Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Shards of Me ❯ Of Tears and Blood ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. The main plotline of this story is completely fictional. Situations should in no way be considered truthful or based on real events. Political opinions expressed in the story are mine. If you do not agree with said opinions, do not flame me for them.Do notstoop so low as to berate me for what I hold to be truthful. Some smaller side stories may be based on factual events. I will alert you if they are.

Shards of Me

 

Chapter IV: Of Tears and Blood

 

When they got home, Kaoru immediately retreated to her room. Kenshin watched her go, wanting nothing more than to reach out and touch her shoulder, if only to apologize once more. He was no fool; he'd felt the desire in her previous kiss clearly, the emotions almost identical to his own, but he could not bring himself to answer her pleas. Too much of his being was haunted to willingly take her for himself as he wanted to.

 

Once he was sure she would not emerge for the night, he went to his own room and changed into a comfortable pair of pajama pants and nothing else. With almost fearful fingers, he opened the case that sat nestled in his ancient suitcase in one corner of his room, shrouded in darkness that did not seem to lighten when the sun rose. Inside lay his sword, a katana of the finest folded Japanese steel. It had been a gift of the special operatives division to which he'd been a member—also a curse. Above the katana lay a wakizashi, but Kenshin left the smaller blade where it rested in the plush blue velvet. Deliberately, he hefted the katana and left his room again.

 

It was a short matter to shove the furniture out of his way, giving himself a large space to work in. Carefully, he tested his limits and locked into memory how much he could extend his range before he cut something; it would not do to ruin Kaoru's apartment when she was already so upset.

 

Kenshin set himself into the stance of a kata and began his pattern in swift, angry motions. He had meant to relieve the stress he felt building in his shoulders, but as he moved the tension only increased. He spun, whirled, and struck at the shadows of enemies—his inner demons which seemed to take physical form and torment him in the dark hours of the night.

 

He was so angry at himself. He should not have kissed her, not again. He'd been so tempted tonight, so damn tempted. But twice was two times too many and a third might be his undoing. He was not sure for how long his immense control could endure this torture. He wanted to touch her, to love her, very badly. Yet he knew perfectly well he had no right. He'd abandoned her to fight a war she hated for three years and then returned to her a broken man in whom a dark, blood-thirsty beast was hiding. Kaoru deserved so much more than what he had to offer.

 

But when the thought of another man touching her crossed his mind, rage boiled to the surface so quickly it made his head spin. He could not bear the idea of letting her go, not when he finally had her in reach again. He'd spent three agonizing years praying they would let him return to her and to lose her again, to watch her turn her back on him, might kill him.

 

Kenshin was moving past his body's limits now, his anger overriding any pain he might have felt. The room passed in a blur as he spun low, katana passing hardly a centimeter above the ground. A sudden rustle had him rising with lightning speed, turning toward the sound as he came to a halt. His blade pointed straight out, an extension of his arm that rested just a foot from Kaoru' heart.

 

She watched him with guarded eyes, a bokken loose at her side. She was dressed for bed, a plain sports bra and loose pajama pants clinging to her. Her blue eyes were distant as she stared at the silver blade between them. Slowly, she followed the blade until it became his arm, her eyes gradually sliding up to meet his gaze.

 

She noted with extreme apprehension that his eyes had turned to blazing amber that seemed to pierce the darkness like a fire. Slowly, he lowered the sword, relaxing his posture only slightly.

 

“It seems you had the same idea I did,” she said softly, her voice dead and cold.

 

“So it seems,” he returned, his voice lower and huskier than it normally was, interspersed by harsh pants. He was trying very hard to hold onto his anger, wanting it to burn away the pain that was sweeping him both mentally and physically.

 

“I'll leave you to your kata,” he said, trying to slide past her.

 

“Stay. I haven't sparred with someone in a long time.”

 

He met her cold blue gaze evenly, saw the anger there. This was a bad idea. They were both angry and exhausted and a thousand other swirls of emotion that ebbed and flowed as quickly as the waves on a beach. A duel between them would not only be stupid, but possibly dangerous. If he obliged, it would be because he felt guilty for pushing her away from him earlier that night and they both knew it. If he refused, it would be because he feared for his own sanity as well as the consequences any sort of battle could bring about: more fighting or a crumpling of his will to keep himself from her. He bowed his head slightly, hiding his eyes behind fiery bangs dripping sweat.

 

“We don't have room,” he whispered, trying to avoid the confrontation he knew she needed.

 

“We'll go to the roof,” she said simply.

 

He was lost. He already knew it. He would fight her and defeat her because to lose purposefully would have broken her even more. Resignedly, he turned, intent on placing his sword back in the dark case. She sensed his defeat without saying a word and disappeared into her room, returning with a second bokken.

 

She watched him beneath hooded eyes as he placed the sword back in the velvet with reverent and fearful hands. Part of her was glad to see his awe for the blade, no matter how masterfully he wielded it. His actions told her that he still had respect for human life, something she had feared he would lose while he was away.

 

He turned back to her, eyes still hidden. She felt a pang of guilt go through her. He did not want to fight her—that was obvious. Yet she could not stop herself from issuing the challenge. He'd hurt her deeply that night and she wanted to see him hurt in turn, never mind that it was obvious he was still suffering from all the things he'd done while he was away.

 

Kaoru led him to the roof in silence, only pausing to offer the bokken to him. He took it in a white knuckled grip, staring down at the wooden sword as though she'd just handed him a snake. On the roof, he found there was a deck laid out and though the wooden floor was not smooth as it would be in a dojo, it did not pain his bare feet.

 

Under the faint light of stars nearly blotted out by the lights of the city, she faced him, her blue eyes glinting icily through the darkness. Slowly, he raised his gaze to meet hers, his eyes still golden though more out of sadness than anger now. “Hajime,” she whispered, giving command to start. He did not move, but she stepped forward, her feet slow and deliberate.

 

Her pace quickened as she drew nearer until she was running, but still he did not move, unutterable sadness reflecting into the night sky. At the last possible moment, he raised his sword to block her strike, his limbs doing the movement automatically. As the clack of wood echoed through the night, his warrior's mind took over, drowning out the emotions that were crippling him.

 

Kenshin moved without thought, his red hair flowing out behind him as he spun around her. She knew him and knew his speed, moving her sword to block a predictable strike. He was not yet fighting her with his all, some part of him still holding back. Her bokken arced through the air, intent on his collarbone. He twisted away from the strike easily, placing himself behind her again.

 

Kaoru was simply not fast enough to keep up with him. He struck out, his sword moving even faster since it was not the heavy metal he was used to wielding. She raised her bokken only in the nick of time, but the blow vibrated through the wood and her arm went numb with shock. A moment later, the wood splintered into pieces. She turned her face away to protect her eyes as slivers flew through the air, burying themselves in her skin. She felt a strong arm wrap around her stomach, drawing her away from the danger. The next moment, cool wood was at her throat.

 

“Have you proven your point?” he asked, his voice low and harsh. “Have you gained the satisfaction you thought you would from this match?”

 

Kaoru froze in place, her limbs going still. Anyone else would have never detected the pain in his voice, but she could. She knew in that instant that she had made a terrible mistake, drawing him into the duel. Kenshin remained still against her back, his arm still locked around her waist and the bokken now trembling against her throat. Then, slowly, he drew back, eyes hidden from her.

 

“Kenshin…” she whispered, her voice trembling. Had she pushed him too far? Was he beyond even her reach now?

 

She reached out her hand in entreaty and realized with a start that there was blood trickling down her hand and wrist. He saw the dark liquid in contrast against her skin and she could see the flinch cross his face.

 

“Come,” he said softly, voice guarded but still filled with hurt. “We need to treat those cuts.” He took her by the hand and began leading her down the stairs. She suddenly had to fight back tears. She'd hurt him so badly this time and yet he was still taking care of her.

 

There was silence between them as they returned to her apartment. He found the medical supplies with little difficulty and returned to where he'd left her, sitting in a kitchen chair under harsh fluorescent lights. Her face was distant and tears were slowly trickling down her cheeks. Kenshin felt a harsh pang of guilt as he saw a slash across her left cheekbone where a splinter must have cut her—it was in almost the same spot as one line of his scar. The sight reminded him eerily of his dream the night before and he watched with increasing apprehension as her tears mixed with blood before falling to her chin and dripping to the floor.

 

Wordlessly, he began to clean the wounds, swabbing alcohol across the cuts and extracting splinters before carefully bandaging them. She stared down at the top of his head, silken red hair hiding him from her fearful eyes.

 

“Kenshin,” she whispered, “say something.”

 

He paused in his ministrations before glancing up at her eyes and continuing. “And what would you have me say, Kaoru?” he asked, trying to keep his voice cold and emotionless. “There is nothing left to say. I've hurt you far too many times.”

 

“But I hurt you, too,” she whispered, reaching out with the hand he wasn't caring for and touching his scarred cheek. Blood trickled from one of her cuts onto his cheek, reminding him far too much of the first time his skin had bled there, equally covered with tears and blood. Now was so different, but at the same time so similar. He froze at her touch, glancing upward and noticing for the first time the hollow, haunted light in her eyes that seemed so similar to his own.

 

“I'm so sorry, Kenshin,” she whispered when she caught his gaze. “For everything.”

 

He wanted to tell her all was forgiven, but the words seemed caught on his tongue. Instead, he resorted to touching her cheek in the same manner she was his, holding her gaze.

 

“I'm sorry too, Kaoru.”

 

Quietly, he returned to bandaging her hand. When he finished with that, he carefully kissed each tip of her finger before turning her hand over and pressing a kiss to her palm. It was perhaps not one of his more brilliant ideas, but he wanted to comfort her somehow. Kenshin drew closer and reached up to clean the cut on her cheek. She let him, a dazed expression crossing her face.

 

“Kenshin,” she whispered, her voice trembling as she tried to word her next question, “why did you pull away?” He didn't have to ask her what she meant. His eyes avoided hers as he reached for a small bandage to cover her cheek. He wanted to answer her question truthfully but feared her reaction. He did not want her to know what he had done while he was overseas, and he especially did not want her to pity him.

 

Finally, he met her eyes again as he smoothed the bandage across her skin. His hand remained on her face, thumb slowly brushing away her tears. “I pulled away because I do not deserve you,” he answered.

 

He could see confusion light her eyes and quickly pressed his hand to her lips to silence the questions he knew she would ask. “Understand, Kaoru, that I want nothing more than to make you happy. You would never be happy with me.”

 

“How do you know?” she demanded, her temper suddenly rising. She pushed his hand away from her mouth. “I was happy with you before you left.”

 

His face averted, red hair slipping across his shoulder and down his chest. “Things change,” Kenshin said softly.

 

She stared down at him for a moment and saw the changes he meant. There was a time when he never would have hidden anything from her. Now he was hiding everything save his concern for her own well-being.

 

“Yes,” she said gently, rising as she spoke, “they do.” Kaoru flipped off the kitchen light as Kenshin rose behind her, his golden eyes watching her nervously. She returned to face him, blue eyes glinting with hurt and confusion in the darkness. Her gentle, calloused hand returned to his face and before he could stop her, she pulled him forward and kissed him. He did not even have time to react as she released him and retreated to her own room.

 

Kenshin stood in the kitchen staring at her bedroom door for the longest time, desperately wanting to follow her and knowing he could not. It was nearly three hours before he retired to his own bed, completely exhausted.

 

oOoOoOoOo

 

Sunday was a nightmare for Kenshin. Kaoru did not come out of her room all day. Time after time he came to her door and knocked, begged for her to come out, speak to him, something, anything. Silence was his only answer.

 

He did not want to be left alone with his thoughts, but it seemed Kaoru was not about to grace him with company. I fucked up so badly this time. She should just kick me out so we can both go on with our lives. I just wish… The thought trailed off unsettlingly. Did he wish he'd never gone to war? Did he regret the decision he'd made three years ago? His mind did not want to consider the answer to that question.

 

What he'd done had made a difference. He knew that much. In his heart, he knew his presence overseas really had saved dozens, maybe even hundreds of innocent lives. But at what cost? Nightmares haunted him night after night, giving him no peace in sleep. During the day, the oddest things could immediately bring him back to one of the many bloody sights he'd been a part of creating during his service. His world was filled with shadows now. Was it worth the sacrifice? He still didn't know.

 

When lunch time had come and gone without even so much as a sign of Kaoru, Kenshin was nearly at wit's end. On the one hand, he could storm into her room without her permission and quite possibly piss her off more, but at least he'd get his two cents in. On the other hand, leaving her alone seemed like an exceptionally good way to let her settle her emotions so they could both speak to each other like rational individuals.

 

Kenshin's mind was made up for him when he heard the slam of her door from his chair in the kitchen. Before he'd even comprehended that he was moving, he was down the hallway to her room, tearing the door open almost violently. The sight that met him was not what he expected. Kaoru's room was empty. Quickly he checked the rest of the apartment. She was not in the bathroom or any other room in her home. With a sigh of defeat, Kenshin slumped against the wall in the hallway, gazing into her room and resisting the urge to go and curl up in her bed.

 

oOoOoOoOo

 

Kaoru spent the majority of Sunday morning curled in a fetal ball in her bed, staring at the walls with red-rimmed eyes. She could not bring herself to face him. What she'd done…God, would he ever forgive her? The anger in his eyes, the coldness in his voice, they haunted her every time she dared to close her eyes. He'd already been to her room several times, knocking and being his completely polite wonderful self, even though she knew the gestures were now probably forced and hollow. After the eleventh time though, when he practically begged her to come out, she couldn't take it anymore. Without a second thought, she slid her window open.

 

The chill autumn breeze made her think twice about going out in her pajamas, though. Quickly she changed into a ratted pair of jeans and a t-shirt spattered with paint. Shit! she nearly screamed as she realized her coat was hanging on the hook outside of her door. Please don't be outside the door, please don't be outside the door, she chanted in her mind as she oh so carefully pulled it open. He was not in the hallway. She made a mad dash for her coat and was back in her room in a nanosecond, door slamming behind her. She was out the window and down the fire escape so quickly it made her head spin.

 

Without any clear destination, Kaoru took off down her street, hands tucked into her coat pockets and shoulders hunched against the wind. Her feet wandered with a will of their own, but she wasn't surprised when she found herself outside of Misao and Aoshi's modest house. Biting her lip, she approached the door.

 

Misao was quick to answer the bell and the shocked look on her face at Kaoru's appearance might have made her laugh on a different occasion.

 

“Kaoru?” the small woman asked hesitantly. “What are you doing here? Not that I'm not glad to see you. It's just…unexpected.”

 

“Sorry, Misao. I can leave if it's a bad time.”

 

Misao immediately frowned, recognizing a hollow tone she'd thought they had managed to eliminate from Kaoru's voice a year ago. “It's not a bad time at all. Come in.”

 

Kaoru walked into the house slowly, her eyes vacant and her mind clearly elsewhere. Misao followed at her heels with worry quickly blooming in her chest. She placed a hand on Kaoru's shoulder and led the girl into the living room.

 

“Tell me what's wrong, Kaoru.”

 

With that one quiet, compassionate command from Misao, Kaoru snapped like a twig. She let out a single, trembling sob and buried her face in her hands, curling in on herself. “God, Misao,” she murmured. “I ruined it. I completely messed everything up. Kenshin must hate me now.”

 

“Kaoru, what are you talking about? Kenshin could never hate you,” Misao sad sharply as she placed an arm around her friend.

 

In stumbling sentences, Kaoru told Misao the details of last night, from attempting to kiss Kenshin to instigating a duel between them. Misao remained silent throughout, her frown deepening with each passing fact. When Kaoru finished, hiccupping slightly, Misao easily pulled her friend into a tight embrace.

 

“You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, Kaoru. You were angry and you had every right to be.”

 

“No!” Kaoru nearly shouted, pushing away slightly. “I had no right to be angry with him. He doesn't feel the same way about me. I can't force my feelings on him.”

 

“But you said he kissed you after his nightmare.”

 

“I can't blame him for being caught in the heat of the moment.”

 

“Kaoru,” Misao growled, not understanding how her friend could be so unreasonable when it came to seeing how much Kenshin cared for her. Sighing, she pushed her frustration to the side. “Do you want to stay here for the night?”

 

Kaoru glanced at the clock and saw it was approaching supper time. Kenshin was probably getting worried about her.

 

“No, I'll go home.”

 

“Let me give you a ride.” Kaoru was hardly in a state to refuse as it was.

 

oOoOoOoOo

 

Misao dropped her outside her apartment with a congenial wave and a worried glance before driving away. Kaoru watched the car disappear into the fading daylight, feeling strangely empty inside. Quietly, she turned to the door to her building and unlocked it. Trudging the stairs to the second floor seemed a supreme will of effort and Kaoru nearly slumped against the wall on more than one occasion. She did not want to have to face him, especially not under such cowardly pretenses. Most unfortunately, though, he just had to be staying in her apartment.

 

With a last longing glance back down the stairs, Kaoru slipped her key in the lock.

 

oOoOoOoOo

 

Kenshin heard the key click in the lock of her apartment door and was immediately alert. He'd been half afraid she wouldn't come home at all. Rushing, he stood and approached the door just as it swung open. Kaoru stood on the other side, staring down and looking for all the world like a lost little child.

 

Kenshin moved to her in three giant strides and wrapped his arms around her as tightly as he dared. Kaoru froze in his embrace, her frame stiffening. He could hear her breath stutter slightly under his sudden attention.

 

“I'm sorry,” he whispered in her ear, tightening his arms for a moment. “Just please…please don't…shut me out like that.”

 

Kaoru nearly told him he was forgiven. The words were right on her tongue when she bit them back. What he was asking…he had no right to ask that. If he could shut her out than she most certainly had the right to shut him out.

 

Kenshin's grip loosened as she remained silent and he moved back slightly to see her face. He'd been so worried, but now he was filled with a sense of dread. Her eyes were dull and cold as she nodded at him, acknowledging his apology but not accepting it.

 

Quietly, she spoke. “Last night was my fault, Kenshin,” she told him tightly. “You don't need to apologize for it. But don't ask me for something you're not willing to give yourself.”

 

She tugged out of his embrace and stepped down the hallway, not even glancing back. If she'd had the sense to, she might've seen the hurt in his expression as she turned her back on him.

 

oOoOoOoOo

 

The next morning, Kenshin awoke suddenly, dripping cold sweat. He could not recall what woke him, but came to the conclusion that it must have been a nightmare. He could hear Kaoru outside his room, moving quietly and quickly. Glancing at the clock, he saw that it was 7:42. She'd be leaving for work any moment. He considered, for the briefest flash of time, going out to her and kissing her goodbye. The thought was shoved away as quickly as it had come. A moment later, the door shut and he knew she was gone.

 

Kenshin lay in bed for another few minutes, considering the patterns of the morning light on the ceiling. He rose from the covers only when one of the shapes reminded him of a girl he'd seen hanging from a desolate tree in the desert, hung by her own people because she'd married a man without her parents' permission. The young man had been killed with her.

 

The apartment was eerily empty without Kaoru. Everything seemed quieter, more subdued. Chills started crawling down Kenshin's back in slow waves. His mind searched frantically for something to do. Up until that moment, he hadn't ever really been alone with his thoughts—not since he came back from his last solo mission in the desert. Slowly, dark shadows began closing in on his mind.

 

Kenshin noted some dirty dishes in the sink. His brain clawed at the task. Immediately, he set to scouring the dishes until they were spotless. When he finished that, the fine layer of dust on some of the windowsills caught his eye. Every time Kenshin finished a task, he noticed another that could continue to distract his mind from the thoughts of blood that were still lurking in the recesses of his consciousness. By noon, the entire house had been well cleaned and Kenshin was left with empty hands.

 

He made himself lunch and located the paper, eyes sifting through the classifieds until he found the manual labor. There were many jobs in construction, most of them for new business buildings, but a few for new houses. He circled the ads with a blue pen and quickly dialed the numbers that were listed. The employers at each place seemed grateful to hear from someone and Kenshin quickly had several interviews set up over the next few days. Once the last construction place was called though, he was left with nothing to do.

 

He perused Kaoru's book collection, which was strewn over several mismatched shelves lined up in the back of her living room. Most of the books were fantasy novels, which had never been something he'd much indulged in, but among the many books of fantasy, there were a select few of realistic fiction. He idly pulled a Civil War book from the shelf and scanned the back. The book was shoved back almost immediately as what he read hit a little too close too home. Kenshin resolutely picked up the latest “Harry Potter” book and began reading that instead.

 

He'd reached page 150 by the time Kaoru returned home. He glanced at the clock in surprise as he heard the door open. Where had the afternoon gone? He hadn't even made supper. Perhaps Kaoru would want to go out, or they could eat leftovers. Kenshin tried to ignore the pangs of guilt about not cooking. Surely, it was the least he could do for her and he'd neglected to help even that much.

 

Kaoru appeared in the kitchen, eyes searching for him. When their gazes met, he could immediately see the pain there, as well as her anger, which seemed to smolder and burn with unceasing heat. He could feel a cold lump rising in his chest, cutting of his air, and forced himself to breathe deeply around it as he dipped his head, breaking the staring contest. Against his will, his eyes slid to the stark cut on her cheek, now revealed to all the world. Why did she not where a bandage? The very sight of the angry red line made waves of guilt and anger alternately wash through his mind.

 

“Good evening, Kaoru,” he said softly, guardedly. “Did you have a good day at work?”

 

He heard her sigh and wondered what she was thinking. A glance up showed him the resign in her eyes. She did not like that he was hiding himself. That was certain.

 

“It was alright,” she said softly as she removed her shoes and pulled off the suit jacket she'd worn over her blouse. “It was a Monday. I saw Yahiko, though. He's coming over tomorrow afternoon to visit.”

 

“Yahiko…” Kenshin murmured. He had not even given the younger man a thought in many months. Yahiko had been an orphan on the streets and had made the unfortunate decision to pick Kenshin's pocket one day as he and Kaoru were shopping downtown. Kaoru had immediately flattened the boy and threatened him bodily before Kenshin stepped in. He had asked the boy if he was hungry and offered lunch. Yahiko had growled several swearwords and run off, yelling about stupid people and their stupid pity.

 

However, every time Kenshin and Kaoru visited downtown, he would always spot the boy. With careful coaxing, they'd begun extracting him from the streets. Yahiko had been introduced to an older friend of Kenshin's, Tae, and she'd immediately taken to the boy. Only a month later, she asked Yahiko if he'd like to be adopted. After Yahiko's initial reaction (running for the hills,) he'd agreed.

 

The boy was now a senior in high school and had been accepted to a rather high end college in Chicago. Though he saw little of Kaoru, he still made it a point to visit the older girl at least once a month, especially after Kenshin left. With the return of his hero, Yahiko was scrabbling to see him again. Kaoru smiled wryly as he thought of how the boy had practically wriggled like a puppy when she'd told him Kenshin would be returning.

 

“It will be good to see him again,” Kenshin said softly.

 

Kaoru sat down next to him on the couch, stretching lithely before glancing at his face.

 

“You know he's going to have a million questions for you,” she said quietly. He said nothing but understood what she meant. Not all of Yahiko's questions would be ones he was comfortable with answering.

 

“I'll think of something,” he murmured, more to himself than to her. He looked at her then and she could see how he carefully buried the worry of Yahiko's visit beneath layers of his mask, expertly hiding that from her as well. He cleared his throat and said, “I'm sorry, but I didn't cook dinner. I got absorbed in a book.” He motioned to the giant green tome on the table.

 

Kaoru's face lit up as she saw what book he had been reading. “I know what you mean,” she said, reaching out and lovingly stroking the binding. “I didn't stop reading this one for anything except the bathroom. Afterwards, I ate about a half gallon of ice cream because I was so hungry, and it made me so sad.”

 

Kenshin looked at the book he'd begun with a raised eyebrow. Kaoru could not stop the laugh that bubbled in her throat. That was an expression she had not seen on his face in years and he only used it when he wished to show his utmost disbelief.

 

“It was that sad?”

 

“In my opinion,” she said, nodding fervently. She could not keep the smile from her face and it became even more brilliant when she saw that the corners of Kenshin's mouth were also slightly lifted. He was watching her with warm eyes and she could detect faint traces of happiness deep beneath the violet surface. He was happy because she was happy.

 

“So,” she said, as she shifted slightly and lay her feet across his lap, “what are we going to do for dinner?”

 

He stared at her feet for a moment before absently beginning to massage them and her legs as well. She sighed and tipped her head back over the arm of the couch, quietly enjoying any physical contact he would allow. “I was thinking we could order something or snack on leftovers.”

 

“Strike the leftovers. The Chinese has been in there for about two weeks and is probably planning a rebellion in the near future.”

 

He chuckled softly. “Order it is.”

 

They fell into silence that was neither comfortable nor uncomfortable. Both were still on edge from the episode last night, both filled with feelings of guilt and glimmerings of anger.

 

“I'm in the mood for Mexican,” she declared finally, withdrawing her feet and standing. “I'll order. Is there anything you have a particular craving for?” He shook his head and watched her disappear into the kitchen. She had been guarded tonight, just as much as he was.

 

You're planning something, Kaoru, he thought to himself. Please stop, before one of us becomes broken beyond repair.

 

Author's Note: Look! There's more! Keep reading! I'll talk to you all in the next chapter.

“Hate War, Love the…Warrior.” -Lt. Gen. Harold Moore