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Crossing the Line	By : HauntedReality Category: Rurouni Kenshin > General Views: 5367 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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CROSSING THE LINE - Chapter 6: Dead Man Laughing�

DISCLAIMER: Of the many things that are mine to possess,
Rurouni Kenshin and his companions are not among them.

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Sano made his way to the doctor�s house extremely early the
next morning. He had gotten very little sleep the night before--as his mind
would not let go of Kaoru�s last whispered word.

She had been sleeping at the time, but hearing his name
voiced by those soft pink lips was haunting his thoughts.

�I�m sure it didn�t mean anything. I am just the last person
she was talking to, so she whispered my name in her sleep, that�s all!� Try as
he might, he could not deny the happiness her subconscious murmur had caused.
After all, hadn�t she once said Kenshin�s name while asleep, even though Sano
had been the last person to be with her? Perhaps it did have more meaning after
all.

Finally, he arrived at his intended destination, and braced
himself for the inevitable confrontation. He knocked on the door. No answer. He
knocked again, and heard someone shuffling around inside, and then Megumi�s
tired voice called out, �This better be an emergency,� as she opened the door.

�Hi Fox, I wa�� but Sano was cut off by the door, which she
had slammed shut in his face.

Sano groaned, �this is going to be more difficult than I
thought.� He pulled the door back open, and walked inside to face the angry
doctor. She was still wearing her sleeping robes, and her hair was tangled from
a night of tossing and turning. Her eyes were only slightly open as if even the
smallest amount of light was painful.

�You look beautiful in the mornings,� Sano tried to flatter
her, but the result was much more like teasing.

�You don�t seem to need the skills of a doctor. I see you
are not bleeding. So unless you wish to be, you should come back later,� her
voice steadily rising as she continued.

�Listen Fo�Megumi, I�m sorry I woke you up, but this is kind
of an emergency.� Sano said while doing his best impersonation of innocent
pleading eyes. He waited semi-patiently for her response.

She involuntarily softened at his ridiculous attempt to look
like a sweet guy, who just needed some help. �Very well, what do you need?�

Sano smiled widely feeling victory at hand, �I need you to
make breakfast for Jou-chan, Yahiko, and myself!�

�Grab that kitchen knife,� she ordered evenly.

�You want me to help make breakfast?� he asked somewhat
confused.

�No, I want to cut you with it for waking me up for that.�
She turned away from him, and headed back to her room--adding over her
shoulder, �Kick yourself out, I�m going back to bed.�

Sano rushed to catch up with her, gripping her small
shoulder with his massive hand. �Please Megumi, I really messed things up for
Jou-chan yesterday, and I don�t want her to have to worry about making
breakfast for everybody. But I can�t cook, and I don�t have any money, so��

Letting out a deep breath she finished for him, �So you want
me to do it.�

He nodded hopefully. His hand was still upon her shoulder,
and the closeness combined with the pleading in his eyes, which was much more
sincere now, overruled her senses. She found she could not refuse him.

�I am far too nice,� she finally said in agreement,
�Besides, no one should have to eat her cooking, not even Kaoru.� She felt a
little more herself after making the joke at Kaoru�s expense.

�Thank you so much! I will make this up to you!� he
exclaimed happily. �I need to pick something else up, and then I�ll be back to
get the food.� He rushed out the door leaving Megumi alone in her hallway.

Her hand moved to the place where his had been resting. She
closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Then she began to busy herself
preparing the breakfast she had promised the smooth-talking man.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The morning sun attacked Kaoru. She could feel its warm
light radiating over her thin eyelids. She turned away, and tried to resume her
slumber, but it was too late. The sun had won again, as it always did, except
when the smell of breakfast beat it to the punch.

She mentally groaned at the thought of breakfast. �All that
time in town yesterday, and I forgot to pick up food for today.� Resigned to
her fate of being awake for the day, she pushed herself up from her comfortable
futon, and began dressing. She reached for her sandals, but found one of them
was broken.

She looked at it sadly remembering the events of the
previous night. �I was so harsh toward Sano. We had been having such an
enjoyable evening until I ruined it by running out. Why did I react that way?
He didn�t mean any harm by what he said.�

�I attacked him, and all he did was try to rescue me�again.�

Sighing, she felt her recent actions once again weighing
heavily on her conscience. �I�ll find a way to do something nice for him. I
guess that isn�t going to be another decent breakfast though.�

Then making her way to the kitchen, she hoped she could put
something together with the odds and ends at her disposal. �A cup full of rice,
some pickles, seasonings, and half a bottle of sake. Well, it wouldn�t be the
worst meal I ever made.�

�I don�t even want to know what you think you are going to
do with that stuff,� a grumpy Yahiko said looking over the ingredients she had
gathered.

�I suppose you have a better idea.�

�You and Sano were in town forEVER yesterday. Even a baka
and a buso should have been able to bring back something worthwhile.�

�That�s it! You�re going to get it now!� she yelled with a
hint of sisterly love for the spiky-haired boy.

�What? Are you going to give me a double helping of
breakfast?� he shot back.

Yahiko�s training paid off, as he was able to dodge the
various kitchen accessories being hurled at him by the irritated Kaoru.
However, there was a reason she was the master, and he was the pupil. And that
reason hit him squarely on the shoulder in the form of a large shaker of
pepper.

�Ouch!� he shouted in protest.

�It probably serves you right, punk,� came a voice from just
outside the kitchen.

Kaoru instantly stiffened at the sound of Sano�s deep smooth
voice. When had her body begun betraying her? Traitorous hands were hurriedly
adjusting her kimono, and straightening her hair as he entered. While her
equally unfaithful cheeks flushed a dark pink at his presence.

�I am probably just embarrassed to be caught throwing random
objects at my student. Even if it is just Sano.� But her body disagreed, as her
heart pattered a little faster at the mental mention of his name.

�Morning, Sano,� she said trying to force a relaxed position
and tone with little success.

Sano smiled warmly at her. �How can she look so bright and
fresh this early in the morning? Whoa, did I just think that?�

�I brought breakfast,� and then more softly, �I hope you
don�t mind.�

�Not at all,� she smiled back at him, feeling lost within
his gaze.

Yahiko eyed the two suspiciously, and took action to break
up their strange behavior. �Well, at least someone knows how to get breakfast,�
and for good measure, �Even if you are a baka rooster-head.�

The three sat down to breakfast. Yahiko rubbed the new
bruise Sano had given him on his other shoulder to match the one Kaoru
inflicted earlier. �Keeping an eye on these two is hard on my body. Sano and
Kaoru have been spending a lot of time together since Kenshin left. I hope they
know what they are getting into.�

�Mmm, this meal is wonderful Sano. Who made it?� Kaoru
asked.

�What? You don�t think I can cook?� he asked feigning
insult.

�So, Megumi then?� Kaoru retorted playfully.

Sano made the only reasonable response he could. He flicked
a wad of sticky rice at Kaoru with his chopstick. It caught her off guard, and
landed on her cheek. Her mouth dropped open, and her lips twitched as she
stared unbelieving at Sano.

Yahiko was laughing hysterically already, and Sano was doing
everything he could to stifle the laughter building inside him. But as Kaoru
continued to look more like a fish than a dojo master, he found himself
overwhelmed.

�You think this if funny!?� Kaoru said in a strained voice.

*Splish!* Rice splattered between Sano�s eyes, halting his
laughter momentarily, but causing Yahiko�s to double in strength.

�I guess it is funny,� she said in a false sweet voice with
a wicked smile.

�Jou-chan, prepare to be riced!� Sano exclaimed quickly as
he began to pelt her with globs of the remaining food. But Kaoru was ready for
him with her own barrage. Yahiko decided he wanted no part of the fight, and
backed up so as not to be caught in the crossfire.

He watched them for a little bit, but as he realized they
were running low on food, he decided he should be elsewhere when they chose to
clean the mess. Kaoru and Sano didn�t even notice his absence as they continued
to joyously assault one another.

Their laughter died down as they wore themselves out, and
exhausted their ammunition supply. They were breathing hard, but still facing
off in attack positions from across the table.

�Give up?� Sano asked between breaths.

�I�m winning. Why would I give up?� Kaoru managed to respond
as her chest laboriously rose and fell.

�How are you winning?�

�You are far filthier than me,� she explained in a voice
meant to convey this was the only logical conclusion to be drawn.

�I�m a bigger target!� he argued.

�I�ll say.�

�Hey!� he gasped, pretending to be extremely wounded by her
vicious words.

Kaoru�s only response was a girlish giggle at his
frustration. Straightening her pose out of attack mode, she surveyed the damage
they had wrought upon the helpless room. She took a deep breath, and opened her
mouth to speak.

�Don�t say it,� he interjected before any words could
escape.

Caught off-guard, she cocked her head toward him. �What was
I going to say?�

�We should really clean this mess,� he said for her.

�Well, if you insist. Thanks for offering to help!� Kaoru
said mischievously.

�No, I mean, that�s what you would have said, if you had��
He knew he had been tricked, and he might as well just concede to helping.

�I guess I really did lose,� he said of his predicament as
he watched Kaoru turn away to gather cleaning supplies. Her hair swished over her
narrow back. His eyes trailed downward to where her belt pulled the fabric of
her kimono tight to her small waist before rounding out at her hips. �Even
covered in food she looks beautiful.�

Before he was able to follow this observation with the, now
routine guilt-laden follow-up thoughts of his friend Kenshin, he saw Kaoru slip
on a patch of rice. Moving with surprising speed he reached her side before she
met the floor.

He pulled her back into a standing position. His arms were
wrapped around her waist. Her hands rested upon his, and her back leaned
against his broad chest.

�I should let go,� he begrudgingly thought, but then he felt
her fingers skim delicately across the backside of his hand. It was such a
light touch, and yet it�s deliberate motion sent a wave of pleasure coursing
through his arm, and stopping with a tingle in his neck.

He felt her move against his embrace, and he loosened his
grasp only slightly, not yet ready to be away from her. But instead of pulling
away, she simply turned in place so that they were facing one another.

She tilted her head to meet his eyes. �My hero, again,� she
said just above a whisper.

Kaoru felt strange looking at the man she had now known for
only a year. Had their time together really been so brief? She felt as though
he had been a part of her life forever, but at the same time it was as though
she was seeing something in him she had never noticed before.

As they stood unmoving, she was suddenly very aware of
Sano�s bare chest, and their nearness. An odd sense of fear and anxiousness
built up inside her. She felt as though she might explode if they stood there
any longer just looking at each other. Finally, she backed away from him. His
arms reluctantly released her, and the sensation of his fingers slowly dragging
along her waist as she moved away was very acute.

�I-I�ll get the rags and soap if you get the water,� she
said in almost a trance state. Their eyes were still locked, and she made no
move to initiate her plan.

Sano was sure he had lost all power of speech so he replied
with a barely noticeable nod. At last Kaoru managed to disengage her eyes from
the link they had formed, and she walked out of the door without looking back
at him. But she was sure his eyes were still upon her.

Instead of heading for the closet with the supplies, she
walked to her room--pulling the shoji screen closed behind her. She sank down
to her futon, and hugged her knees tightly to her chest.

�Where are you Kenshin?�

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Blades spun past his fiery red hair, and embedded themselves
into the soft bark of a nearby tree. He propelled himself from the ground--and
actually began to run along the sides of trees and boulders--moving much faster
than the eye could trace. Still, the metal blades cut through the air toward
him. Although he avoided each one with artful precision, one ricocheted off a
large stone, and found itself buried deep within his thigh.

�How long can you keep this up scarred one?� an unnaturally
calm voice taunted. The convict moved before him at a pace that was alarmingly
similar to Kenshin�s. �I banter, you brood, we fight, you bleed, I run, you
chase--it never ends! Really, don�t you ever get tired of it all?

�I could suggest other activities.� The psychotic man threw
more blades while he lazily spoke as though they were simply having afternoon
tea, and not fighting for their lives. �There is always gambling, but you are
probably too dull for that. Hmm�what about a nice whorehouse? Yes, I suppose
that would require at least a passing interest in pleasure. I know! What about,
NOT chasing me?�

Kenshin launched himself high above the man, and brought his
sword down upon him. However, as so many times before, the convict managed to
dodge just in time. �I guess that is a no then?�

�This will end when you are in the custody of the police,
and innocents have nothing further to fear from you,� Kenshin stated
resolutely.

�How droll. Really scarred one, do you think you�ve been
appointed protector of Japan? If you were, I certainly wasn�t around for the
ceremony,� he snidely replied.

Both men were now standing still watching their opponent.
After so much exertion neither was ready to turn down a pause if it meant they
could catch their breath.

�I do what I can to atone for the transgressions of my past.
Something you would know nothing about,� Kenshin said with a strange mix of
passion and serenity.

�You mean you carry your guilt around like some kind of
misguided badge of honor? No, I know nothing of that. I�ve done terrible
things, and I loved every minute of it. I don�t deny what I am as you do.�

�I never enjoyed it!� Kenshin shouted.

�Oh? I never said you did. Hmmm�and yet, you were
quick to refute the possibility. Me think the scarred one doth protest too
much.� An eerie smile played across the man�s thin lips as his piercing eyes
seemed to stare directly through Kenshin.

�This battle has gone on too long. We are both worn out, but
he has managed to wound me on multiple occasions, while there is barely a
scratch on him. I�ve let his words rattle me, and he has had the edge because
of it,� Kenshin thought as he tried to mentally regroup for the inevitable
confrontation.

�It seems that as much as he claims to enjoy killing, he is
indifferent to killing me. He likes easy prey. Right now he just wants to
escape, and he doesn�t care if that means out running me or killing me.�

Kenshin�s bright amethyst eye�s scrutinized the convict�s
twisted face. He searched his battle aura for something that would swing the
battle to his advantage. He had been gone from Kaoru and the others for far too
long, and this needed to end.

�Are you thinking about how to kill me scarred one?�

The question startled Kenshin. �I do not kill,� he replied
firmly.

�Who are you trying to convince?� The man�s dark eyes danced
with pleasure as Kenshin flinched at his words. �Did you count them scarred
one?�

Truly confused, but unsure whether or not he wanted clarity
Kenshin hesitantly asked, �Of what are you speaking?�

�The ones you killed, of course. Did you count them as you
took their futures? Do you know how many times you sounded the death knell for
someone? Do you have a number for how many people you took from their loved
ones?�

Kenshin could feel the tiny hairs on the back of his neck
rise as he bristled at the man�s blunt words. To recall his past in such frank,
and unremorseful tones was unthinkable.

�You say you protect to atone for those you�ve killed? When
does it end? Can you get the numbers to balance--saved lives versus slain lives?
But how do you even know you are saving anyone? People live, that is their
natural state. How can you be so sure that by intervening in the affairs of
others that you�ve made any difference? If you create life indirectly, then do
you not also take it? How many have died as a result of your actions, if not
from your blade?

This struck a cord with Kenshin as he thought of Jin-e,
Shishio, and all the others throughout the years who would not settle for a
defeat less permanent than death. His violet eyes became clouded with doubt.

The convict saw his opening and drew his katana. He charged
Kenshin in what seemed to be a direct assault, but before he was within sword�s
reach he pushed himself into a flying spin maneuver that caught Kenshin off
guard. Twisting out of the way at the last minute, Kenshin managed to avoid a
fatal gouge. However, there was now a large gash in his back, and he could feel
his right arm begin to grow numb.

�See what happens when you let life pass you by scarred
one?� The convict spoke venomously as he charged forward again swinging his
blade. Kenshin dodged smoothly, but the pain was slowing him down. �You�ve been
denying yourself. How are you supposed to help anybody weighed down with a
ridiculous impossible mission?�

A blow to his leg sent Kenshin stumbling backwards. �I like
you scarred one. You�re feisty like me, but this has really gone on quite long
enough. There are young women to do, and throats to slit.� The convict readied
himself to deliver the deathblow when he felt the wind being knocked out of
him.

Then a cut formed on his right arm, then another on his
left. The convict marveled at Kenshin�s reserve of strength after the beating
he had undergone. In truth, Kenshin wasn�t sure where this hidden power had
come from either. But when he had heard the man�s mention of �young women� his
mind had become possessed by one thought--Kaoru. He would return to her.

The two swords met in a savage struggle. No longer were
there fancy aerial moves, or long practiced strategies. This was sweat and
anger and the hunger to triumph over an opponent at all costs. Blood splattered
against the unsuspecting forestry as shadows violently danced toward their
finale.

Kenshin�s entire body moved in time with his sakabato. It
was as if he were a human weapon writing with a deadly poetry. His movements
were unearthly fluid, so it wasn�t surprising that when the convict managed to
change directions suddenly, that Kenshin was able to once again find him with
his sword. Only at this angle, it was the sharpened edge that barreled toward
the other man.

In the time it takes a second to form, Kenshin saw his
mistake. Milliseconds sped past as he sought to withdraw his blade in time. His
weakened and bloodied arm muscles clenched against the power of inertia driving
the blade ever forward toward the man�s vulnerable torso.

With incredible strain to his body, Kenshin managed to
detour the blade�s path before impact. The convict fell to his knees. His
exhausted shoulders shook with unbridled laughter at the diminutive rurouni
standing before him.

�What is so funny?� Kenshin couldn�t stop himself from
asking.

�You are. For days you track me, engage me in battle, and
haunt my every move. And now, here you are, sparring my life at a painful cost
to yourself,� he laughed more quietly now.

Kenshin knew what he meant. His arms burned from the stress
he had put them through by stopping the sakabato in time.

�So you take me back, and I die from lack of freedom, or
they kill me for escaping. Either way I�m a dead man who would be free and
alive if not for you, but you can�t see that, can you?� His words were
increasingly bitter.

�No, only someone dying upon your precious non-killing sword
would be counted as a life you took.� Shaking, he rose to his feet, and stepped
nearer to Kenshin whose blade was still pointing threateningly at the convict.
�So be it,� and with that the convict thrust himself upon Kenshin�s extended
sakabato.

And as the convict�s last breath escaped him, Kenshin was
sure he could hear him laughing.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Longest chapter ever! Whoo.

I think the recent lack of reviews is due to server
problems�feel free to email me directly at wastedthoughts@insightbb.com
to comment, ask questions, etc. Or, check the story out on FF.net under my
runner-up guise, CharmedReality.

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Crossing the Line

CROSSING THE LINE - Chapter 6: Dead Man Laughing�