Rurouni Kenshin © Nobuhiro Watsuki

Beta: Kokoronagomu

The Voice

13

Kaoru

xxoOoxx

These reunions make my heart leap, happy.

Your body welcomes mine.

Warmly.

Lovingly.

xxoOoxx

Kenshin walked through the forest silently, his anger held at bay now that he had his son back. Young Kenji was sleeping soundly, too tired to enjoy the piggyback ride. He didn't mind it, he assumed the boy must have been under stress the whole time.

This was the first time they had been separated after Kaoru disappeared a year ago. If he hadn't been as worried about Kenji as he was he would have tried to search for her more insistently. But he wasn't a single, free man anymore. He had a son to take care of. A wrong move will bring him out into the light and he will have all those wolves at his back again. He couldn't expose his identity to the world again, not now that he had Kenji.

So, the search had fallen on Katsura's shoulders. The man continued to be Aku-Soku-San's president but in name only. The truth is that internal problems had the company in ruins and it was only a matter of time before it fell altogether.

Kenshin had been sure Kaoru had been kidnapped by someone from the company they worked for, but Katsura couldn't find anything. Perhaps, the old man couldn't find anything because there was nothing. Maybe it wasn't Aku-Soku-San… now that Yukishiro appeared once again in the picture; it opened a new set of probabilities. Perhaps Yukishiro had done something… perhaps Kaoru's younger sibling had something to with this since he was also missing.

Kenshin sighed tiredly and walked to the border of the forest. He had been right to ask for Sanosuke's help when Kenji went missing. This gave him the opportunity to investigate a few leads around China hunting for information before going back to Japan. Perhaps he could find something of use.

So far he knew Yukishiro Enishi was still alive and still held a grudge against him. His ties with Japan, though, were slim now and his drug dealing empire had retreated back to China. That was all Aku-Soku-San and he were glad for. He had his personal grudge against the company but he had to admit that it did some good from time to time.

Second thing he knew, Enishi wanted his son… for what? He didn't know but he wasn't going to let the bastard take his son again. It was the only dear thing he had left. It was a miracle that the white-haired criminal had managed to get his son at all. If it wasn't because he was meeting with Katsura and had left Kenji at Genzai's nothing would have happened, ever. Then again, he wouldn't have thought about Yukishiro being involved in any of this stuff either.

The sound of the waves made Kenshin snap to attention and he glance up and his eyes fell on the rolling, dark waves of the ocean. He sped his pace and moved towards an average looking ferry where he knew Sano waited. He moved deftly and silently, effectively passing without being noticed, and knocked on his and Sano's room. After a loud 'thud' later the door came open, "Kenshin!" exclaimed his friend with a delighted smile, "You found him."

Kenshin nodded and walked past the man into the room. He placed the sleeping boy in the cheap bed and then proceeded to sit by his son's side. Sano sat in a wooden chair a few steps away, his upper half naked and his hair in disarray. "You look beat Sano," muttered Kenshin with a suspicious glare, "I ran hours to reach Yukishiro while you waited here… how come you look so beaten?"

Sano gasped, turned away and crossed his arms over his chest, "I went around and asked a few question… beat up a few guys." The taller man said this with a pout, as if he was ashamed to admit it.

Kenshin merely raised a lone eyebrow, "Well? What did you find?"

Sano turned to Kenshin as if startled and yet totally pleased his opinion had been taken into account, "Well… I heard Yukishiro was not around. Apparently he doesn't operate near here…but he came to get something personally. I did find out some of his underlings do work around here. This morning three man appeared murdered on the alleys bearing Yukishiro's mark."

Kenshin frowned and crossed his arms over his chest as well, "Where they Japanese?" he asked after a moment.

Sanosuke frowned for a moment but then nodded, "Could have been… couldn't really ask them," he joked but when Kenshin's eyes turned molted he startled, "What? I'm really not a hundred percent sure!"

Kenshin huffed and glared at the far wall, "If they were Japanese…they could have been the men who kidnapped Kenji."

Sanosuke nodded finally understanding his friend's seriousness about the situation, "I can point you out where the corpses were," offered Sano.

Kenshin nodded, "There's no need. If the bodies were taken away it will useless…besides, I don't want to leave Kenji alone anymore. Especially now, when he doesn't even know you. He'll think you're another kidnapper…with that hair and all."

"Hey!" whined Sanosuke with an angry scowl, "That is your own damn fault! You didn't let the kid meet his uncle Sano!"

Kenshin glared at Sano, "You are not his uncle!"

xxoOoxx

Kaoru nervously paced the small hut where she had been left. The insanity in Yukishiro's eyes served to scare sleep away but now… now she was tired, weak and her mind was about to get a blue screen.

Who was this woman Yukishiro spoke of? Was this red-haired man only looking for his child? Or will he come back to find this woman? Did Kenji know who this woman was? Where was this woman? Yukishiro said he had her and was hiding her… she had no idea where this woman could be. However, she was very sorry but she wasn't planning to switch places with this woman. She was shit-scared of Yukishiro before, now she was terrified.

She was simply an unfortunate woman… nothing more. Let the gods be with her when Yukishiro decided to find her again.

The sound of the door made her turn back and she was relieved when Yahiko walked inside. She ran towards him and squeezed him a little harder than needed, "Yahiko! I am glad you are all right," she breathed out and soaked on the comfort of his strong body, "That assassin is around. Yukishiro says he wants to kill you."

Yahiko chuckled and after a reassuring squeeze pushed her slightly away so he could look at her in the eye, "A lot of people want me dead, Kaoru," he reminded his older sister with a faint smile, "I am one of the disposal agents."

He wasn't expecting the tight grip on his arms though and he was startled when he realized that Kaoru had more strength than he thought, "Yahiko," she said softly, eyes wide in fear, "We have to get out of here."

Yahiko, who was now at least one foot taller, narrowed his brown eyes in confusion and sighed, "Why Kaoru? What happened?" he asked but when he only received an even tighter grip he started back again, "Kaoru, that assassin is around… you just said he wants to kill me. Going out 'just because' is risky… give me a good reason."

Kaoru pressed her lips together pleadingly, "Enishi is crazy," she hissed but when Yahiko's shoulders fell into what he believed to be an old argument Kaoru shook his arms and pulled, "I'm serious! He's going to hurt me! Why won't you believe me?" she asked and her eyes watered in frustration, "Please Yahiko, take me out of here."

The tanned youngster's face turned serious all of a sudden and his eyes trailed over her form, assessing her well-being. "Where is the boy?" he finally asked.

Kaoru frowned uncertainly, "Did you know about the boy?" she asked, angry now, "Did you help or agree with the kidnapping of a child?" She was livid!

Yahiko scowled, "Is not like that, that child is important," he tried to explain with evasive answers.

"That's what Enishi said! What's special about that child?" she seethed and shook him, "Do you even see what you are doing? That's a child! Would you like it if someone kidnapped your child? I'm sure I wouldn't!"

Yahiko's eyes widened and then his own anger came out and he loosened Kaoru's grip on his arms and held her by the upper arms until he pinned her against a wall. A wail escaped her and she turned to him with the most frightened expression he had ever seen in her face. He let go of her as if it burned and took a couple of steps back. "Kaoru?" he asked uncertainly, not knowing what to do when she fell to the floor and doubled over in a fetal position, "Kaoru, it's Yahiko… are you all right?"

Kaoru turned to him with an ashen face, tears trailing down her face, "Yahiko?" she asked uncertainly, but then she seemed to come back to the present and jumped into his arms, "Yahiko! Please, take me out of here," she begged between sobs.

Yahiko's body seemed to sag out of exhaustion and concern and he squeezed her against him, "I will, Kaoru," he promised and took her on his arms, "I'm sorry… let's go…"

xxoOoxx

Kenji awoke with a start, drawing Kenshin and Sanosuke's attention. Sanosuke smiled at the boy's lost look, "Hey there boy!" he greeted with excessive happiness, "You are safe now, daddy and uncle Sano saved you."

"Uncle Sano?" asked the boy with a frown. His blue eyes moved to the unkempt man for a few moments and his face scrunched up in thought, "I don't know you."

"He's a friend," Kenshin's voice spoke from the corner of the room drawing Kenji's attention. The red-haired swordsman looked at his son for a few moments and then let go of a relieved breath. He seemed fine.

"Otou-san," Kenji exclaimed and jumped off from the bed and ran to him. The small boy squeezed his waist with all the strength in his little arms, "Kenji is happy to see you!"

Kenshin's stress seemed to fade away instantly and he held his son to his chest warmly. Their red hair mixed and they began to murmur between themselves, apparently understanding each other to perfection. Sano was fascinated by this and Kenshin's new personality. Back in the day he was a cold-hearted assassin… until he met the Missy. Then he changed some, he even forgave his enemy and didn't take his life…and look how he was repaid.

He heard about what happened to Kaoru and he had even checked around some, but he never heard anything about her. He didn't think he would either. Someone who managed to kidnap Kaoru from Battousai wouldn't leave traces around. No, that person must have been very careful.

"What?" asked Kenshin suddenly, his voice louder than the normal whisper and it made Sano turn towards his old friend, "Are you sure?"

Kenji nodded his head and moved a step away from his father, "The lady took care of me. She gave me breakfast and tea. She also slept with me and rode with me," the young boy explained euphorically, waving his hands for emphasis.

Sano though frowned at Kenshin's stern expression. The boy was fine! Happy even! So why the face?

"Kenji," Kenshin interrupted the boy's tirade. The boy sobered instantly and focused on his father, "What did you say her name was?"

Kenji beamed, "Kaoru!"

xxoOoxx

To be continued…

xxoOoxx

WOW! It's back! :) Yes, it is. Thanks for reading!