Anyone still reading this thing? I know I got off course. Hopefully the plot will pull together in the next chapter. Sorry bout the formatting, MM seems not to like it.

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Chapter 4:

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Shinta and Kaoru entered her house early the next morning. The sun was barely peeping over the horizon at 6:15 am. Kaoru stretched and pressed the answering machine button.

"Hey Kaoru, where are you? Pick up! I need to talk to you! Call me!" Then there was silence.

Shinta looked over at her, "He sounds like a rather pleasant fellow."

She lightly laughed, "Yeah, as pleasant as a pig. I broke up with Shishio Makoto a few week ago, yet he doesn't take no lightly."

"Shishio Makoto?" Shinta thought. "I think that's the name of a guy I know... A hitokiri."

"Really. Make sure you kick his rear for me," Kaoru laughed.

"I'll do it, but it will cost you."

"How much?" Kaoru lightly replied.

"What do you have to offer?"

Kaoru shivered, his voice seemed different. He was freely flirting with her, that was something he had never done before.

She turned to him. The first thing she noticed that he had closed the area between them. He now stood only a foot away and his eyes burned with heat of amber fire.

"Shinta?" Kaoru questioned.

He said not a word, but stared in her direction. The passion of desire blazed deep in his eyes, and she noticed it, any woman would have.

He stood and his limbs stretched, as if to receive her into his arms. Kaoru shook her head, unbelieving her eyes.

When she opened them again, things had returned to normal. The world before her rushed like she'd fallen and the gravity pulled her to the earth below. Shinta was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping freshly made coffee.

"What were we talking about?" Kaoru motioned toward the table with a tipsy motion.

"Nothing yet," Shinta replied. "I took the liberty to make us some coffee. I hope you don't mind?"

She nervously shook her head, "Not at all."

"You seem a bit shaken," Shinta reached out and pushed a few loose strands of hair away from her eyes. "Did you get a bad phone call?"

"No, it was actually my ex-boyfriend."

"I didn't know you had an ex," Shinta replied.

"I could have... swore... I told you." Her throat instantly dried. After she caught her first breath, she shook the fantasy regression to her side. It was just another day dream, or so she told herself over and over again, until she had to believe that it was just that. A dream.

She pulled out the chair and quickly sat down. Her dizziness faded away and she returned to normalcy.

"So, you seem upset with this guy," Shinta pried.

Kaoru's eyes narrowed over the rim of her coffee mug, "Why? What makes you think that?"

"Because… First your hands are shaking and your stare could kill."

"I'm sorry," Kaoru lowered her eyes. "It's just that I caught him with another girl."

"What was his name?" Shinta asked.

"Makoto Shishiro ," Kaoru sighed.

Shinta rolled his eyes, "No way, not that guy!"

"You know him?"

"He's an arrogant jerk," Shinta snapped. "We had trained in the same dojo, but under different instructors. He thought he was the worlds greatest sword fighter."

"Yeah, that would be him," Kaoru laughed.

"I'll make sure I kick his ass for the both of us this Friday," Shinta replied with a light nod. "Anyway, I have to get going." He stood up at the exact moment Kaoru did. "I have to go train with Makoto today. We're suppose to have the routine down by Friday."

Both Kaoru and Shinta left the table, leaving their half-empty coffee mugs and headed toward the front door.

"What type of routine?" Kaoru asked.

"Satsu Jin Ken vs the Nakamura-Ryu Battou-Do." He laid his hand softly upon the door knob. "It should be quite a fight. Luckily, it's not for real," He laughed.

"I can't wait to watch you fight," Kaoru replied.

Shinta lightly smiled, "I'll have a seat saved for you at Fridays match."

"I'd like that," Kaoru smiled.

"I'll see you later," He slipped out the door.

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Shinta stood poised, direct, and aggressive while he faced his rival, Makoto. His right hand remained slightly above the tsuka (handle), his left clutched the saya (scabbard/sheathe). His eyes narrowed in a familiar gaze. Yet, a not so familiar attitude came over him, almost as if he had faced this adversary many times before, when in reality this was the first time he had ever faced Makoto in a duel.

"What's wrong Shinta," Makoto smirked. "Have I set the fear of god in you?"

"Makoto!" Shinta growled. "You are no god!"

"Big words for such a little man!" He mocked and charged blindly with full speed in his swing.

Shinta dodged the blow and ended up behind him. Makoto turned and swung again. Shinta lowered into a kneeling position and drew his sword, pointing the tip of his blade directly below Makoto's sternum.

Shinta took a deep breath, "If this had been a real sword, you would be dead at this moment!" He took a deep breath, "You are no god, Makoto!" He retorted while he stood up, and then sheathed his weapon.

"We'll see on Friday," Makoto grunted. "Tell Kaoru I said hello, and look forward to hearing her cheers."

"You mean jeers, don't you?" Shinta calmly replied. "After all, I heard you dumped her for some girl named Ayumi?"

"How did you know?"

"Kaoru told me this morning at her place," Shinta replied.

"You...were at her place?"

"Yeah. We had coffee and talked about your phone call."

"Stay away from Kaoru!" Makoto growled.

"Why? Because you want to have her and your whore on the side?"

Makoto circled Shinta grumbling incoherent ramblings, he stopped and out stretched his sword so the point was under Shinta's chin, but remained at a distance.

Just as Makoto was about to say something drastic, something only an uniformed coward would say, their trainer walked out on to the field from the dojo.

"I see you two know each other, you can hear your fighting from inside the building." He turned to Makoto, "You're the junior national sword fighting champion. There is no need to intimidate your opponent with fowl language. You are my student, you should know better."

"Hai, Sensei," Makoto lowered his sword and placed it back into its sheathe.

The two rivals began with a light practice of the routine, but before they knew what was going on, it nearly turned into a brawl of clashing swords.

A clap of thunder rumbled the heavens and tears of rain began to fall on the two combatants.

"Hold it!" Sensei Kiyusato chimed. "Lets call it a day. I don't feel like getting soaked. "Besides. I think you two know the routine well enough. I'll see the both of you at the fair grounds on Friday."

Makoto and Shinta just glared at each other, a few seconds passed, they both turned and walked away.

Shinta approached his car and frustratingly tossed his sword into the back seat. Shinta stood, allowing his hair to become wet by sprinkling rain. He watched as Makoto drove off, he seemed to be heading in a familiar direction. That's when he realized that he was heading toward Kaoru's house.

Shinta quickly got into his car and raced off in the same direction.

Makoto pulled up the long drive and parked his car near the front door. He got out and roughly knocked, then pressed the door bell. There was no answer, she was just not home, or she was refusing to answer. Makoto refused to give up. He slipped an envelope from his jacket pocket and slid it under the door. After he accomplished this small task, he returned to his car and sped away just as Shinta pulled to the curb.

Shinta got out of his car and ran up the stretch of driveway until he reached the door.

He spoke softly into the call box and was immediately greeted by Kaoru.

"Are you alright?" Shinta exasperatingly asked.

"I'm fine," Kaoru said as she opened the door. She held the envelope in one hand. "He only left a letter. Makoto knows I won't open the door or answer the phone for him."

She lightly shook, "I hate him so much!" With deep seething anger, she tore the letter to shreds.

Inside had been a note and a ticket to the Sakura festival.

"Since you're alright, I should probably get going," He turned and began to walk to his car.

"Wait..." Kaoru gasped. She slammed the door, locking it behind herself. "I don't want to be alone, especially with Makoto acting like this."

Shinta turned back, "Fine, Do you want to stay the night again?"

"Um, yeah," She blushed.

"You might want to bring some clothes with you."

She looked down at her current state, "Yeah." She nervously nodded. Kaoru turned and unlocked the door with her house key. She went inside, while Shinta waited on the porch.

Kaoru went upstairs and packed a small over night bag and came down the stairs as fast as she had went up them.

"Ready!" She cheerfully replied.

"Lets go."

Kaoru and Shinta left, deciding to go back to his place for the evening.

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They made it back to Shinta's place without concern. Kaoru oddly stared at him. He seemed a bit different, a bit happier than usual.

He cracked a grin, "What is it that you find so interesting?"

"I don't know," Kaoru happily laughed. "I guess it's you."

"Me?" Shinta laughed.

"Yeah," Kaoru sighed. "You seem more content today."

He ran his hand through his thick red strands of hair and shy blushed. He slightly stretched and cleared his throat, "I have an idea."

He pushed the old couch back against the wall. "Since its raining, will you practice with me?"

"Practice what?" she shockingly asked.

He motioned toward the bedroom and her blush depend but immediately faded when he brought back two kendo sticks.

"I need a partner," He chimed.

Kaoru sighed and motioned forward to take one from Shinta's hands.

"I should warn you, I have no idea what I'm doing," She laughed,

"I'll show you," Shinta replied. He walked around until he stood behind her. Shinta reached forward and lightly rested his chin on her shoulder and wrapped his hands around hers.

Kaoru turned her head slightly to see his face. He was tense, that was certain. His lids were half drawn, the look of lust glazed over his eyes. Kaoru was for sure she sensed it and saw it glistening among his stare. She allowed him to position her arms in the proper place, and lavish in the weight of his touch.

"There," He sighed. The gasp landed just under her ear lobe and grazed her neck like a warm prairie wind over a field of long slender blades of grass.

"Shinta," She softly breathed without voicing her plea.

Once his strong hands released her body from his firm grasp, she felt her balance shift as if walking on air.

He cheeks turned to the color of petal pink, "What do I do next?"

"Just do what comes natural," Shinta grinned. "Follow your instincts."

"All right," Kaoru replied.

Shinta made his move, making the kendo swoop through in a downward slice. Kaoru easily blocked it.

"This is easy," Kaoru happily replied.

"If its so easy, then try taking a stance," Shinta replied.

"Fine," Kaoru smugly grinned.

"Fine I will," She took in a breath and held her sword mid abdomen.

Shinta's eyes narrowed, "Attack me," He asked with a slightly more forceful tone.

She came at him with the little wooden sword , only to watch it splinter in two large hunks. Shinta came around from behind, only to find Kaoru's hands wrapped around his wrist and upper arm. From there, she flipped him over her shoulder to the floor, giving a slight twist and pinning his shoulder to the floor with her foot.

"What just happened?" Kaoru asked as she released Shinta from her grasp.

"I don't really know," Shinta breathed. "That style is called Kamiya Kasshin. I thought you said you didn't know any thing about martial arts?"

"Well, father made me learn some self defense," Kaoru defended. "It wasn't a lot, just a few moves."

"You really are something else," Shinta lightly scoffed.

"What is Kamiya Kasshin?"

Shinta stood up from the floor and looked toward Kaoru. "It's a sword fighting style that incorporates hand to hand combat."

"I've never picked up any type of sword before," Kaoru replied.

"You're a quick study, that's for sure."

Kaoru yawned, "It's getting late."

"That it is," Shinta sighed. "Let me take care of our sleeping arrangements."

"I'm sorry to burden you. My father should be back either tomorrow or Thursday."

Shinta reached over and dimmed the lights until only shadows danced across the cream colored walls. When he turned around, Kaoru had vanished into the bathroom with her bag.

He took the opportunity to go clean the bedroom up, change the sheets and make the room comfortable for Kaoru.

He placed the old sheets into a hamper near the bathroom, just as Kaoru came out. He didn't say anything to her, but his eyes explained what he felt deep inside. She held back, pressing her backside against the closed bathroom door.

A gleam of amber flickered against the deep purple hue of his eyes. Kaoru thought she was imagining things. She never saw fire burn in a man's stare before.

"Kaoru-dono," He deeply and irrationally sighed.

"Shinta, why do you look at me that way?"

"I have upset you," Shinta replied. "I just wanted you to know, you are never a burden. I am the burden."

He walked back into the other room and plopped down onto the couch.

Kaoru was taken back by his words. They seemed so sincere, to the point where she heard his soul crying out from its torment. She understood it would take him a while to learn that she would always be there for him. Instead of pushing the subject, she turned and walked into the bedroom.

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Shinta lay sullenly still on the couch, his arms were crossed behind his head and he stared toward the ceiling. His brows were slightly narrowed, like he had a head-ache or deep in thought. He slightly yawned and moved his arms.

He pulled his arms out from under his head and reached toward the old tattered book. His fingers grazed over the corner that caused his scar.

His hand came back and touched his still bandaged cheek. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

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Kaoru lay deep asleep, cuddling the pillow and clinging to the blankets. Trickling sweat clung to her forehead and dampened her night gown. She tossed and turned as if in a world of pain.

Shinta opened his eyes when he heard Kaoru cry out. He reached for his sword and raced to the other room.

"Help me..." Her feathery cry reached his attentive hearing.

When he reached the room, he found no burglar, but a restless Kaoru dreaming a relentless nightmare. What ever it was, she was losing the battle, that much was certain.

Shinta couldn't leave her that way; He placed the sword in the corner and laid down behind her. He carefully laid an arm over her, and pulled her back to his body without waking her. Once he had settled and stopped moving, Kaoru settled into a peaceful sleep.

He watched her only a moment, before find his own tranquil sleep.

Tbc…