"Come on." And he pulled her gently behind him as they slipped soundlessly through the old rusted gate and began to slowly walk along the aged bridge. "Walk closer to the outside edge. The wood will be stronger there than in the middle."
"Ok." It took about ten minutes to cross the bridge, and not once in that entire time did Kenshin loosen his grip on Kaoru's hand. He was there to steady her each time her footing faultered, and by the time they reached the otherside, she was more or less permanently attached to his left side.
"Took you guys long enough." Sano complained. "Everything all right?"
"Yes. Everything is fine. I just took my time, Sano. I wanted to make sure WE made it over in one piece."
"WE all made it over in one piece, and NONE of us went as slow as you, Himura." Sano leaned over to Kenshin and gave him a wicked wink. "You sure that was the only reason you were walking so slow?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Kaoru moved closer to Kenshin's side as she quipped the tremulous jibe in Sano's direction. As a result, every single person in the group turned and looked at her with gapping mouths and shocked eyes.
"Kaoru?!" Yahiko stared at her in astonishment. "You didn't...?"
"Wouldn't you like to know, you little squid?" She purred at his stunned look, and was satisfied to see him clamp his mouth shut in embarrassment. "Didn't think so."
"You sure you know what you are doing, Tanuki?" Kenshin's voice was low and filled with humor. "You could be playing with dynamite, you know."
"I don't care. I'm tired of everybody getting off at my exspense all of the time. Sometimes I just... " Her whole body stiffened as she struggled to find the words she wanted.
"Get pissed off?" He supplied.
"Yes. Exactly. I don't usually ever say anything, but sometimes..."
"It just happens?"
"Yes. It just happens. Which is not a very good thing."
"Why not? I thought it was stellar." He was laughing and it made her smile.
"Because it usually gets me into a lot of trouble."
"Well, do not worry about that anymore, Tanuki. You have me to protect you now, and I will not let ANYONE get close enough to you to do ANYTHING about it. Got it?" He pulled her hand up under his arm so he could hold it against his chest as he grinned into her face.
"Got it." She leaned into him enough to rest her chin on the edge of his shoulder, and then closed her eyes and soaked up the fact that holding his hand felt really good.
"Pssst, you sleeping?" The teasing sound to his voice brought an excited little tingle to her cheek where his breath fanned her face.
"No." She replied quietly and opened her eyes only to find his face a mere inch away from hers. Kaoru felt the immediate pull of chemical magnetism on her senses as she was captured and held firmly in the intense gaze of his eyes. Dispite her usual conservative-primeness, her breath started to come in short sharp little gasps, and her heart began doing wild flip-flops in her breast. "God, your gorgeous." She whispered without realizing she had even said anything.
"You think so?" He asked in a husky emotion filled voice.
"Uh-huh." She breathed into the open proximity of his parted lips.
"Thanks, but I look like yesterday's garbage compared to you." He dipped his head a fraction more and rubbed his cold nose against hers. "You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my whole life."
"You think so?" Her voice was thick and he could feel her trembling against him.
"Uh-huh. I think so. You look like an Angel, Kaoru."
"Oh." Her eyes closed again and she moved so she could bury her face against the warmth of his throat, and Kenshin released her hand so he could wrap his arms around her pulling her close to him. It was a brief embrace, but it was full of very important meaning for both of them.
Kaoru found a place where she felt safe again.
Kenshin found something that was more important than his own private pain.
And together, they found a place where they could both start over.
*** This is it until after Christmas gets done and over. Hope everyone has a Great Holiday season.
Tsuki-san.
And, as always, take care and God bless.
Please read and review.
Chapter Five
The Somber Man's Lighthouse
Walking along the beach was much easier than traversing the narrow suffocating path had been, and the group made much better progress than before. They covered the two and a half mile distance in just a little over an hour, and as they rounded a sharp bend in the shoreline where it came up against the rising bluff, the dark silouette of the old abandoned Lighthouse loomed before them. They had finally reached their destination. Hackler's point stretched out from the bluff for about 700 yards or more and then it dropped off sharply ending at the waters edge. The lighthouse itself was situated on a small island made entirely of gray and black granite.
The island rose straight into the air for at least 150ft or more, and it was completely surrounded by jagged unscalable cliffs of razor sharp stones. On one side there was a long switch-back of wooden stairways that laced up the treacherous stone from base to top, and this was the only way up to the lighthouse for many years until the mid 1800's when an old iron and wood bridge that had been built from the bluff out to the island.
The Lighthouse had been built in the early 1800's by the fisherfolk who had made their lives from fishing these waters, and at that time, the great Lamp was lit with a huge oil cauldran surrounded by the huge reflective angled mirrors and glass. But then, during the late 1800's the oil was replaced by the electric light, and the power of the Lamp was increased by a hundred times.
The lighthouse had been built as far out onto the water as they could get it so that its beacon could be seen as far away as possible, and it was a well known historical fact in Evermore, that the lighthouse had saved many a fisherman and Navy man from peril with its great white lamp. There were stories that had been told and retold of how the massive lamp was said to have been able to pierce through even the thickest fog and shine through the worst storms and bring the men home safely. There had hardly been a ship or a man lost while the lighthouse was in operation. Because of its lonely location so faraway from town, and so far off shore, the lighthouse had been named 'Somber Man'. This was partly due to the fact that any man who was hired to tend the massive Lamp, was usually left alone for weeks on end. His only contact with the outside world were his monthly supply deliveries, and the occassional ship that dropped anchor. It was a terribly lonely job and dispite its obvious importance it was a difficult possition to keep filled.
Of course, it did not help matteres at all that the first man to ever operate the Lamp was rumored to have murdered his young mistress while in residence at 'Somber Man'. There had never been any actual proof provided against him because no body was ever found, but everyone had believed with a certainty that he had thrown her off the catwalk surrounding the Lamp. Only six months after the girl disappeared, the man had been found dead inside the Lamp itself. He was clutching an empty bottle of whiskey in one hand, a recently fired revolver in the other, and his bloody brains were splattered all over the new glass and floor. One of the expensive panes had been completely shattered by the bullet, but strangely enough, the bullet was never found.
It was generally believed that he had killed himself because he could no longer live with what he had done to the girl and so no investigation was ever established into his death. It had never occured to anyone how difficult it would be for a man to shoot himself in the exact middle of his own forhead using a revolver with a 10 inch barrel and being sloppy-assed drunk at the same time. They also never bothered to notice that the wound in his forhead was at least three times bigger than the one in the back of his head. Many, many things had been over looked for the sake of a simple open-and-shut case, but there were those who would not let what happened be forgotten so simply.
For over two hundred years, nearly every person who tried to man the post at 'Somber Man' had left for the exact same reason.
They swore it was haunted. There were a dozen and fifty-one different stories if there were two, but one had always stood out among all of the others.
The sounds of a furious argument could be heard in the very late hours of the night. The distinct voices of a man and woman were easily distinguishable amid the noises of a struggle and breaking glass. Then the unmistakeable sounds of running feet making a wild dash up the circular stairwell inside the tower coupled with ominous echoes of ragged frightened breathing were heard as someone desperately tried to find a place to hide or perhaps escape. But this mad flight was soon followed by a second pair of much heavier feet whose steps rang thunderously through the cavernous lighthouse until it seemed the stones themselves vibrated with their fury as they followed the first pair. What happened next would invariably send the occupant or occupants of 'Somber Man' screaming from the lighthouse, and then packing back to Evermore to hand in their resignation.
A frightened scream cut short, the sounds of a fierce scuffling, and then the door to the catwalk would slam open with such a force that the mirror panes in the Lamp would rattle. The squeaking and moaning of the wrought iron railing that surrounded the Lamp, a shout of rage, a strangled scream of terror... And then...
"No... Please, don't... please." A woman's pleading voice.
"It is too late for that, you little whore. Too late." The deep timbre of a man's drunken fury.
"No, it.. it's not too late... let me explain, please let me explain... please... wait."
"I am through waiting on you, Cassy. No more waiting... no more... Your whoring days are over, Bitch. It's time you met your maker."
"Please, Daniel... Listen to me... Dan..."
"Go to hell... and take your whore's lies with you."
"DANIEL! NO! WAIT!" The sounds of a short struggle would ensue, and then the night would be split by a blood chilling scream that dropped from the top of the tower and fell the full length of its side only to disappear somewhere out of hearing range. Then the night would become so deathly quiet those among the living could almost hear their own heart beats until the moment those hearts froze to stone within the fullness of a terror before unknown to them.
The shimmering apparition of a tall dark-haired man was walking down the circle-stairs with his head drooping down to his chest. His long black hair fell in an unruly mess over his forhead all but obscuring his face, but it was apparant he was quite good looking. The puffed-sleeve white shirt he wore was torn down the front revealing a chest that had been deeply scratched and gouged by what could have only been the woman's fingernails. As he rounded the last turn of the staircase, he stopped on the steps and reaching out a shaky hand, he tried to steady himself by placing it up against the cold stone of the tower wall.
"Oh Dear God..." His voice was filled with purest grief. "What have I done? What have I done?" Slowly he sank to the steps until he was sitting, and then leaned into the cold stone covering his face with trembling hands. "Cassy..." He began to cry like a small child. "What have I done to you, My Princess? Oh God... CASSY?!" And then, in the blink of an eye, the man who was called 'Daniel', would disappear.
"It looks creepy." Yahiko's voice was low and a little trepidacious dispite all of his recent bravado and claims of fearlessness.
"It's supposed to look creepy, stupid." Quii playfully shoved him to one side as she grinned into his pinched face. "It's haunted, remember?"
"I remember." He bit back in a tight voice. "And don't call me stupid. I don't like it."
"Your sister calls you 'stupid' all the time, so what is the big deal?"
"Th-that's different. She's my sister. You aren't even really my friend yet, so you don't have the right to call me anything. Ok?"
"Ok, fine... calm down. Sheesh, you don't have to get all tweaked out of joint you know. I didn't mean anything by it." Quii looked away feeling slightly embarrassed. "I was just fooling around with you anyway."
"Ok... but just don't call me 'stupid' any more, all right?"
"Whatever."
"What's going on over here?" Ruakii suddenly appeared at Quii's side with his face a mask of brotherly concern. "Is this little jerk giving you trouble Quii? I'll kick his ass if he so much as..."
"He didn't do anything, Ruakii, so chill out, Ok." Quii shoved her brother away from her and glared at him angrily as her level of embarrassment increased. "We were just talking about how creepy the lighthouse looks, that's all."
"You sure? Cause from where I was standing it looked like he was talking shit to you."
"Well, you are way off this time. He didn't say anything bad to me, so why don't you go crawl back in your hole and leave us alone, Ok?"
"Fine, whatever, but HE better behave while he's around you or ELSE." With one last glare in Yahiko's direction, Ruakii turned and walked back over to Tomoe and left the two younger kids alone again.
"Sorry about that. My brother can be a real dog sometimes."
"It's cool. At least he's looking out for you."
"Yeah... I guess. I just wish sometimes he'd look out for me somewhere else, you know. It's like I can't even breath without him looking down my throat."
"He's just keeping his responsibilities up to you, you know. He's your big brother, he's supposed to take care of you especially since you are a girl. It's just something brothers are supposed to do."
"Do you watch out for your sister?"
"I try, but..." His voice trailed off into silence and Yahiko stared out at the lighthouse with blank eyes.
"But what? What's the matter?"
"She won't let me do anything for her. At least not since our parents died. It's like she thinks she has to be the one whose responsible for everything and everybody. She treats me like I'm six years old or something. Sometimes, it really makes me crazy."
"I didn't know your parents were dead." Quii looked at the younger boy in sincere sympathy. "I'm really sorry, Yahiko. How did they die?"
"Our house burned down two years ago. They were trapped inside and never got out. The police said the fire was caused by a faulty gasline leaking gas into the internal furnace duct system. Once the gas reached the pilot light..." Yahiko paused and drew a ragged breath. "I remember my dad throwing me out of my bedroom window just before the furnace blew up."
"Oh my God..."
"The fire raced through the ducts like crazy... it was everywhere all at once. It was shooting out of the vents and catching everything on fire in everyroom in the house. The whole house was on fire in just a couple of seconds... there was no way for them to get out."
"You... You watched..."
"I watched my house burn down with my parents inside."
"Where was your sister? Where was Kaoru?"
"Sleeping over at a friends house. The police had to go and get her to tell her what happened. I can still see her... She was totally hysterical screaming and screaming and screaming. I have never seen Kaoru like that. She was always so happy and fun to be around. She hardly ever got mad or upset over anything. But, now everything is different."
"What do you mean, different?"
"She hardly ever smiles. She never laughs, and she cries a lot at night when she thinks I can't hear her. I know she misses Mom and Dad, but I miss them too. How come she took it so hard? Why isn't she getting better? It has been two years ago, and she seems to be getting sadder instead of better. I want to help her, but she won't let me do anything any more. She won't even talk to me about what happened any more. I just wish I understood why she has ended up the way she has. I really wish I did." His dark eyes instinctively moved until they found the slender form of his older sister. "But she won't tell me anything any more."
"I'm really sorry, Yahiko. I really am." Quii put a gentle hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "I promise I won't ever call you 'stupid' again, Ok? I promise."
"Thanks." He dropped his head and then looked up at her and smiled. "Will you hang with me tonight when we go 'in there'?"
"Sure. Come on. Let's go see what everybody is doing, Ok?"
"Cool, works for me." He turned to follow her lead, but then reached out and grabbed her by the arm. "Quii?"
"What?" She stopped and looked back at him.
"Thanks for listening... you know."
"Sure, kid. Not a problem." And with that, the two of them continued on until they joined the rest of the main group.
"All right, is everybody ready to go?" Sano was looking over the group and counting heads making sure that everyone had made it to the Point and that no one had gotten left behind.
"Of course, we are ready to go, Sagara. We have been ready to go for over an hour, you big dork. So why don't you quite all the jabber-jawing and just get going already."
"I have had enough of your shit, Saitou." Sano hissed in a dangerous voice. "If you want to try and make the walk over the bridge and stuff by yourself... be my fucking guest, otherwise, shut your mouth and let me do my job."
"YOUR JOB?" Ruakii burst out into rude snide laughter as he eyed the taller more slender Sanosuke. "Since when did leading this little expedition become your 'Job'? I don't remember us holding any kind of a vote and declaring you 'The Grand Pupa'."
"I'm the Leader because it was my idea to come, and because I'm the only one who know's the way, you braying ass. So if you think you can get out to the lighthouse by yourself... go ahead... PLEASE."
Ruakii became quiet for a moment and then tried to save face by meandering nonchalantly past Sano in the general direction of the cliff edge. "Fine," He said amiably. "Show where the bridge is... and I will."
"No." Sano's voice was stiff.
"What do you mean, 'No'?"
"Because, Saitou. Even though you are a royal pain in the ass... and even though I told you to go... I can't let you do it."
"Why not?" Ruakii walked back to Sano and looked at him in frustrated confusion. "What's up your butt now?"
"Nothing, Ruakii, he just does not want to be responsible for you and Tomoe either getting lost or getting hurt." Kenshin suddenly materialized out of the dark and appeared next to Sano's shoulder. His face was a calm mask of cold dislike. "So, why don't you stop thinking about padding your own ego, and start thinking about the possible danger you could be putting yourself and Tomoe in... I assume from what happened earlier that you would be taking her WITH you... Yes?"
"You talk to much, Himura." Ruakii growled in a low embarrassed voice as he took a threatening step towards Kenshin. "One of these days I'm going to shut your mouth for you."
"I look forward to it." Kenshin's voice took on a deadly calm as he met the murderous gleam in Ruakii's eyes. "I hope you give me a better fight than you did during Kata finals... I did not even hardly break a sweat defeating you then."
"Damn you to Hell, Himura." Ruakii's voice dipped even lower to an evil hiss of pure hatred. "I hope somebody breaks your fucking holier-than-thou neck one of these days... and I hope that somebody is me. I want to watch them carry you away in a bodybag."
"You know what they say, Ruakii..." Kenshin's eyes narrowed, and even in the eerie semi-darness, when they changed to a glittering golden-amber, it was unmistakable.
"What?" 'Holy... Did his eyes just change color? I've never seen them do that before.' The hackles on the back of Ruakii's neck raised in defensive response to the uncomfortable feeling that raced across his nerve endings.
"Be careful what you wish for... " The statement was in reference to an old mythical warning about making wishes for the wrong things, but there was an implied threat behind Kenshin's words that had Ruakii's heart thundering to an alarming speed as its meaning hit home to him.
"Don't fuck with me, Himura."
"Then don't make foolish idle threats, Ruakii. Not unless you are prepared to carry them out." Kenshin took one step towards the now alarmed Ruakii. "If you are not prepared to meet the promise of your own words, do not speak them. You are not as good as I am, and we both know that. The only way you could ever beat me is if you cheated or caught me off guard... And that would make you nothing more than a coward." One more step brought him right up to the other boy, and Kenshin sneered into his pail wide-eyed face. "I never thought of you as a coward before, Ruakii. Are you a coward? Would you sucker-punch me from the back just to beat me? Would you?"
Ruakii tried to meet the fierceness of the strange golden gaze for as long as he could, but found to his shame, he could not hold the look for longer than a few short seconds. Dropping his head, he slowly shook it in answer to Kenshin's question. No, he was not a coward.
"Good. I really did not think so. So why don't you stop all this 'Top Cock' bullshit, and just try to get along with people for once in your life. It would make everything a whole lot easier on everybody... including you."
"Yeah, whatever." Ruakii looked away and swallowed hard against the lump of fear that had somehow congealed in his throat when he had looked into those strange eyes. 'How did he do that?' He wondered as he dwelled on the bazaar phenomenon. 'He's never done THAT before that I know of. But I know I saw what I saw, and it scared the shit out of me.' Ruakii looked back and warily watched as Kenshin exchanged a few short words with Sano, and then walked back to his place in the small group he had been walking with all night. A nervous knot suddenly clenched tightly inside his stomach.
Quii had been walking with Himura all night. 'Shit'. Suddenly Ruakii felt very inadequate.
It did not take very long after the altercation between Sano, Ruakii, and Kenshin before Sano was gingerly leading the group along the edge of the bluff. The drop down to ocean had increased from the sandy beach to one of about 50-75 feet, and it was straight down.
"Everybody be careful, Ok. The wind can pick up real unexpected, so stay alert. I don't want anybody get swept or pulled over the edge."
"Great..." Misao muttered as she looked warily over the edge and took in the crashing waves far below. "Just what I always wanted... to go hiking at night in the pitch black, on the edge of a cliff, with the possibility of getting sucked over the side by wind surf."
"Do not worry, Misao." A strong warm hand reached back and took ahold of first her wrist and then wrapped around her slender fingers. "I will look out for you, and I promise that while you are under my watchful eyes, you will not come to harm."
"Ooh..." Misao turned and looked into the handsome but ever serious face of Aoshi Shinomori, and her knees felt like they were going to turn to water. "Thanks... Aoshi, but you don't have to do that." 'WHAT AM I SAYING???"
"I realize that, Misao, but I would be very upset if something happened to you when I know I might have been able to prevent it, so, if you will allow me... please, I would like to be your partner tonight while we go through this... ah, little adventure."
"Ok." 'Is THAT all you have to say??' Misao mentally slapped herself for not saying something grand or sweet or... just something. But it did not seem to matter to Aoshi. He simply nodded and pulled her closer to his side as his hand closed more tightly around hers. Misao was in heaven.
"Wow! This has got to be like the wierdest night in the entire universe." Quii's thin voice was filled with amused bewilderment.
"Why do you say that?" Kaoru moved up next to her and looked at the younger girls smile of uncertainty.
"Everybody is pairing up... and the 'pairs' are not anybody I would have EVER put together. I mean, look at them." She pointed ahead of them at the three couples that were walking slowly along the edge of the bluff holding hands. "There's Sanosuke Sagara and Megumi Takani, My brother and The Mouse-girl, and now there is Misao and that strange Shinomori guy. None of those pairs make any sense at all. They really don't."
"Well, I cannot really agree with you because I do not know any of them very well, but it is very odd how they are all ending up in couples... like you said. Maybe it is something in the stars... you know, cosmic destiny or something." Kaoru looked up into the tiny twinkling lights high in the midnight sky and sighed. That was something her Mother used to say to her all the time.
"You can see your entire life in the stars, Tanuki, if you know where to look. It is all right there... your birth, your life, your death. All of it."
"What about Love, Mum? Is the boy I'm going to Love up there too?"
"Of course he is, sweetling. And your children too."
"Children? You mean babies and stuff?"
"Yes, Baby... I mean YOUR babies and stuff."
"Wow!"
But Kaoru could not see anything up there any more. No matter how hard she tried to find the flowing string of her life links, there just was not anything there. She was all alone.
"That is a romantic thought, Kaoru. Maybe you are right." Quii turned her yellow eyes up to the sky and gazed at the stars with Kaoru. "It is certainly the right night for it."
"That it is." The gentle rolling tenor of Kenshin's voice interrupted the girls star-gazing, and they both jerked around to find him standing right next to him. "Oops, sorry." He smiled apologetically. "Did not mean to startle you. That I did not. Are you two ready to go. It would appear everyone is leaving without you, and Sano says the bridge is not faraway now." He pointed off to his right and Quii and Kaoru saw that he was right. Everyone was indeed moving on without them. "Yahiko and I thought we better come back for you two... It would not due for either one of you to get lost just now. It's getting really cold, and it seems to be getting darker so..."
"Mr. Himura's trying to say that we came back to get you guys before you got scared or tripped out or something." Yahiko bounced up and down with a big grin on his face as Kenshin glared mild daggers at him.
"Thanks brat. I think I was making myself quite clear without your assistance."
"Sure you were... you were just taking waaaaaay too long."
"Fine." Kenshin ruffled the younger boys hair in playful indulgence. "Then you take Quii and get moving, and I will escort your sister, Ok?"
"Ok. Quii and I had already decided we were going to go together anyways... So would have gotten stuck with the 'Tanuki' anyway."
"The 'Tanuki'?" Kenshin looked at Yahiko in confusion.
"Yeah, that's her nick-name. Tanuki, it means..."
"I know what it means. Why do you call her THAT?"
"Yahiko..." Kaoru's voice rose threateningly, but Yahiko ignored her and continued.
"'Cause our Dad always said she looked like a big Racoon first thing in the morning when she woke up with all that mascara-crap under her eyes. You know, the big black eyes." He was laughing as he made big circles around his eyes with his fingers. Kaoru groaned.
"Yes, Ok... I get it. Now get out of here kid. You are really getting on my nerves." Kenshin smiled wickedly at the guffawing 13 year old and shoved him ahead of himself and the obviously embarrassed girl. "You two be careful, all right?"
"Yeah, ok. No sweat Mr. Himura."
"Little demon-spawn." Kenshin mumbled to himself as he wondered what he could say to Kaoru that could possibly make her feel better.
"You have no idea." Her voice was limp with defeat and resignation. "I cannot take him anywhere that he doesn't humiliate me."
"I would not exactly call 'this' humiliation... but he does need to learn to stop making you look foolish in front of other people." Kenshin motioned for Kaoru to come with him, and they started to follow the rest of the group bringing up the rear. "Why does he do that? Do you know?"
"I'm not really sure? I... I think he hates me if you want to know the truth."
"Why would you say that??" Kenshin looked at Kaoru sharply as he asked that surprised question.
"I... I guess because... I'm not Mom and Dad." Her voice was the saddest thing Kenshin had ever heard, and he had to look away so she would not see the effect her words had on him.
"How long have they been gone?" He asked gently.
"Two years in November."
"You mean next month?
"Yes."
"I'm sorry. We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to."
"It's Ok. You were just asking why my brother is such a little jerk to me, and I was trying to answer. It is not a big deal."
"It does not sound like 'its not a big deal', Kaoru. It sounds like 'it's a very big deal', and I feel bad I brought it up. I'm sorry."
"No, really. It's Ok. I am supposed to be getting used to it by now. That they are gone... my parents, you know. I'm supposed to be getting used to their being gone..."
"It does not sound like you are." He cast a worried look at her pale profile, and wondered what was going on in her head.
"You are right... I am not." Kaoru breathed a shaky sigh, and then lifted her head and looked at him. "I need to say something to you, but it is sort of hard for me... but it's important that I say it. Ok?"
"All right. I do not know what you think you need to say, but I am listening... take your time. We have all night." A gentle smile touched his lips and Kaoru felt a shiver of... What? travel up her spine.
"It is about what happened earlier... while we were still on Campus. You know, by the stream?"
"You mean tonight?"
"Yes, tonight."
"All right," He was still not following her, but continued to give her his full attention.
"I was really... I should not have... I said..."
"Hey, Kaoru," Kenshin reached out and tenderly took ahold of her cold hand and squeezed it gently. "It's Ok... calm down. I am NOT going to bite you. Whatever else you might think of me, I am not going to do anything to YOU. I promise you that. You are completely safe with me. I swear it."
Her large round eyes looked searchingly into his earnest face, and Kaoru remembered what she had seen earlier and what she had thought. The look was there again, only this time it was not going away so quickly as it had before. She could see Kenshin's aching heart crying out in pain from the depths of his beautiful eyes, and the sight of it made her want to cry. In a very strange way, he looked like a small lost little boy.
"I am really sorry for what I said about you making me nervous because of all the stuff I have heard about you..." It all came out in one ragged rushed sentance, and once it was out, Kaoru drew a deep breath of relief and dropped her eyes. "I should not have behaved that way... I mean, I did not even know you. I had never met you or anything, and I was judging you by what other people had been telling me about you. I... I'm really sorry. I know I hurt your feelings, and I am really sorry for that. I really am."
They walked along in total silence for several minutes before Kenshin said anything to her about her heart-felt apology. "You do not have to apologize to me, Kaoru. It is not necessary."
"Why not? I did something I am very ashamed of, and I needed to tell you I was sorry."
"I understand what you are saying, but... an apology is not necessary." His voice was calm, quiet, and very flat. Kaoru was totally confused and a little bit angry.
"I don't know what kind of a game you are trying to play with me, Kenshin, but whatever it is, I don't like it."
"I am not playing any game." He bit out through clenched teeth, and felt her stiffen beside him. 'Dammit! Calm down Himura.' He berated himself. "What I am trying to say is... No one ever apologizes to me... I am not really worth it. I don't notice things anymore... Not really anyway, and what you think you did really did not bother me as much as you think it did." 'You have learned to lie so much better than you used to, Himura. One day perhaps you should try acting. You would be damn good at it.' "It is not a big deal, Ok? So, just forget it. I already have." He tried to smile at her but failed miserably and found himself facing forward desperately looking for Sano's back.
"Ok. If that is how you feel about it. But just for the record," Kaoru reached over with her free hand and tugged on his jacket making him look at her. "I think you are worth more than you think you are. And whether you want my apology or not... You got it, and that is just the way it is." Then, as her head dropped slightly and she became quiet, Kenshin felt her hand tighten around his.
"Kaoru?" His voice was low and a little tremulous.
"What?" She answered and looked over at him. He was looking at the ground in front of them as they walked.
"I meant what I said before... about you being safe with me. I would never do anything to hurt you or put you in danger. I would always keep you safe."
"I believe you, Kenshin. I am not sure why, especially since I really do not know anything about you, but I believe you."
"I won't let anything happen to you, Tanuki." He whispered as he met her eyes for a long moment. "I promise."
"Hey, you guys. We made it!" The loud over exuberant voice of Sano Sagara split the peaceful quiet of the night, and broke the moment of connection between Kenshin and Kaoru. "Here is the gate to the bridge. I need somebody to come and help me pull it open."
"Why?" Kenshin asked loudly. "What is wrong with it?"
"Feels like it's rusted shut or something. Can you give me a hand, Buddy?"
"Sure, hang on. I'm on my way." He looked at Kaoru for a quick moment and his eyes told her he would be right back, then he jogged up to the front of the line and joined Sano at the old iron gate. A great creaking and tearing noise could be heard coupled with the grunts and groans of the two boys as they struggled to pry the old gate open.
CRRREEEAAACCCKKKK!!
Suddenly the old rusted iron gave way and the gate opened beneath the pressure of Kenshin and Sano's combined efforts. They yanked on it until it was open far enough for a human form to squeeze through.
"That ought to do it." Sano sounded more than a little triumphant as he smacked Kenshin on the back. "Thanks, Bud."
"Sure, Sano." Kenshin quelled the temptation to smack Sano back knowing that if he did, they would be picking the taller boy up off the ground, and he did not want to make him look too bad in front of Megumi.
"Let's go. Gotta go single file through the gate, but we can go doubles up the bridge." He held his hand out for Megumi who grasped it eagerly and stepped to his side. "But watch yourselves. The bottem of the bridge is made of wooden planks. Some might be rotten, so go slow and feel 'em out before you step on 'em." As he finished speaking, he gently pulled Megumi behind him and entered the gate.
Behind him entered Ruakii and Tomoe closely followed by Aoshi and Misao. Then Yahiko and Quii slipped through. Only Kenshin and Kaoru were left standing on the bluff waiting to go through.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked her in a quiet odd sounding voice. "We can still go back if you want to."
"No. I have to go. Yahiko is out there, and I cannot leave him here alone." Her large dark eyes rose and looked into his concerned face, and then she watched as he held his hand out to her.
"Ok, then... Let's go before we get completely left behind." He waited patiently while she considered his hand for a long drawn out second or two, and then she reached out and accepted it.
Kaoru shivered with a strange nervousness as she felt Kenshin's warm slender fingers close firmly around her's and then pull her next to him. His face was close to her's and she could almost see the deep violet of his eyes as they caressed her face.
"I promise, nothing will happen to you." He whispered softly as he leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers for a moment. "I promise you, Kaoru. I will keep you safe."
"I know you will." She whispered back and found herself pressing her head against his in response to his unfamiliar contact. "I trust you, Kenshin."
"Come on." And he pulled her gently behind him as they slipped soundlessly through the old rusted gate and began to slowly walk along the aged bridge. "Walk closer to the outside edge. The wood will be stronger there than in the middle."
"Ok." It took about ten minutes to cross the bridge, and not once in that entire time did Kenshin loosen his grip on Kaoru's hand. He was there to steady her each time her footing faultered, and by the time they reached the otherside, she was more or less permanently attached to his left side.
"Took you guys long enough." Sano complained. "Everything all right?"
"Yes. Everything is fine. I just took my time, Sano. I wanted to make sure WE made it over in one piece."
"WE all made it over in one piece, and NONE of us went as slow as you, Himura." Sano leaned over to Kenshin and gave him a wicked wink. "You sure that was the only reason you were walking so slow?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Kaoru moved closer to Kenshin's side as she quipped the tremulous jibe in Sano's direction. As a result, every single person in the group turned and looked at her with gapping mouths and shocked eyes.
"Kaoru?!" Yahiko stared at her in astonishment. "You didn't...?"
"Wouldn't you like to know, you little squid?" She purred at his stunned look, and was satisfied to see him clamp his mouth shut in embarrassment. "Didn't think so."
"You sure you know what you are doing, Tanuki?" Kenshin's voice was low and filled with humor. "You could be playing with dynamite, you know."
"I don't care. I'm tired of everybody getting off at my exspense all of the time. Sometimes I just... " Her whole body stiffened as she struggled to find the words she wanted.
"Get pissed off?" He supplied.
"Yes. Exactly. I don't usually ever say anything, but sometimes..."
"It just happens?"
"Yes. It just happens. Which is not a very good thing."
"Why not? I thought it was stellar." He was laughing and it made her smile.
"Because it usually gets me into a lot of trouble."
"Well, do not worry about that anymore, Tanuki. You have me to protect you now, and I will not let ANYONE get close enough to you to do ANYTHING about it. Got it?" He pulled her hand up under his arm so he could hold it against his chest as he grinned into her face.
"Got it." She leaned into him enough to rest her chin on the edge of his shoulder, and then closed her eyes and soaked up the fact that holding his hand felt really good.
"Pssst, you sleeping?" The teasing sound to his voice brought an excited little tingle to her cheek where his breath fanned her face.
"No." She replied quietly and opened her eyes only to find his face a mere inch away from hers. Kaoru felt the immediate pull of chemical magnetism on her senses as she was captured and held firmly in the intense gaze of his eyes. Dispite her usual conservative-primeness, her breath started to come in short sharp little gasps, and her heart began doing wild flip-flops in her breast. "God, your gorgeous." She whispered without realizing she had even said anything.
"You think so?" He asked in a husky emotion filled voice.
"Uh-huh." She breathed into the open proximity of his parted lips.
"Thanks, but I look like yesterday's garbage compared to you." He dipped his head a fraction more and rubbed his cold nose against hers. "You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my whole life."
"You think so?" Her voice was thick and he could feel her trembling against him.
"Uh-huh. I think so. You look like an Angel, Kaoru."
"Oh." Her eyes closed again and she moved so she could bury her face against the warmth of his throat, and Kenshin released her hand so he could wrap his arms around her pulling her close to him. It was a brief embrace, but it was full of very important meaning for both of them.
Kaoru found a place where she felt safe again.
Kenshin found something that was more important than his own private pain.
And together, they found a place where they could both start over.
*** This is it until after Christmas gets done and over. Hope everyone has a Great Holiday season.
Tsuki-san.
And, as always, take care and God bless.
Please read and review.