Broken
Pieces
by linay
Author's notes: Hey
you wonderful, wonderful readers. Thank you SO much for all your support and
encouraging comments. I must admit – I AM going to miss Broken Pieces. I mean, I
can't believe it's ending either! But it has to…BUT DON'T WORRY. There IS a
sequel. Anyway, this is a dark chapter and mostly focuses on the building of
Kenshin and Kaoru's weird, weird relationship. Painful stuff going on here-but
please remember that the characters come from messed up backgrounds and are
reaction the only way they know how. SECOND TO LAST CHAPTER! Stayed tuned for
the finale!
Disclaimer: I
didn't create Kenshin & Kaoru! Or Megumi, Aoshi, Katsura or Takasugi for
that matter. But I DID kinda screw them up for the purposes of my story.
Previous Chapter:
Kaoru is subjected an experiment where electricity is
passed through her body and her memories are forced into visual representations
on a screen. Refusing to give Kenshin up to the Bakufu scientists, she causes
some kind of power surge, thus destroying the recording and the instruments.
Kenshin is forced to choose whether to obey his duty to his cause or to go
after Kaoru. He chooses to obey Katsura. It is revealed that Katsura and Hiko
are collaborating. Aoshi is sent to rescue Kaoru while Kenshin is sent on more
assassinations. Aoshi rescues Kaoru and brings her back to Takani Medical
Centre. Meanwhile Kenshin is going mad with bloodlust and goes on a killing
spree, completing dozens of assassination. Katsura offers the opportunity to
take away the memory of some of the targets so that Kenshin won't have to kill
them. She and Aoshi comply and meet Kenshin in the rain by chance. Kaoru,
however, chooses to return with Aoshi. In a surprise move, Aoshi states that
her happiness deserves to be protected as well and he takes her back to
Kenshin.
Chapter 23: Fallen Dreams
Sift through the oceans of tears
Rise from the ashes of sorrow
And please help me collect
The broken pieces of my heart
As the elevator slowly lurched upward, Kaoru shifted
her weight from one foot to the other impatiently. She looked down at her feet
and wiggled her toes nervously. Finally, she heard the heavy metal doors slide
open. Inhaling, she took a bold step into the hallway – only to stop short when
she spotted Takasugi lounging against the opposite wall. Her heart leapt into
her throat as she froze like a deer caught in the headlights.
"So," Takasugi said lazily, pushing himself
from the wall, "Are you going stand there all night and block the elevator
doors?"
Kaoru quickly pulled herself completely into the
hallway. She heard the doors sliding shut behind her. Swallowing her anxiety,
she drew herself up to her full height. "I want to go to Kenshin's
apartment," she announced boldly.
Takasugi's lips lifted into a dry smirk. "Well,
you sure wouldn't be wanting to go to my apartment, now would you?"
Kaoru snorted, and looked down the hall toward the
familiar oak door. Takasugi, his fists shoved into his jeans' pockets, took
several lurching steps forward.
"Listen up, missy," he said, the smile gone,
"Are you sure you want to go in there?"
Kaoru lifted her chin. "What do you think?"
He shrugged. "Himura has been kind of touchy
lately." He paused to scratch his chin with a fingernail. "Really
touchy, in fact, scary touchy."
"I don't care." Kaoru turned away and
started walking resolutely toward Kenshin's apartment.
"Now just a minute, sweetheart," Takasugi
stopped her with a tense grip on her upper arm, "He's a dangerous
man."
Kaoru brushed his hand from her arm, and met his eyes
with a furious stare. "I know. I've seen him, if you haven't
forgotten."
"I mean, he's really dangerous now," he
repeated, re-attaching his hand to her arm, "Tense like a rubber band
pulled too far. Just a bit more and snap!" He snapped his fingers sharply.
"That's it!"
Kaoru looked away and breathed in deeply. When she
spoke, her voice was quiet. "That's why I have to see him."
Takasugi's hand fell away from her. "You're a
damned crazy girl." Exhaling loudly, he fished for something in his back
pocket and held it up for Kaoru to peer at. "See this?" He shook the
key chain so that it jangled in front of her nose. "This is my little
advance birthday present for you."
Kaoru snatched the rattling keys from his fingers and
examined them in her open palm. "Birthday present? You don't know when my
birthday is. And what are these for?"
Takasugi sighed dramatically. "For someone so
cute, you're not very bright. What keys would I give you as a present? And for
your information, any birthday present you get that's not on your birthday is
an advanced birthday present."
Kaoru looked up, narrowing her eyes. "And what if
my birthday was yesterday?"
"Then my birthday present 364 days early."
He said with a quick shrug. "Aren't you forgetting the more important
questions? Like, what do those keys open?"
"I'll take a guess," she said, clutching the
keys firmly in her hand, "Kenshin's apartment?"
"Bingo." He looked at her shrewdly.
"But remember: rubber band." He snapped his fingers again to
illustrate Kenshin's current mindset.
Kaoru nodded, turning to hurry to Kenshin's door.
"Thanks, old man," she called over her shoulder.
As she approached the heavy wooden door, her steps
slowed. Kaoru placed a hand on the door, quietly studying its surface. She held
the keys tightly in one hand, careful not to let them clatter against each
other. She looked to her right and her left quickly, noting that Takasugi had
disappeared already and that no one else was in the hall. Carefully, and a bit
self-consciously, she leaned in to press her ear to the door. Closing her eyes,
she listened.
A few moments later she pulled back. The door could
have been completely soundproof for all she knew; she hadn't been able to
discern a single sound. Her stomach heaved slightly in unease but she lifted
the keys and, as quietly as she could, inserted them into the lock. Gritting
her teeth and preparing herself for any response, she flipped the key in the
lock and pushed the door open. It swung inward with no more than a slight rush
of air.
Kaoru stared, open-mouthed, at the sight that greeted
her. Kenshin's apartment was in chaos. Although all the furniture was where it
had been when she left, broken glass littered the floor and unsightly holes and
craters marred the once pristine walls. Blinking back her shock, Kaoru tiptoed
around shards of glass to enter the living area. Turning on the balls of her
feet, she gently pushed the door closed, hoping to make as little noise as
possible. Shaking her head, Kaoru turned to face the apartment again. She froze
immediately, pinned to the spot by an amber glare.
Kenshin stood, statue-still, across the room from her,
a menacing glare painting his face. His fingers were curled into tight fists at
his sides and his lips were pressed into an angry line. Kaoru tried not to
swallow loudly as she stared back at him. She deduced that he had just finished
a shower, as his red hair fell in damp locks over his bare back and a towel
hung over his shoulders. Kaoru breathed in unsteadily as she took a cautious
step forward. Not one of his muscles even twitched in response; he simply
stared. She took another step forward, inwardly chanting that she would not
fear this man. And then another. And another, until she was merely a foot away from
his intimidating presence.
He lowered his chin slightly to glower fiercely at her
and Kaoru tentatively lifted her open palm, reaching with her fingertips to
caress his tense cheek. Without warning, Kenshin seized her wrist and spun her
around, twisting her arm behind her back painfully. Kaoru cried out as she was
forced to bend forward from the pressure Kenshin was plying against her arm.
The fingers of his other hand curled roughly around her neck and he pulled,
forcing Kaoru to arch backward with another cry of pain.
"Why are you here?" He hissed in her ear.
"I came to see you," Kaoru bit out.
His fingers pushed into the delicate flesh of her
throat. "You lie."
"No!" Her voice was choked.
"Why did they send you?" He demanded, his
teeth grazing her ear.
"They didn't!" Kaoru began to protest,
"I-"
Her answer was abruptly cut off when Kenshin sharply
bit her ear. When she whimpered, he drew his tongue slowly over the red marks
let by his teeth. "The truth, Kaoru."
"The truth is," Kaoru started, her eyes burning
with tears, "Aoshi took me. He-"
Again her reply was cut off sharply. This time
Kenshin's grip had tightened mercilessly as he put more pressure into her
twisted arm. "Aoshi…" He breathed angrily.
"Kenshin," Kaoru cried out, tears streaking
down her cheeks. "You're hurting me!"
As if she had burned his skin, Kenshin released her
suddenly and she fell to the floor in a heap. Breathing shakily, Kaoru drew
herself up to her knees. He watched her with calculated eyes as he began to
circle her with measured steps.
"Why are you here?"
"I came to see you," Kaoru said again.
"Liar."
"I'm not lying!" Kaoru shouted angrily,
lifted her tear-stained face to glare at him as he paced around her, "I
came to be with you."
"Why?"
"Don't you want to be with me?" Her knuckles
whitened with frustration. "Didn't you want me to come back?"
"Not if you're here to be his tool against
me." Kenshin's lips turned up into a hateful snarl.
"His tool?" Kaoru exclaimed incredulously,
"Just who is his tool? Just me?"
With an animalistic growl, Kenshin sprang forward and
grabbed the front of her shirt, pulling her forward violently until they were
nose-to-nose. "You hypocrite," he bit out, "Now you think it's
okay to be used like that. You used to be so opposed to his methods – now look,
you are his tool, a dirty hypocritical tool."
"I couldn't stop it!" Kaoru said helplessly,
"I didn't see any other way!"
"What does that make you now, Kaoru? You're no
different than the rest of them!"
He was shouting in her face now and Kaoru closed her
eyes against the accusations. "There was no other way. I had to
cooperate." Her lip trembled. "But I came back, didn't I?"
"So?" The question was so flat, so devoid of
emotion that Kaoru's eyes shot open angrily. She grabbed the front of his
shirt, forgetting that he had already done the same to her.
"So?" Her voice escalated in volume.
"So? I did all of it for you, Kenshin. For you! So what are you going to
do? Throw me out for coming back to you?"
Kenshin pushed himself away from her, rising to his
feet. "Go to bed." He spun away from her, striding toward the
armchair.
"Kenshin?" Kaoru asked, rising from her
position.
"Go to bed," he repeated evenly as he sank
into the leather chair and closed his eyes.
Kaoru approached him again, carefully side-stepping
the broken glass. As she drew close, his facial muscles tightened but he didn't
acknowledge her otherwise. With a sigh, she sank to the floor beside him,
leaning her head against his knee.
"Go to sleep on the bed." His
commanded, his voice tight.
"I want to stay with you."
"I don't want you here."
Kaoru wound an arm around his shin and pressed her
face into his thigh. "Don't make me leave you," she pleaded softly,
her voice muffled by his jeans. Kenshin stood abruptly, shaking her hold on him
by stepping away quickly.
"I told you to go to bed."
Kaoru stood as well, brushing the dirt from her
clothes. "Not without you," she said determinedly.
"I said-"
"You can't make me," she interrupted.
"Can't I?" He caught her wrist in a bruising
grip.
"You won't," she replied calmly and
confidently, "I know you, Kenshin. This isn't what you want. You wouldn't
really hurt me."
Kenshin's face went rigid as he raised a hand. As the
back of his hand came rushing toward her face, Kaoru winced and closed her
eyes, bracing for the impact. But it never came. As she opened her eyes, she
felt only the cool of his palm against her cheek.
"You should know better than to test me,"
Kenshin said quietly as he lifted her face to meet her eyes.
A ghost of a smile flitted over Kaoru's expression as
she gently took his hand from her face. She pulled him toward the bedroom and
he allowed himself to be towed into the dim room. Without a word, he threw back
the covers and stretched out over the mattress, clasping his hands behind his
head. Silently Kaoru closed the door and turned toward the bed. Although
Kenshin's face was turned to the ceiling, she felt his golden pupils watching
her from the corner of his eye. Without hesitating, she began to pull her
clothes off, one item at a time, until she was naked. She crawled into the bed
beside him, pulling the covers over them both. Kaoru slipped an arm under his
head and, with the other, pulled him closer. Cupping his scarred cheek in her
palm, she planted a feather soft kiss on his temple. With a satisfied sigh, she
relaxed onto the mattress and wound her bare limbs around his.
"I killed the men at the lab where you were
held." Kenshin's spoke the words coldly. When she didn't reply, he
continued. "I slit the guards' throats. Then I decapitated all the
scientists." He paused, as if waiting. "Except one - the head
scientist. First I cut off his right foot. And then his left. And then his
right leg at the knee."
"Kenshin," Kaoru interrupted quietly. "I don't want to hear it."
"But I want to tell you how I killed him."
She lifted her head from the mattress and levered
herself over him, pressing her forehead to his. He could feel her hot tears
falling onto his face, sliding from the bridge of his nose to his cheeks.
"But why?" She asked.
"Because I did it for you."
She shook her head violently. "No," she
protested, "I never want you to kill for me."
"Then," his voice hardened, "I did it
because of you."
He felt the flow of hot tears on his face quicken.
"Don't say that."
"But it's true." His tone was cold. "I
wanted to do even worse to them because of what they did to you."
"Kenshin," she whispered, rolling her body
so as to cover his completely, "Please don't-"
"Don't what? Kill?" He chuckled sardonically.
"That's not possible."
"Don't-"
"Are you going to tell me not to enjoy it?"
Kenshin pushed himself up onto his elbows, forcing her to lift her face away
from his. She sat up, straddling him. "Do you want me to hate
killing?"
"I thought you did."
"Maybe I did. But lately," his eyes
narrowed, "Lately I haven't hated it so much as I used to. In fact, when I
was slaughtering those pigs that took you, I really-"
"I don't want to hear it!" Kaoru reached up
to cover her ears.
Kenshin sat up and pulled her hands down, away from
her head. "But you must." He met her disbelieving blue eyes in the
dark. "Can you still say that you want to stay with me? Kaoru, can you
love the monster I've become?"
They stared at each other in the gloom of the bedroom.
Kenshin slowly released her hands and she pulled them to her chest. After
studying her silhouette for a few moments, Kenshin began to pull himself off
the bed. He was stopped by two delicate hands descending on his shoulders.
"I will love you, Kenshin, all of you."
"Can you-"
"I will," she said resolutely, sliding her
palms up to frame his face. Kaoru leaned into him, pressing her chest against
his. As her lips touched his, they sank back down into the bed. He wrapped his
arms around her, pulling her bare body into a burning embrace. She lifted her
face from his for an instant, her eyes lovingly tracing his features. He sank
his fingers into her hair, twisting them into the long black locks. They
studied one another silently.
"How did you get into the apartment?"
His sudden question surprised Kaoru and she answered
without pause. "Takasugi gave me a set of keys."
"That meddling-"
Kaoru laughed then, a carefree chuckle. "I'm glad
he did. Otherwise I might not have been able to get in at all. You probably
wouldn't have even opened the door for me."
"So why did you bother coming?"
"Because," she answered with a smile,
"I know what you want."
"If I remember correctly, it was pretty clear
that I didn't want to see you."
"You did,"
Kaoru said as she dipped in for a kiss, "You just didn't know it
yet."
When Kaoru finally began to stir, sunlight was already
pouring through the open blinds of the window. She turned over, flinging her
arm to the side with a sigh. Suddenly she sat up, her eyes searching for
Kenshin. He was no longer lying by her side. Kaoru slid out of bed and reached
for the clothes she had discarded at the foot of the bed. She hopped from
the room, still pulling on her clothing. The apartment was silent. She glanced
up at the fireplace and noted that the swords were gone from the mantle. Kaoru
sighed.
She stepped over to the dinette where the makings of
breakfast were laid out for her. With a smile, she sat down and picked up her
chopsticks. When she looked down at her plate, her eyebrows rose in surprise. A
neatly folded piece of white paper lay across her plate. She picked up and
opened it. In his precise handwriting, Kenshin had written two sentences in the
center of the paper.
I will return this afternoon. Do not leave the
apartment.
Kaoru placed the note to the side of her plate and
proceeded to eat breakfast.
While Kaoru was eating, Kenshin was sitting down for
tea with Katsura in the Ichiriki Tea House. As he knelt, he pulled his two
swords from his waistband and set them side by side on the floor.
"I hear Kamiya-san has returned to you."
Kenshin's cool stare remained level. "She
has."
"Apparently," Katsura continued, a finger
tracing the rim of his tea cup, "Aoshi-san helped her."
"Is that so?" The assassin's voice was as
deadpan as ever.
Katsura regarded his most effective employee's
impassive expression carefully. His lips were drawn into a tight line and his
eyes, though neither angry nor pleased, were narrowed thoughtfully. A shadow of
a smile ghosted across Katsura's lips. He knew that Kenshin was wondering about
what he would command concerning the girl. He chose to let him wonder.
"Our plans are near complete." Katsura
paused to sip tea. "Only two assignments remain for you. Expect them
tonight."
Kenshin's brow lifted slightly. "Only two?"
"The others have also been working to eliminate
our seedy partners. Choshu is almost ready for the public eye."
"And Tokugawa? Ishigawa?"
"As we speak, those two are being assigned to one
of our assassins. Within two days, the Bakufu party will be without leaders.
Then, we will take over. It will happen quickly," Katsura said, spreading
his hands over the polished tabletop.
"Who is taking care of Ishigawa?" Kenshin's
words were clipped and sharp.
"Why?"
"I would like to be the one to do it."
Katsura's eyes narrowed at the fiery haired man
sitting so calmly before him. "You would like to complete that
assignment?"
A curt nod was his answer.
"You have never requested an assignment
before."
"I want this one." Kenshin's lips turned up
into a frightening smirk and his golden eyes lit up with barely restrained
blood lust.
Katsura leaned back slightly, surprised. "Might
this have anything to do with Kamiya-san?" he asked.
"Of course."
Katsura shook his head. "Your request is denied.
You are only to complete two more assignments."
"Very well."
"That is all the information I have for you
today," Katsura told Kenshin, "Wait for instructions. You may
go."
Katsura watched pensively as his chief assassin stood
slowly and reached for his swords, tucking them securely at his waist. Kenshin
flipped the folds of his trench coat over the sword hilts before offering a
quick, brisk bow. Without a word, he turned and exited the teahouse. Katsura
frowned at his tea, contemplating Kenshin's recent changes. He had always been
a manslayer – but a cool-headed, almost apologetic manslayer. And although he
remained icy in disposition, he had recently become more eager to kill, even
enthusiastic. Behind the indifferent face, two burning eyes told of the lust he
was developing for the hunt.
Katsura exhaled. They
had truly created a monster.
Kaoru surveyed the apartment with a triumphant grin,
her hands on her hips. A broom and dustpan lay against the wall behind her. The
polished hardwood floors gleamed and all trace of broken glass had been swept
away. Rolling her shoulders, Kaoru lifted a small black garbage bag full of
glass and garbage and lugged it over to the front door. She set it down with a
sigh and turned to peer at the wall clock. Only one o'clock in the afternoon.
Her eyes wandered over to a small hamper filled with
black clothing, Kenshin's clothing. Her own soiled garments rested atop the
heap. She crinkled her nose in disgust; the smell of blood was strong from even
across the room. Squaring her shoulders, she dragged the hamper to the front
door as well. Kaoru glanced up at the clock again and decided that she had
time. She pulled the door open and, holding it open with her foot, she lifted
the hamper in both hands and stooped to grab the garbage bag with one hand. As
she stepped out into the hall, the heavy door swung shut behind her.
The elevator ride down seemed so much longer when she
was trying to hold onto something heavy, Kaoru mused to herself. The doors slid
open for her on the main floor and she trudged out. With a loud exhalation of
breath, she dropped the hamper. She took a moment to stretch her back and then
began to drag the garbage bag out the main doors. She stepped into the sunlight
and squinted around to find a trash bin. Spotting one near the corner of the
building, she hefted the bag over her shoulder. When she reached the wide bin,
she slung the bag inside. Dusting her hands off, she skipped back to the
apartment building lobby.
A man, sitting on a bench in the park across the street,
peered around the newspaper he was pretending to read to watch the dark haired
girl pick up her hamper of clothes again and press the down button for the
elevator. He watched her hum to herself as she waited. When it came, she
stepped in and turned. He barely caught the sight of her finely chiseled face
and her distinctive blue eyes when the doors slid shut.
But one glance was enough. The man quickly discarded
his paper and stood, pulling up his pants and patting the gun that was lodged
in his belt.
He found her in the laundry room, ungracefully shoving
clothes into the front-loading washing machine. She was painfully oblivious to
his presence and only turned when he cleared his throat. When he offered her a
toothy grin, she smiled shyly back and then returned to spooning detergent into
the machine. It was only when he loudly proclaimed her full name that she
stopped and turned to stare at him with wide, frightened eyes. The small boned
woman bravely fended off his grabbing attacks with practiced kicks and blocks,
but he could see the panic rising in her blue eyes. He smiled when she was
forced into the corner, panting and sweating, her hands still raised in
defense. It was then that he chose to pull the gun out and wave it in her face.
His smile widened when he saw her eyes widen in terror, beautiful blue terror.
"Take off your shirt."
She stared at him as if he were stark raving mad. He
laughed, doubling over and clutching at his stomach. He felt her move before he
saw her. He recognized her last ditch attempt to get away, fueled by
adrenaline. Her attack was obvious, though, and he easily deflected her kick
with his forearm. Then he reached in and grabbed her by the upper arm, spinning
her back into his chest. Her fear smelled delicious.
"Don't move, sweetheart."
With a casual flick of his wrist, he produced a knife
that he held against her throat. She grabbed at his forearm, but was still. He
chuckled and, with his other hand, pressed the muzzle of the gun to her temple.
"It wasn't so hard to find you, after all."
Her breathing was erratic, and he inhaled again,
reveling in the scent of her sweat and fright. And then, suddenly, the heaving
of her young chest stilled. The man cocked his head to the side, examining her
face and eyes thoughtfully.
"Ah," he said with a wide grin, not yet
looking up, "I was wondering when you would show up." He followed the
path of the woman's eyes to see a shadowed figure step into the laundry room.
He licked his lips as he appraised the slight man, and nearly laughed aloud
gleefully as he took in the flaming hair, the wintry amber gaze, the long black
trench coat and the faint outline of the swords beneath it.
"Battousai," he said, smiling and
redirecting the muzzle of the gun to point at him, "What wonderful
instincts you have!"
Kenshin said nothing, but his eyes spoke volumes.
Without a word, he sank into a battle crouch, his hand going to the handle of
his long sword.
"No foreplay, Battousai?" the man's voice
rose to a cackle. "No wonder they call you the most efficient assassin
alive! What an honour this is!"
"You're crazy!" The woman coughed from
within his grasp, struggling against his grip.
"Now, now, sugar," He said, tracing her jaw
line with the tip of his tongue, "No name calling."
Immediately, the man grinned and knocked away
Battousai's surprise strike with the barrel of his gun, leaping to the side and
dragging Kaoru along with him. The redhead sank into a lunge position, his eyes
murderous.
"Isn't it wonderful to have a gun that can
counter steel?" he laughed. "Be careful now, Battousai, you wouldn't
want me to accidentally slit her throat." He smiled madly and drew the
blade across Kaoru's neck, leaving a thin line of red across the side of her
neck. Battousai watched as small dots of red emerged from the line, growing in
size and falling in red streaks down her neck. Her attacker smiled as she
whimpered ever so slightly. "Beautiful girl," he said thoughtfully,
pressing his blade to a different spot, "She shows such a wonderful face
when she's afraid."
He watched Battousai's brows drop low as he narrowed
his eyes. He pulled the scabbard from his belt and flipped the long sword into
it. Then he turned and descended into a traditional sword stance.
"How exciting!" the man exclaimed, releasing
the girl and flinging her into the wall behind him, "You're ready to fight
me seriously!" He turned the handle of his blade around his fingers and
brandished his gun. He rushed toward Battousai, his dagger coming down in a
swift downward strike. Battousai's long sword flashed out in a rapid arc but he
countered it with the barrel of his gun. He pushed the sword away and lunged
forward, striking out horizontally with his blade. Battousai thumbed out his
second sword and the blade of the dagger sank into the short sword's hilt. Battousai
wrenched the man's hand from the dagger and, dropping into a crouch, swept his
feet out from under him. With a laugh, the man back-flipped out of the path of
the short sword's swing.
"Well-done!" he cried happily,
"Well-done indeed."
Battousai did not reply. Instead, he pulled the
enemy's dagger from the hilt of his sword and flung it into the wall. It
embedded itself into the plaster. He held the shorter blade in front of him and
lifted the other, longer blade behind him.
"Angry, Battousai?" Chortling, he began to
fire shots at the other man.
Battousai spun around and leapt forward, avoiding the
bullets. The spray of metal ended abruptly as he began a whirlwind series of
strikes against the intruder. The man parried successfully with his gun and
dodged with frantic speed. Then, Battousai placed his foot against his
opponent's knee and pushed off into a backflip, crossing his arms as he flew.
When he landed, his swords swept outward in a brilliant flash of steel.
Battousai stood, his expression blank.
The man fell onto his elbows, and watched as his legs
spun away from his body. He looked behind himself to see only bloody stumps
where his legs should have been. He turned back and, flicking his eyes up, he
saw a smirk twist upon Battousai's face. He lifted his arm to shoot, but found
that Battousai was no longer in front of him. More puzzling, his arm was no
longer attached to his body; it lay a foot away, his blood spattered across the
concrete floor. He lifted his eyes to stare at the girl's bare legs, which were
dotted in his blood. Through the haze of pain, he grinned and looked up at her
horrified face. Her lovely blue eyes were brilliant with tears and fright.
"Oh my beauty," he said sweetly to the young
woman, "Your fear is so beautiful but tell me: now, what are you afraid
of?"
"Kenshin!" She cried uselessly as Battousai
lunged downward, burying his sword into the man's back. Even as he pulled the
sword out, his other sword swung, decapitating the intruder. With a brusque
flick of the wrists, the blood flew from his blades. He re-sheathed them and
held them both in one hand while Kaoru collapsed to her knees and covered her
face. In front of her, one man lay in bloody pieces and another stood above,
watching her coldly. She heard his footsteps approaching. Silently, he grasped
her by the wrist and pulled her up. Without even casting a glance at the human
mess spread onto the concrete, he pulled her forcefully from the room. She
barely registered entering the elevator or the apartment, even though he was
nearly crushing her wrist in his grip.
Upon entering the apartment, he threw her in the
direction of the kitchenette and turned to slam the door shut, shrugging off
his trench coat and letting in fall to the floor. She stumbled forward and
caught herself on the bar. She stood straight and began rubbing her arms, still
dazed. Wordlessly, Kenshin marched toward her, grabbing the crisp white sheet
of paper from the table. He pushed her angrily into the bar and held the paper
in front of her face.
"Read!" He shouted.
She stared at him.
"Hurry up and read this to me!" Kenshin's
hand shot forward, his fingers curling around the nape of her neck. "Right
now," his voice dropped to a whisper, "I am very angry."
Kaoru eyes flicked over the sheet. "I will return
this afternoon," she read aloud, mustering as much vocal steadiness as she
could, "Do not leave the apartment."
"Well," Kenshin said, tossing the sheet over
his shoulder, "Obviously there is nothing wrong with your reading skills,
so why did you leave?" His question became a shout.
Kaoru looked to the side. "I wanted to do laundry
and throw the trash out."
Kenshin's fist came down so hard onto the counter
behind her that the glasses in the sink rattled. "For something so stupid,
you put your life in danger?"
"I didn't know-"
"You didn't know?" He turned her face back
toward his. "You didn't think, is what. You could have been killed!"
his grip on her chin tightened. "The things they would have done to
you!"
Her eyes blazed defiance. Placing her hands on his chest,
she pushed, although he didn't budge. "It's not like it's stuff they
haven't done before!"
Kenshin's expression darkened. "Is that the point
here, Kaoru?" His voice was severe.
"What is, then?" She snapped back. In the
back of her mind, she knew she was being unreasonable but she still couldn't
shake the image of the dead man's body from her mind.
"Don't you know?"
"You killed him!" She threw out the words
that had been lodged in her throat.
"Of course I killed him," he replied
incredulously, "Should I have let him go?"
"But," she said, her voice choking upon the
memories, "You killed him so brutally…" Her voice trailed off and she
looked down.
"That's what I do," he replied icily,
"I thought you knew that."
"But you enjoyed it." The statement was forlorn.
Kenshin cupped her face in his calloused hands and she
lifted her eyes to meet his. "You said you could love the monster. Can you
still say that, truthfully?" After Kaoru managed a weak nod, Kenshin's
gaze hardened upon hers and his voice grew frigid. "Why did you disobey
me? I gave you the express instructions-"
"I'm sorry," Kaoru interrupted quietly, her
face falling. "I am sorry. I wasn't thinking."
"I can't protect you if-"
"I know," she said, reaching up to wrap her
arms around his neck, "I'm sorry."
"Kaoru, will you-" he continued to admonish
her, his tone becoming gentler automatically.
"I will." She pressed her face into his
neck. "I will do as you say from now on, I promise."
Kenshin sighed as he wrapped one arm around her and
reached for a clean rag with the other. Carefully, he daubed at the wound on
her neck. "Does it hurt?"
Kaoru shook her head. Kenshin pitched the rag into the
sink and pulled her tightly into his chest. He pressed his cheek against the
top of her head and breathed in deeply.
"I was afraid." The words were soft and,
though he spoke without intonation, Kaoru felt the shudder in his chest. She
lifted her head to look him in the eye and Kenshin looked back down at her.
Mutely, she planted a tender kiss on his chin. He responded by taking her face
between his hands and sweeping his tongue into her mouth. Kaoru returned the
hungry kiss eagerly, winding her fingers through his red hair. Kenshin cupped
his hands around the underside of her thighs and pulled one leg around his hip.
She felt the rough pads of his fingers pushing upward, underneath her shirt to
rest on her ribcage. Pulling back from the kiss, she gasped for air and swiftly
pulled her shirt over her head. He bent forward to lay open-mouthed kisses
against her collarbone as he reached around her to undo the clasp of her
brassiere. An unexpected giggle caused him to lean back.
"It unhooks in front," she explained,
smiling as she undid the hook between her breasts and shed the undergarment.
His eyebrows shot up. She laughed nervously and blushed as he slid his hands
around to cup her breasts in his hands. "Maybe we should…?" She left
the question unfinished as he began to trace circles around her nipples with
his thumbs. His hands left her chest and he began to run his fingers through
her long hair.
"Are you nervous?" His question was gentle.
"Isn't everyone nervous before … you know?"
"Before what?"
"Kenshin!" Kaoru huffed, crossing her arms
over her chest.
"Before what, Kaoru?"
He was met by staunch silence and an angry stare.
"You know what," she said crossly.
"You've been
forced to have sex," he said quietly, kissing the bridge of her nose and
ignoring her sudden stiffness, "But you've never made love." She
frowned at him, her body language defensive. He entwined his fingers with hers
and gently pulled her with both hands toward the bedroom. "Let me show
you," he said, "How wonderful it can be."
He undressed her reverently, his burning touch lingering on her sensitive skin. Gently, he pushed her into a sitting position on the bed. Then, as she had done the night before, he removed his clothing, item by item. He leaned over her, covering her face with soft kisses and hooking one lithe leg around his waist. Pausing in his kisses to look her full in the face, he drew her hand toward him. Kaoru swallowed nervously and wrapped her fingers around his length. She tightened her grip and he smiled encouragingly at her.
“Kenshin,”
she began haltingly.
“Kaoru,”
he said, brushing his lips against her ear, “Do whatever you want – not what
you think I want.”
Blinking,
she looked down at what she held in her hands. Her eyes traced upward, across
the chiselled plane of his abdomen. She let the wondering fingertips of her
other hand wander over the muscles of his stomach and chest. With a feathery
touch, her nails glided over his shoulder. Uncertain, she met his eyes. His
amber eyes were bright and he grinned. Glancing down, she began to move the
hand that surrounded him, sliding her fingers up and down. Cocking her head to
one side, she lifted her hand and began to stroke with her fingers, smoothing
the velvety flesh. At Kenshin’s sigh, she looked up, startled. His eyes were
closed and a look of concentration passed over his face.
“Am
I not-”
He
cut her off by lifting her by the armpits and laying her out onto the bed. “You
are always wonderful,” he said, pushing his lips against hers. Kenshin
carefully manoeuvred her legs so that they were wrapped around his waist.
Gently, he lowered his hips to hers. When he felt her abdomen stiffen in
response, he lifted his lips from hers and stroked her cheek.
“Look
at me, Kaoru.”
She
opened her eyes. He slid his forearms behind her head as he pressed his chest
to hers. With their eyes locked, he slowly began to press himself into her
entrance. She parted for him and he slid into her slowly. He began to pull back
and she sighed, letting her eyes close.
“No,”
he told her, “Don’t close your eyes yet.”
Kaoru
opened them lazily. He sank back into her, suppressing the urge to grind
against her body. Slowly, he quickened the pace, rocking against her with
increasing strength and passion. She murmured his name, arching beneath him.
His thrusts became more insistent and when she pressed her face into his neck,
he didn’t protest the cool of her breath on his hot skin. He pulled away from
her, his hands sliding down her torso. He gripped her hips and drove forward,
his eyes ever on hers.
But
Kaoru closed her eyes, revelling in the pleasurable sensations running like
electricity through her body. Opening her eyes, she saw the white of the
ceiling. She squinted up, her breathing hitching in her throat. Her stomach
heaved frantically.
Kenshin
felt her freeze beneath him. He groaned, rolling onto his back and taking her
with him. She ended up straddling him, her hands pressed onto his slick chest.
He reached up to brush a stray lock from her face. “Kaoru,” he commanded,
“Don’t think of them. It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” He pulled her face down for a
kiss. She sighed again and began to move her hips over his, experimentally at
first and then with more abandon. Kenshin sat up and, winding his arms around
her body, began to tease her breasts with his tongue. Her hips began to rock
desperately and Kenshin pushed her backward, easing her onto the mattress. Grunting, he set a wild rhythm and Kaoru
cried out, her fingers digging into his back. He gave her one more scorching
kiss before he broke away with a cry and released himself into her.
After
a few moments of heavy breathing, Kenshin lifted his face from Kaoru’s moist
shoulder to seek eye contact.
“Kaoru?”
She
lifted her lids languidly and lifted her fingers to touch his cheek. He smiled,
then, at her satisfied expression. Reluctantly, he pulled his body from hers
and settled beside her on the bed, draping one arm across her waist. Without
another word, they both drifted into sleep.
Surprisingly, Kaoru awoke before Kenshin. Craning her
neck toward the window, she saw that it was nearly dark outside. She untangled
herself from his limbs and carefully rolled out of bed. She grabbed the
sleeping robe that hung from a hook behind the door and ventured into living
area. It was definitely cooler outside the bedroom and she pulled the robe
around her tightly. She stepped toward the door and picked up the trench coat
that Kenshin had discarded earlier. Exhaling softly, she hung the coat and
turned to the kitchen.
When she took a step forward, however, her foot caught
on something. She looked down and stooped to pick up a small, non-descript
envelope.
An assassination assignment.
She frowned, anger knotting her brow. Pursing her
lips, she crushed the envelope in her palm and slipped it into the robe's pocket.
From the other room, she heard the mattress creak. She decided to return to
Kenshin's embrace before he decided to get up.
The phone's piercing ring startled Kenshin out of
sleep. Opening his eyes, he was met with the sight of Kaoru's delicate facial
features, relaxed in sleep. He took a moment to press a kiss to her forehead
before rolling over to pull the receiver from its cradle.
"Yeah," he grunted into the phone.
"Himura, did you receive your assignment?"
"What assignment?" Kenshin sat up, rubbing
his forehead.
"I sent Takasugi to slide it under your door. Be
sure to take care of it tonight."
"Yes, sir."
Reluctantly, Kenshin disengaged himself from Kaoru's
arms and left the bed. He frowned at the plain robe that lay half-open around
her. Had she been cold? He pulled the comforter up and tucked in around her
still form. He stepped out into the living room and searched the floor around
the doorway. Not a black envelope in sight. Lifting his eyes, he scanned the
coffee table, bar and dining table. Still no envelope.
He headed back for the bedroom. "Kaoru?" She
groaned and turned to the other side. "Kaoru," he repeated, his voice
growing stern, "Where is the envelope?" He watched as the even rising
and falling of her chest became unsteady. "I know you're awake. Where is
the envelope?"
"I don't know what you are talking about,"
she replied stubbornly, clutching the ends of the comforter at her chin.
"Kaoru," he warned, "I need the
envelope."
"You don't need it."
With a smooth sweep of his arm, Kenshin dragged the
comforter from the bed, leaving Kaoru exposed. She curled around herself,
wrapping the edges of the robe tightly around her torso.
"You don't have to go!" She was fighting
tears, he could tell.
"I will go." He held out his hand. "The
envelope."
Gritting her teeth, she sat up and stared at him, her
knuckles white. "I won't give it to you."
Kenshin leaned forward and placed his hand on her
waist. "I will have to take it from you." When she made no move to
comply with his request, he hauled her over to his side of the bed. She
struggled, violently pushing his hands away. Finally, he planted his hands on
her shoulder and pushed her forcefully into the mattress.
"Where is it?"
"Please, Kenshin," she pleaded, her hands
diving into the robe's pockets, "Don't kill anymore."
"That's not for either of us to decide," he
said calmly, "I will kill whomever he tells me to – that was the vow I
took."
"That's a stupid vow," she said bitterly,
bringing a closed fist to her stomach.
His eyes dropped to her hands. In a heartbeat, he had
her wrist in a vice-like grip. Ignoring her silent tears, he pried her fingers
open and pulled the crumpled black envelope from her palm. "I appreciate
your concern for me," he said, dropping her hand, "But I will do my
duty." He pulled on his clothes and turned from the room. "And even
you won't get in the way of my duty." Kenshin strode purposefully from the
room and Kaoru heard him pause by the mantle to retrieve his swords. The curt
sound of the door closing was the only goodbye she received. Her face melted
into tears as she stood and took halting steps into the living room.
The other Choshu assassin turned to stare at his
former co-worker. "Nothing personal? My ass, Battousai. You can't wait to
cross swords with me. You've wanted my head ever since I touched that chick of
yours."
Kenshin shrugged and pulled the long sword from its
sheath. "Whatever. Personal or not, you'll die tonight by my blade."
Genji's face lit up in an anticipatory grin.
"Wouldn't count on it." He pulled a near-identical sword from his
side. "Who would have thought it-" His thought was cut short as he
was forced to block Kenshin's first attack. Metal screeched as they tore away
from each other. "That Choshu's two best assassins would be pitted against
each other," he continued as they circled one another. "You'd think
the old man would show a bit more gratitude to his employees."
Genji grunted as he parried a flurry of Battousai's
blows. "Why do you always talk uselessly?" Kenshin seethed, lunging
forward aggressively.
"Oh," he paused to block, "I just
wanted to let you know that they're killing everyone off." He twisted in
order to avoid being impaled and then continued. "Shishio is dead, burnt
alive is what I hear." The two men jumped apart. "Now we're fighting.
But I wonder," Genji said, looking down the length of his sword as he
pointed it toward his opponent, "Just who will be assigned to do you
in."
"You talk too much!" Battousai leapt
forward. Genji swung his sword, but the smaller assassin was already within his
defenses. Battousai knocked the strike away and slashed upward. The upper half
of Genji's skull fell backward and the man sank to the ground. Drenched
in blood, Battousai stood and walked away.
"You're not allowed to touch them."
"Why not?" She challenged him, meeting his
cool gaze.
He brushed her fingers from the swords. "They are
a burden only I am permitted to bear."
Stubbornly, she latched onto the swords and pulled
them from him. "You idiot," she chastised him, "The minute you
let me back in here, you made it my burden as well."
"You can't even watch someone die."
"So?" She clasped the swords to her chest
and reached out to outline his eyebrow with a fingertip. "That doesn't
mean I can't help you bear it."
"What can you do?" He asked, stepping
forward, "Wash my soul for me?"
Kaoru smiled forlornly and walked over the fireplace
where she reverently lifted the swords and set them on their racks. "Only
you have the power to forgive yourself." She turned to face him. "I
can only be with you in the meantime."
Kenshin scowled at her and headed for the bathroom.
Once there, he slammed the hot water on and started the shower at full force.
Flinging his bloody clothes onto the tiled floor, he stepped into the shower,
sliding the door shut angrily. He turned under the water, letting it scald his
skin. He had just killed a comrade.
He turned to peer through the frosted glass of the
shower door as Kaoru stepped into the bathroom. Staring at his form through the
door, she let the robe drop from her shoulders and pool at her feet. She
quietly slid the door open and stepped into the steaming shower cubicle.
Kenshin frowned at her.
"The water is too hot for you."
"I can take it," she replied softly, as she
pulled a bottle of shampoo from a tiled shelf. After pouring the thick cream
into her palm, she reached up to sink her hands into his hair.
He stopped her wrists. "What are you doing?"
"Washing you," she answered simply.
"You're wasting shampoo."
Looking down, he saw the cream sliding down her arm.
He released her. Bowing his head, he allowed her to massage his scalp and bring
the shampoo to a foamy froth in his thick hair. Kaoru took a step closer to him
and tilted his head back into the stream of hot water, smoothing the remaining
suds from his soaking locks. His eyes drifted closed.
"Conditioner?" He heard her ask faintly.
"Don't bother."
As she reached for the bar of soap, she pressed even
closer to him. Her hands worked in slow, rhythmic circles, lathering his body
lovingly. She started at his shoulders and worked her way down, sparing no inch
of skin. Then, she slid around him and repeated the process with his back, this
time, plying more pressure into his flesh as she spread the soap over his body.
Kenshin's head lolled back as she kneaded his muscles. When her hands finished
massaging his calves, he turned to look down at her.
"Is the water too hot?"
She grinned ruefully. "Am I that red?" He
quirked an eyebrow at her. "Well," she admitted as she stood, "I
do kind of feel like a lobster."
He reached around her to adjust the water to a more
comfortable temperature. She stroked one of his shoulders, as if dusting suds
from it. Kenshin circled her waist with his arms and drew her into him, letting
the water wash over them both. Cautiously, he backed her into the tiled wall of
the shower. She smiled at him and tugged on a stray lock of red hair that had
fallen over her face. He kissed her then, a long, languid kiss where their
tongues moved against each other slowly. Even so, when he pulled his lips away,
Kaoru was breathless. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he turned her
unhurriedly so that she faced the wall. Leaning into her, he planted one
forearm onto the wall in front of her and the other muscled arm slid around her
waist, angling her hips toward him. As he entered her, she pressed her teeth
into his forearm, muffling her moans. He made love to her desperately, clinging
to her body with all his strength and kissing the junction between her neck and
shoulder without reserve.
When they were finished, he spun her heaving body
around. Sinking to his knees in the shower, he pressed his face into her
stomach and clutched her body to his as tightly as he could. Kaoru looked down
at him fondly and ran her fingers through his wet hair, comforting him
silently. Apart from the beating of his heart against her thighs, she could
feel him weeping into her skin.
They headed directly for the bedroom as soon as they
were both dried and enfolded in bathrobes. Kenshin paused at the door. A black
envelope rested by his foot. His final assignment. He bent to pick it up and
glanced over his shoulder to check if Kaoru was looking. She wasn't; she had
turned momentarily to gaze at the dying fire. He slipped the black card from
its paper case and read the information. Kenshin's eyes widened. There was only
a single name on the card – no surname, no address, no time. But he knew
exactly who the target was and where the target would be. He bit his lip hard
enough to draw blood and he viscously crushed the black card in his palm. His
final assignment.
One more name.
One simple swing of his sword.
One more person had to die by his hand.
He half-turned to watch Kaoru tuck her loose hair
behind an ear and smile to herself as she looked toward him. Her eyes widened
at the fearsome expression she saw on his face. Her eyes dropped to his tightly
closed fist and then to the black envelope that lay discarded at his feet.
"Will you get my sword for me?" He heard
himself ask her, "There is only one more person left for me to kill."
She nodded and went to retrieve his swords from across
the room.
"Both of them?" Her lilting question was
innocent.
"No. One will be enough." Was that his voice
speaking? He questioned himself. How had he managed not to choke on the words?
She was coming back toward him, his long sword cradled
in her arms. One last murder, he thought. But it was the one person in the
whole world whom he wanted to protect, the only person he had wished not to
harm. He shut his eyes for a moment but the name on the black card was burned
into his memory.
Kaoru.
End of chapter 23, to be continued!
Next (and final) chapter: Broken Pieces
MORE AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Thanks especially to those who have left helpful
compliments and criticisms. You know who you are!
Soundtrack
Broken, Seether and Amy Lee
Even in Death, Evanescence
The Reason, Hoobastank
Crawling in the Dark, Hoobastank
Break Me Out, Trapt
Dare you to Move, Switchfoot
Try, Nelly furtado
(just thought someone might want to know)