A/N: Meh, where did we end? Oh yeah Kenshin, Kaoru, and Aoshi. Well you want to know what? We're not starting there. Yes, I am mean.

Warnings: Cursing, Fights between KxK, Planning of demises, Fights over Kaoru, teen angst

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. We all know what would happen if I did.

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Shishio stretched as he waited for his partner to make another move. He wasn't a stupid man; he did all he needed to do in secret, even from Yumi. Then again if he told Yumi she'd probably go along with him. She was that dedicated. Block. Out of the corner of his eyes Shishio noted Soujiro's presence. With out warning he kicked the man into the wall and left him there. Turning ever so slightly he looked expectantly towards the young man.

"Yes?" he asked sheathing the sword. The blue eyed man bowed deeply then locked eyes with his master.

"I saw Battousai heading into the park, I assumed that he's meeting the spy, but when I followed him to the place I saw his ex-wife was there too," Soujiro replied almost robotically.

"But was the spy there?" he hissed raising his hand slightly. Incompetence was not something he handled well. For a split second he noticed with disgust that fear had shown in Soujiro's eyes, fear was for weak people.

"Yes, but he was talking to her and it seemed that Battousai came up unexpected," he lied, Soujiro mentally gulped he was as good as dead. He had been expecting the manslayer, not the woman, but what the master knew not would not kill him yet.

"Ah, really? So there may be skirmishes on the other side," Shishio laughed. "Very nice, now go, Yumi will be home soon."

"Sir, if I may?" Soujiro asked bowing his head a little.

"What?" Shishio snapped. His moods seemed to switch on and off like those fake flames.

"Why did you want me to move in next to the Kamiya's when Miss Yumi worked with the spy?" he asked. This time Shishio's hand did fly on it's own accord. A slap resounded around the room and Soujiro could feel the sting from the backhand he had received.

"Because if you haven't noticed the Kamiya's are close to not only the spy but Battousai and if they get too far out of line then we take the wife and child," Shishio sneered.

"Yes, sir, I understand," he nodded. As he was leaving Soujiro felt dread well up in the pit of his stomach. He didn't want to hurt Miss Kaoru though or her son, well her son he didn't know but it would hurt Miss Kaoru. Then again he always hated the Battousai.

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Smack!

Kenji accidentally palmed the volleyball and it went spiraling to the other side. Once again he groaned as the teacher waddled over towards him. The man then proceeded to tell him how he should hit the ball for a set, but while he was doing that Kenji was wondering how a physical education teacher could become so incredibly fat. That has to be a rule he's breaking just being a teacher he pondered. Shifting his eyes away from the man he looked around the gym just in time to see Hikaru walk in still in her court clothes.

"Himura sit down!" the teacher hollered and instead of arguing like usual he followed the directions and sat next to the glum girl. Hikaru was usually upset when she got back from the hearings, so in a way of comfort Kenji nudged her. When she looked up her eyes were red from crying.

"'Karu, what's wrong?" he asked rubbing her back in a way to try and console her.

"My mom won the custody battle and I might have to move if she can't find an apartment in the area. She's trying really hard so I don't have to switch schools, but I don't want to leave here," her words wavered and a new rush of tears entered her eyes. Kenji knew little of what to do when they were in school when Hikaru was having a fit so he just rubbed her back until some of the girls noticed and began to coo at her wondering what was wrong.

"Himura, you're back in!" the teacher screamed at him. Grumbling under his breath he jogged up to the court this time he was the server. He tossed the ball up a few times just to get a feel and then he finally had contact. Amazingly the ball was fast and it seemed luckily not spin out of control.

"Wow, Himura, that was great!" his team members cheered.

After that class Kenji was still being congratulated for being an awesome server. He smiled at the compliments and continued to lean against the wall waiting for Hikaru to come out. When she emerged he gave a tentative smile which she returned.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, really. Plus if I do have to move I'll still keep in contact with you," she nodded.

"Yeah, and it won't be too bad. You're mom's pretty cool," Kenji nodded in agreement.

"I'm sure she'll be glad you think that. I think she's attracted to this PI is hired though he's coming over for dinner so she can thank him, but if she really only wanted to thank him my mother would just buy him a gift basket," Hikaru grimaced. The thought of her mother moving on so quickly, Kenji knew, was uncomfortable. His own mother's dating was still weird and a little painful to him; it was probably the wish that they could be a happy family again.

"Really what's his name?" Kenji asked shifting his backpack.

"Sai something, anyway she's been praising him since she won today," Hikaru kept on walking, but unknown to her Kenji had stopped.

"Saito?" he asked voice squeaking ever so slightly.

"Yeah, that's it. You know him?" Hikaru stopped and looked him over. Yeah, he courted my mom for a while and gave me hell, plus he really hates my dad. What a keeper he thought sarcastically.

"A little."

"All right, that's cool I guess. See you!" Hikaru waved at him and shuffled into her classroom.

"Yeah…" Kenji sighed and slowly walked into his own room where Yahiko tackled him.

"So, you were putting the moves on old Hikaru were you?" he grinned and mussed up Kenji's red hair.

"W-w-what? No! Ugh, get off me!" the other boy then began struggling against his friend.

"Whatever," Yahiko teased.

"Mr. Myoujin will you please release Mr. Himura, class is about to start," the teacher ordered with a bored tone. Yahiko quickly released his red haired friend and sat back down in his desk. Kenji soon followed suit.

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Kenshin looked between his ex-wife and the informant. How quaint they're dating Kenshin could feel the sneer envelop his face, but before it showed fully he bit it back with a forced smile. Yet, the flash of anger in Kaoru's eyes let him know she saw it all too clearly. She had been good at it especially since she had known him for a long time.

"So, Kenshin how do you know Aoshi?" she asked standing beside the tall man, she seemed comfortable. That caused rage to well up in the pit of his stomach. How dare another man touch her in such a way, he seethed.

Weren't you the one who walked out first? His conscience interrupted his murderous thoughts, yet Kenshin couldn't help. The man asked for his help while he was dating his wife.

Ex-wife, oh Battousai-sama, How easily we forget the details Once again his conscience chimed in.

"We may work together," Kenshin smirked. His job was not something Kaoru was fond of, mostly because she didn't know what it was, but she knew it was dangerous and included something they wasn't legal.

"Work together?" her voice hitched and the anger became more apparent, but this time her unhappiness wasn't focused towards him, instead she was glaring at Aoshi.

"Yes, Kaoru, didn't you know?" he asked his usual calm eyes turning into molten. Yet, instead of agreeing or blowing up on Aoshi, like Kenshin would have rather had it, she turned to him and sneered.

"Know what? I don't know what this business is. Someone never trusted me enough to tell me."

Aoshi stood on the sidelines as the two bantered, almost like lovers getting into a quarrel. He felt jealousy and along with that he felt pride that he had angered the Battousai with out threatening anything or doing something against his beliefs, well unless dating his ex-wife was against his beliefs.

"Oh, don't start now Kenshin! I had years of dealing with you being with Tomoe! I took it in; I even let our son meet her! I never impeded on your right as a father, yet the second I have a serious boyfriend you flip out!" At this point Kaoru had proceeded to poke Kenshin in the chest, which was getting him angrier as she did.

"You don't know him Kaoru! He's dangerous!" Kenshin replied.

"I don't know him? I don't his second job, but I do work with him on his other job I know much better than I knew you!" she screeched before tugging Aoshi down to her level and kissing him on the mouth, right in front of the Battousai. "Good-bye Aoshi, I'll see you later." And with that she left the two alone.

"Now, shall we get," Aoshi started to say, but was interrupted with a fist in the face.

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Kenshin laughed his arm around Kaoru as she snuggled into his side. They as a group were watching some random horror movie that Misao insisted upon, and of course the small, loud girl was barking at the screen about how so-and-so shouldn't go into the room. Sano was on the other side telling her to shut up while his parents were still in the kitchen watching over them.

On the screen a girl was just getting hacked up and Kaoru buried her face in his chest. Kenshin smiled and entwined their fingers together; he could feel the cool promise ring on her finger from that very December. It had been a nice Christmas. First he had gone over to the Kamiya's where he was harassed by her father non-stop, and then they went to his quaint little home where his mother fussed over Kaoru. During that time of opening gifts he gave her a small promise ring, stating that he would marry her someday. 'Who knew it might be today' he grinned silently to himself.

"Uh, Kaoru, could we please go talk in another room?" he murmured into her hair. The blue-eyed love of his life looked up confused but she nodded anyway.

Kenshin led her into the dinning room far enough away from Misao and Sano, but near enough that his parents were worried they were having sex somewhere. When he let go of her hand Kaoru plopped down on the table and looked at him dead in the eye.

"What's up Kenshin?" she asked twirling her hair around her finger. He shifted nervously. It was strange he could take on a huge gang, go one on one with some of the most dangerous men, kill someone in five seconds flat with out wavering, but Kaoru asks what's up and he freezes. "Kenshin?" she ceased her brows.

"I-I-I know it's soon, but Kaoru Kamiya, will you marry?" he got down on one knee and produced an heirloom his mother had given him. Just in case for the right girl. For a few minutes Kaoru looked shock and then scared, at the moment Kenshin thought she'd say no.

"Yes! Yes! I'll marry you!" she jumped off the tabled and clung to him.

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It had been a few hours after Kenshin had punched Aoshi square in the face, but now he was feeling a little better and Aoshi's nose wasn't bleeding. The two men were now sitting on the bench that Kaoru had been occupying.

"Will you do it?" Aoshi asked. His face was still sore.

"Why? Why do I have to do it? I somewhat know the man, he didn't seem like he's that dangerous," Kenshin pursed his lips.

"Looks can be deceiving don't you think Battousai?" the black haired man looked over at him. When people thought of the fearsome Battousai, red hair shorter than average and petite form did not come to mind.

"Yes, but," Kenshin sighed.

"He'll go after Kaoru and probably Kenji, most likely Kenji. Shishio can't take the risk that you might hate Kaoru and won't sacrifice yourself for her. Kenji would be the safest bet. Now, I could if I pooled together all my time and quit my job I could protect them both, but I believe it's safer if we both look after them," Aoshi replied.

"Then were would I stay? Sano's is out of the question he may be like a brother to me, by the system he is, but he doesn't have room for me. I'd be awkward to stay with Megumi or Misao since the both seem to side with Kaoru more than not."

"You can stay in a hotel or with some of the members of the group, your choice. Then again you could freeload off of Kaoru's kindness if you are so inclined," the ninja spoke the last part with a certain edge to his words. "Anyway I have to go, you have my number, call if you want to be a man and protect your family."

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A/N: Yay! Another chapter done! Yeah, I felt the Shishio; fitting wasn't totally connecting so I had to elaborate on that. Sweet huh, and Yumi doesn't know!

So, I have a question would you in the next chapter like a recap of the Tokio-Saito-Hikaru dinner or would you rather actually see it? Just a question answer truthfully. On more, Tokio won the custody battle. Good for her, actually I'm still not too sure if Hikaru is moving or staying put. That's still up in the air.

A short explanation on Kenshin he is not two personalities of the Rurouni and the Battousai he is Kenshin so those are just a part of his initial personality. Now, along with that he hasn't had the whole I have just killed a very important person in my life thing happen yet, and it might not happen so he won't revert to "This unworthy one" or "Miss Kaoru" or what he does as a Rurouni. I have to say I like Kenshin a little more when he will kick some major ass, but the whole "I will not kill" does get on my nerves a little. It's respectable and pretty awesome, but I like a little edge to the characters. Another thing you can see is Kenshin acted on his jealousy and it's probably because Kaoru was always "safe" never too serious with a guy so he always had a place in her heart. Now he's questioning.

I really hoped you liked it!

Lollipops and sweet Rurouni Kenshin stickers to: Onhiro, kagomes heart, lazy reader, R. Kay, alwyzme, and Kagura910