Broken Pieces
by linay

Author's notes: Okay everyone, remember I said this story would be DARK. And here comes the darkness. I warned ya.

I've always wanted to write about Kenshin driving a black car. Vroom vroom! But darn it all, this was supposed to be a quick smutty darkish fix for me. It's turning into a full-fledged drama. Well, I guess that's better brain food anyway. Just means I have to think more. Darn it all. J

TO THE REVIEWERS: Chibi-Akane, gooniechunk – Yes, I know, I got the name from Fruits Basket. I thought of him immediately when I did up the character. It's kind of ironic, with the rats and all. Not going to play much in the story though- not a crossover. And I might leave out the purple hair. And he's going to be younger. Ah well, you'll see. J Tisa: I think it's going to be mostly from Kaoru and Kenshin's point of view although we'll get a glimpse into what the other characters are thinking. Dora & Battousai Angel: Yah I know! I had so much fun writing that it. Moohaha Ah yes, DeamonKatte, SAGE she WILL be cold. Narrator: You're onto to something there. Tigerwolf: She can erase memories as well as take them. It will be explained in great detail here. Winter, macy: I'm happy you found it interesting! I thought it was dull…heehee. Yawarako: Hmmm..that's a great idea! Thank you Jade Anime, Nim, gypsy. Moonsaiyan: I'll let you know in this chp! Susan: Thanks for reading and commenting on all the chapters – even the author's note! Yue: SECRET! Heehee…the verses serve a purpose but I won't let you in on their true meaning until much later –except that they kinda set the mood. Moo. Yup, Takasugi gave her the bag with the thong in it. Kats: A-maybe? Heehee… B-Probably not because I'm not skilled enough to spend quality time on Megumi. C-Yes. Early anime or manga type. And plus, she's a bit OOC because of the circumstances I've put her in. Squeeker: I think Aoshi has some affection for Kaoru. Plus I think his pride got wounded when he, the bodyguard, is safe and she is not. Chitchat: evil grin: I love sexual tension. I feel so liberated writing this. Heehee

Special Thanks: sage: * linay shoots BIG GOOFY SMILE * I'm so happy you like it! No it's not the obvious; but hold that thought! Chibi angel: Thanks for being so supportive. And a kissing scene? * grins evilly * ohohoho…Oh Colleen nitpicking isn't a bad thing. Mary: Don't fret about your grammar. Your comments are great. Rouge: Thanks for the detailed comments. I'm glad you like the pseudo-poetry. I wasn't thinking much about it at first but now I have an idea. Moohaha.

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.

"Shut up you unbearable man," Kaoru muttered under her breath, marching down the narrow hallway of the apartment building.

Takasugi ignored her, his boisterous laughter ringing off the walls. Kenshin remained coldly distant, walking quickly beside the taller man. Kaoru followed sulkily after them, her arms folded across her stomach. When the trio reached the elevator, Kenshin pulled his car keys from his pocket and pushed the down button. Takasugi's glowing eyes caught Kaoru's surprised stare.

"What?" he guffawed, "You think we let him walk all over Kyoto?"

Kaoru huffed with irritation. The metal door slid open mechanically and the two men strode into the metal box. Kenshin placed his arm over the door to prevent it from sliding closed before Kaoru could get in.

"Oh," Takasugi exclaimed jokingly, "So now that she's all dolled up you're the perfect gentleman."

Kenshin didn't even bother to look at Takasugi. Instead, he stared expectantly at Kaoru, his eyes sending a clear, cold message. Kaoru stepped into the elevator, tossing her head arrogantly as she passed him. Kenshin let the door close and they began their descent to the basement parking lot.

"Yes," Katsura said over the phone to an unknown person, "They will try it tonight. Takasugi knows what to do."

"Yes, I know it's risky," Katsura answered an apparent objection, "But this was our plan in the first place."

Katsura sighed. "I know this is one of our worst assignments for him. But it absolutely must be done. We can't succeed with out it."

"Well, we'll see, won't we?" he said, tapping his fingers on his desk.

As they approached a sleek, black car in the dank basement, Kenshin lifted his keys and pressed a button on the key chain. The alarm beeped twice and the locks popped open. He pulled the backdoor of the car open and held out his arm to Kaoru, ushering her into the backseat.

"What, not the trunk?" Kaoru jeered humourlessly, bending over slightly to slide into the car.

"That can be arranged for you, if you like," Kenshin replied calmly, pushing the door shut after her.

Kaoru resisted the urge to stick out her tongue at him from behind the tinted glass windows of the backseat. Takasugi, lounging over the hood of the car, laughed as Kenshin got into the driver's seat and pulled the car door closed. Then he too climbed in.

With a deft push of a button, the locks of all the doors snapped down.

"What was that for?" Kaoru snorted loudly from the back seat.

Kenshin shot her a warning glance through the rear view mirror as he started the engine. Takasugi, on the other hand, twisted around in the leather front seat to look at her.

"Child protection locks, dear," he said nasally. His eyes drifted down to her legs. "Oh my," he said, dropping his voice to a deep rumble, "Did your mother never teach you how to sit properly?" He laughed, turning back around.

Kaoru blushed furiously and sat up straight in her seat, clenching her thighs together tightly. She futilely tried to pull her skirt further down her legs. Damn that Takasugi. Damn him.

"Damn pervert," she whispered through gritted teeth, just loud enough for him to hear.

Kenshin shifted gears deftly and looked over his shoulder as he backed the car up quickly. As the wheels screeched, he let his slitted, amber eyes slide over to meet Kaoru's. Kaoru bit her lip instinctively. The look in his dangerous eyes had been quite obvious: shut up and sit back. The black sports car raced up the ramp from the parking lot, Kenshin manipulating the steering wheel skilfully, his other hand resting lightly on the gearshift.

To Kaoru's surprise, their drive through Kyoto's streets did not resemble a TV car chase. Though Kenshin drove quite fast, he didn't floor the gas pedal unexpectedly or turn corners on two wheels. She watched the buildings go by with wide eyes.

"Turn left," Takasugi was instructing Kenshin, "Now go behind the Omiya Station."

Kenshin manoeuvred the car easily, guiding the car through a veritable maze of narrow, dirty streets. He slowed the car to a rolling stop in a dingy alley. Pulling the keys from the ignition, he stepped out of the car. After shutting the front door, he stood in front of Kaoru's door with his hand on the handle, waiting for Takasugi to walk around. Takasugi rounded the car in his lazy stride. Kenshin pulled the door open.

"I feel so important," Kaoru muttered, stepping out and pointedly refusing Takasugi's proffered hand.

Slamming the door shut, Kenshin adjusted his cloak and started to walk out of the dingy alley. "I'm not going to baby sit for you now, Takasugi-san."

"Understood," Takasugi responded, leering down at Kaoru, "That's why I am here."

Suddenly, Takasugi's big hand was around Kaoru's upper arm. She protested by trying to jerk away.

"Listen doll," Takasugi joked, though his grip was like iron around her arm, "We have a job to do tonight. So there'll be no fooling around. Got it?"

Kaoru narrowed her eyes and glared at him stonily. Takasugi smirked and tightened his grip. Without another word, he began to follow Kenshin into the darkness, pulling her along roughly by the arm.

"You don't have to be so rough," Kaoru complained as she was dragged forward by Takasugi's vice-like grip.

From the opening of the alley, Battousai spun around suddenly, his cloak whipping around his knees wildly. The light of the street lamps silhouetted his lean form and his face was cast in shadow, his amber eyes gleaming eerily in the half-light.

"We don't have time for your childish games," his voice resonated through the darkness, "Be quiet and do as you're told."

Kaoru's breath caught in her throat and suddenly she felt very, very cold. She shivered involuntarily. Takasugi began to move forward again, catching up to Battousai. The assassin stayed by the entrance to the alley, waiting until Takasugi and Kaoru were standing before him. Although Battousai was considerably shorter than Takasugi, he was just a little taller than Kaoru and despite his height, the spine-chilling aura he gave off was intimidating.

Battousai took one step toward Kaoru so that he was a mere hairsbreadth away from her. Without dropping his chin, his golden eyes looked down at her. Edging back slightly, Kaoru tried to keep eye contact without flinching. Battousai stared down at her coldly, warning her with his glittering stare not to interfere or get in the way again.

Then he turned suddenly, the edges of his black cloak hitting Kaoru's bare legs, and Battousai left the alley. Without time to exhale, Kaoru was dragged forward by Takasugi into the dimly lit street. And almost bumped into Battousai's back. Kaoru's eyes widened.

"Perfect timing," she heard Takasugi breathe softly.

On the other side of the deserted street, a mother and her strangely pale son were walking quickly between four hulking men.

"Where are you taking us?" Kaoru heard the woman ask fearfully of one of the well-armed men.

"You don't need to know," came the curt reply.

The mother, a simply clad woman with bunned hair, gripped her son's shoulders tightly in response, her anxiety clearly visible.

Her son was a completely different story.

The boy was perhaps between ten or twelve years old. But for his age, he radiated a calm that didn't even exist in elderly people nearing death. The boy was pale and his hair was lighter than that any Japanese child she had ever seen. The boy held himself straight, but his eyes were lidded with sadness.

Like a plunge into cold water, Battousai's soft but piercing voice interrupted Kaoru's observations.

"Sohma, Yuki?" Battousai's voice was as cold as death.

The boy suddenly halted. His head turned to look at the strange trio. He had violet eyes.

Kaoru inhaled sharply.

"No," she breathed softly and turned to Takasugi pleadingly, "You can't do this. It's just a little boy!"

Takasugi's jaw was tight but he did not acknowledge Kaoru's plea. Instead he stared straight ahead.

"For the love of God," Kaoru choked.

The surprised and angry questions that ensued from the guards, as well as the mother's whimpering, went unnoticed by both Battousai and the child. Cold amber eyes and wide violet eyes were locked together. The boy observed silently, not even a hint of emotion flickering in his large, purple eyes. And if Battousai was surprised at the identity of his target, he did not show it. Neither did he show regret, sadness or guilt.

"Tonight," Battousai announced, crouching into an attack stance with his hand on the hilt of his sword, "I will have to take your life."

He could have sworn that a hint of an amused smile passed over the boy's pallid features.

"He's ours!" one of the burly guards shouted, shattering the communion between Battousai and Sohma Yuki.

The boy, Yuki, faded into the background for the instant and Battousai assessed his opponents. Before the first guard even blinked, he was lying in a steadily growing pool of this own blood, his body convulsing as his life blood poured from the open gash in his mangled neck.

Battousai became no more than a black and red blur as he flew through the air at the next thug. The man vainly fired round after round of bullets at the rapidly approaching assassin. Battousai dodged the bullets effortlessly, his speed increasing rather than decreasing. In a fluid swing of his steel, the thug's chest burst open and his upper body began to fall away from the rest. Even before the pieces hit the ground with a sickening splash, Battousai was gliding towards the third man.

The third man was sweating profusely and trying desperately to cock the huge automatic machine gun he was holding. Battousai re-sheathed his bloodied sword as he ran, readying it for a strike. The man finally managed to set the weapon with his pudgy fingers and he fired, sending a round of bullets at the assassin. Without missing a beat, Battousai leapt into the air over the rain of bullets. Heading downwards, he suddenly drew his blade and then blood, not bullets, rained upon the black asphalt.

Kaoru was unable to tear her eyes away from the gruesome scene. She suddenly wrenched herself from Takasugi's grip and turned back towards the alley. She crouched in a shadowed corner and vomited her disgust, tears streaking down her horrified face.

Takasugi waited until she was done before hauling her back to her feet and dragging her back. Kaoru wriggled uselessly in his arms.

"Please," she begged, her self-respect lost in face of the blood, "I don't want to see anymore."

Takasugi, his face grim, refused to answer. Instead, he held her in front of himself by her arms. Kaoru turned her face away and sagged in his grip, desperately wishing she would not hear anymore of the pain.

Battousai stood in the middle of the carnage, facing the last guard and the shuddering woman and child behind him. His eyes were dead and emotionless.

"Ah," the fourth and final man commented, "You must be the legendary Battousai."

"If you know who I am," Battousai replied softly, "Then you know to give up now and make it easier on yourself."

A mirthless chuckle erupted from the slight man on the other side of the bloodied street. "On the contrary," the man said, flipping back the material of his trench coat to reveal the hilt of a Japanese sword, "I have been preparing for such a day as this. You should be the one to give up, Battousai."

Battousai strode forward slowly, his arms swinging slowly at his sides and his steel blade flashing in the light of the street lamps. "You are wasting your efforts," he stated coldly.

In response, the last man smirked and pulled his long steel sword from its sheath. "I have studied the ancient arts of the sword for this very moment," he said, grinning devilishly, "I will be a worthy opponent."

Battousai's eyes glinted in the half-light. Without a sound, he rushed forward with his sword in a lunge position.

"You fool!" the other man shouted with a smile, "My technique's strength is defending against those foolish head-on attacks."

Battousai's blade connected with his opponent's with a loud clash of metal. They both pushed their blades forward, throwing each other back a step. The other man brought his sword down in a vicious overhead swing. Battousai blocked the sword easily, holding up his own blade horizontally with his hands. He swiped his sword across the other man's blade, the metal grating harshly, and lunged forward while the man tumbled forward from momentum. Swinging around, Battousai aimed to slice the man in half. The man managed to parry at the last minute, but only barely. The two swordsmen circled each other at a run, their blades shining like silver.

Kaoru watched with wide eyes, fascinated and unable to look away. Battousai moved with extraordinary grace, swinging his sword in fluid, smooth arcs of steel. Unlike the other man, Battousai's moves were all precise and exact, his body acting and reacting without any visible flaw. He flew through the night, his sword dancing in his grasp. Kaoru gasped silently. Battousai's golden eyes were distant and blank, as if he were not really there at all.

He was both beautiful and terrifying.

The swords clashed again. But this time, Battousai had the man pushed up against the wall. His competitor was trying desperately to push Battousai's sword away with his own.

"No!" the man shrieked, desperately disengaging himself from Battousai's sword.

Turning suddenly with his sword ready for a swing, Battousai lunged at the man. He swung his sword upward and the man raised his sword in defence horizontally with a violent cry.

His cry died to a gurgling of blood as Battousai's blade slashed through his neck and face. The man's sword fell to the ground in two pieces, sliced in half. The man fell into the growing puddles of blood as Battousai straightened himself, flicking the blood off of his sword with a quick, controlled swing. His frighteningly cold eyes then turned to the mother and child.

"No!" Kaoru roared with angry tears, "No!" She tried to rip herself away from Takasugi's grip violently but he was stronger. With a grunt, he twisted and pinned her arms behind her back. Twisting and kicking painfully, she continued to shout at Battousai. But her cries went unheeded.

The mother's face was contorted in fear and she pulled the boy to his knees, covering him with her own body in an attempt to hide her son's body within her own. Yuki's round purple eyes still shone brightly through the cage of her arms.

"Leave the boy."

The woman's tears flowed freely and she refused to budge, winding her arms more tightly around her child. Standing above the pitiful pair, Battousai remembered his orders.

His sword still dangling from one hand, he wrenched the woman up by the back of her shirt. The mother shrieked and struggled as Battousai dragged her away from the boy. He deposited her on the other side of the street. When she rose to her feet and tried to run back wildly to her son, Battousai slammed the hilt of his sword into her back. She collapsed to the asphalt in a sobbing heap, unable to rise because of the pain in her back. In the next second, Battousai was again standing over the kneeling child.

Once again, large violet eyes met narrowed amber eyes. The boy stared up at the man for a moment before bowing his head before him.

"Quickly, please," came Yuki's calm, high-pitched voice.

Battousai pointed the tip of his sword at the base of the boy's skull.

The boy's mother threw her body forward in a desperate but futile panic.

Kaoru fell to her knees, her hands over her mouth and a scream dying in her throat.

His eyes hooded, Battousai plunged the blade into Yuki's neck, severing the spinal cord and cutting through the jugular in one swift movement. The boy's head twisted sickeningly to the side, pinned to the ground by Battousai's bloody sword. He pulled the sword out swiftly and the child's head lifted slightly with the movement and collapsed again lifelessly. Sohma Yuki lay on his stomach, his limbs spread and his face tilted to the side. His wide, violet eyes were staring emptily into the darkness. Pale hair was matted to his face, streaked with some of his blood. Blood began to pool around his head like a red halo, tainting his hair and skin. The boy's blood slowly expanded outward, creating a dark, liquid circle around the tiny body.

Battousai flicked the blood from the sword and sheathed it quickly, emotionlessly staring down at the young sacrifice.

The mother staggered forward helplessly and then collapsed to her knees, sobbing pathetically.

Battousai spun on his heel and turned to stare at Takasugi. Looking down at Kaoru's stony form, Takasugi voiced his orders.

"Get up," he ordered, his lips a grim line, "And take that woman's memory away."

As if in shock, Kaoru remained frozen in place with her hands over her mouth. Then she lowered her hands and blinked slowly, stopping the flow of tears. Slowly, Kaoru rose to her feet.

Unexpectedly, she made as if to obey and began to walk across the street towards the weeping woman. Both Battousai and Takasugi watched, entranced, as Kaoru glided ghost-like across the street. When she stood a foot in front of the wailing mother, she dropped to her knees, ignoring the blood.

The woman looked up at her through teary eyes.

"Why did you let them take away my son?" she wailed pitifully.

Kaoru bowed her head slightly, her eyes downcast and sorrowful. Without a word, she reached out her bare arm with her index and middle fingers outstretched. The older woman shrunk back fearfully, her face muddied by tears and blood.

Battousai, standing behind the mother, watched as Kaoru extended her arm and touched the woman's forehead with her fingertips. Then, for no apparent reason, the older woman's body went limp abruptly and slumped forward. Kaoru caught the woman in her arms as she fell. Suddenly, Kaoru tightened her arms around the woman's crumpled frame and tears began to course down her cheeks. She shut her eyes tightly but the tears still flowed, dripping onto the unconscious woman's shoulder.

In his peripheral vision, Battousai saw Takasugi nod to him. He strode towards the two women.

"Let's go," he stated.

Kaoru's tearful eyes opened and she lifted her blue eyes slowly to meet his. Tears continued to flow from her glassy eyes.

"Why," she sobbed quietly up at the assassin, "Why did you take him away?"

Battousai took a step back. Seeing the mother's expression mirrored so exactly in another's eyes caught him off guard.

"Why?" Kaoru continued as she wept, "Why did you do such a thing?"

Suddenly, Kaoru began to shiver violently. Her eyes shut again and her skin prickled with goose bumps. She clasped the unconscious woman tighter and continued to sob silently.

"He was so young," Kaoru mumbled through her tears, "He never deserved any of this. It wasn't any of his fault."

Battousai stepped forward again and tried to pry the woman's limp form away from Kaoru. The teenager, suddenly limp with sorrow, allowed Battousai to pull the mother away and lay her body onto the concrete. Kaoru wrapped her arms around herself, ignoring the streaks of blood on her skin and on her white shirt. She continued to shiver, the night cold wrapping its icy arms around her. Her chest was wracked with choking sobs and she hardly noticed when Battousai began to haul her to her feet by her armpits.

Battousai looked down at the sobbing teenager who was quivering from the tears and the cold. Despite the blankness of his eyes, he was truly confused by the girl's instant change in personality.

"It's because she took the woman's memory."

Battousai looked up at Takasugi, his eyes betraying nothing.

"What should I do with her?"

"Take her back to your place."

"Why?"

"It's not over yet, Battousai." Takasugi shrugged with a dry smirk. "I'm off. Report tomorrow."

Without another word, Takasugi walked away, hands in his pockets. Battousai looked down again at the trembling girl that he was holding up in front of him. He knew that he and Takasugi needed to clear the area quickly. Decision made, he prepared to lift the girl and drag her to the car.

And then she looked up.

Battousai's eyes widened suddenly. In all of his life he had never seen such sorrow. Kaoru's eyes were deep, blue pools of unfathomable sadness. It was uncanny how such deep sorrow could be reflected in such young eyes. Her lip trembled and more silent tears spilled over her high cheekbones. She whimpered quietly and tried to hug herself more tightly, shivering violently.

Battousai realized then that she was not only filled with another's sorrow; she was also suffering from the sharp, cold air. He let her go and she sunk bonelessly back to the asphalt, shivering and sniffling. Quickly, he pulled his blood-soaked cloak from his back and draped it around the girl's trembling shoulders. Then he scooped her slight form into his lean arms and carried her away from the gory alley.

Kenshin pushed his bundled charge into the backseat of his car, secretly thanking whoever had invented tinted windows. Not bothering to strap her in, he shut the door and climbed into the driver's seat. Tires screeching, he backed out of the maze of side streets and onto the major roads. He raced towards his apartment building with controlled speed.

"He was like me!" a sudden cry came from the back seat.

Kenshin looked at the back seat through his rear view mirror. Kaoru was sitting up, still shivering and clutching his black cloak around herself. Her eyes were wide and startled.

"He was like me!" she cried again wildly.

Kenshin swore under his breath. The last thing he needed while driving through the streets of Kyoto was a lunatic teenager in the backseat of his car. Kaoru buried her face in her hands, still unable to stop the flow of tears. Her voice subsided into unintelligible whimpers as collapsed into sobs.

He was almost relieved that it appeared that she was still suffering from whatever crazy mental episode she was having. The last time she had not been able to stop screaming. This time she couldn't stop crying.

He really didn't know which was worse.

By the time Kenshin parked the sleek black car in its usual spot in the basement, the girl's sobs had become slight sniffles and whimpers. And his ears had begun to ache for silence.

He pulled her from the backseat easily, her body still wilting with grief. Glad that she was not screaming her pretty head off like the last time, Kenshin carried her easily to the elevator and pushed the button with a free finger. He scanned the halls with a slightly furtive look, hoping none of his neighbours would witness the sight of him carrying a scantily clad girl wrapped in his cloak.

Finally the assassin was welcomed into the dark sanctuary of his apartment. He unceremoniously dropped the girl onto the leather sofa. Kenshin untied the swords from his waist and placed them reverently on their racks.

"Do you feel sad?"

Kenshin turned and stared at Kaoru. She had raised herself to a sitting position, his black cloak pooling around her bare shoulders. Her eyes were dull, watching him calmly. Tears were drying on her cheeks.

"Why would I?" he asked, turning around to stare at his swords.

"Because you took the life of an innocent little boy."

"No one is innocent."

"He was," Kaoru said, her still eyes boring into the assassin's back, "He was just a child."

"And what would you know about it?" Kenshin demanded, turning his head to glare at her with narrowed eyes.

Kaoru smiled unnervingly. "I know why you were ordered to kill him."

Kenshin arched an unbelieving eyebrow. "What the hell did you do anyway?"

Kaoru's eyes took on a glassy, far away look. "He was like me, that boy was. He could see into people's memories. He could erase them."

Kenshin snorted.

Kaoru's eyes suddenly intensified. "He was like me," she shouted suddenly, "And you killed him."

"I had to," Kenshin growled angrily.

"I know," Kaoru smiled that odd smile again, "Because you were told to." She paused. "Do you even know why you are doing these things?"

"For a safer Kyoto," Kenshin recited, turning back towards a dying fire, "Sacrifices must be made."

"Even if the sacrifice is a child?"

"Yes," Kenshin stated quietly, the dying flames reflecting in his amber eyes.

"I want to speak with your boss," Kaoru said suddenly.

"That is not for you to decide."

"I accomplished something for him," Kaoru insisted quietly, "I wish to speak with him."

"Why would I bother helping you?"

"Because I will tell you what I am if you do."

Kenshin turned to face the girl. Her eyes lifted serenely as she sat calmly, his cloak still resting around her lap. Kenshin strode to the sofa opposite hers and sat facing her, crossing one leg casually. He laid an arm across the back of the sofa and cocked his head to the side, his red ponytail swishing over one shoulder. He nodded.

Kaoru closed her eyes for a moment, inhaling gently. When she lifted her eyes again, they were distant – the sadness still permeating their depths.

"I can take people's memories from them. When I do, I feel their emotions of that moment and I can see into their memories," Kaoru began to explain, her voice low and soothing, "Their emotions and their memories are a like a jolt of electricity. It can be," Here she smiled ruefully, "Quite painful."

Kenshin watched her intently, carefully hiding any surprise in his amber eyes. Kaoru continued, her quiet voice breaking the silence of the apartment.

"When I take someone's memory, I feel what they feel and I see what they have seen. Their memories remain with me, although I don't necessarily have to pick through all of their lives. What affects me most are the emotions that they are feeling at the time I enter their mind," Kaoru paused for a moment, her lids dropping slightly, "I can also take memory away; erase it. Just like I erased parts of Genji's memory to make him forget what he wanted to do to me."

Kaoru grimaced, remembering the night. Kenshin watched as the girl shut her eyes tightly, her face tightening. She breathed in deeply a few times and then opened her eyes again.

"Sometimes," she explained softly, her blue eyes mournful, "It is difficult to keep other people's memories away from my consciousness – especially the violent and sad ones."

"So," Kenshin interrupted, "Tonight you erased the woman's memory of the assassination? And of me?"

"I took away much more than that," Kaoru replied, rolling her eyes up as fresh tears threatened to fall from her eyes, "I took away the memory of her even having a son named Sohma Yuki. She will wake up and not even know who the light hair boy beside her is. She will have no memory of ever having a son."

"How can you do that?" Kenshin asked, "Just take away someone's memories without their permission?"

Kaoru met Kenshin's eyes. "Do you ask permission when you murder someone?"

"That's different," Kenshin said, his tone dropping angrily, "I do that for a reason. But it's not fair for you to take away people's memories – maybe they wanted to keep those memories. Maybe those memories would have one day given them joy."

An incredulous smile flashed across Kaoru's features briefly.

"Did you know that Sohma Yuki gave a bouquet of daisies to a girl who was being abused by her father?" Kaoru asked, her tone musing.

Kenshin shook his head slightly in response.

"Did you know that he got straight A^s in grade 6?"

Again a slight shake of the head.

"Do you ever think about the lives you take?" Kaoru asked, her quiet tone becoming angry, "And about the people they are special to?"

"No," Kenshin responded simply, "They are sacrifices for a better Kyoto. Contrary to what you may think, I don't kill for the fun of it. I've never killed just because I felt like it."

She looked up, tears welling up again in her blue eyes. "Then do you think it would have been better to let her keep the memories of her doomed son? With only the comfort that her loss was for a better Kyoto?"

"But no one will remember him," Kenshin protested steadily.

"I remember him," Kaoru announced, refusing to look away from the assassin as tears fell down her cheeks again, "I remember the day he was born. I remember the first time he used his ability – to take the memory of a girl who was crying but wouldn't tell him why. I remember the first drawing he gave his mother. I remember the way he smiled up with innocent eyes at his mother and told her he loved her."

Kaoru smiled slightly through her fresh tears, bowing her head and staring at her lap. "I wasn't going to help you. I wasn't going to do what you wanted – even if you killed me. But when I saw that woman's face – I knew I couldn't let her live with the grief. So I took it from her – all of it."

Kenshin's eyes widened as he realized the extent of her ability – and of her actions. "Why would you do that to yourself?" he asked, genuine curiosity entering his cool tone.

Kaoru looked up from her bloodied hands. Her moist blue eyes met his hard amber ones. "Atonement," she replied with a sorrowful smile, "As atonement for not being able to stop you from taking the one most important to her, I will bear her grief for the rest of my life."

The silence that followed her calm statement hung like a thick blanket over them both. Neither bothered to fidget. Instead, Kaoru stared at Kenshin and he stared back – she, sitting straight with her legs tucked under her and with his bloody cloak around her, and he, stretched out but taut as a wire across from her.

"And you," Kaoru ventured to ask softly, "What will your atonement be?"

Kenshin met her calm blue gaze with his own hard, golden stare. His answer was voiced without hesitation – in a tense, tight voice.

"I will continue to live."

End of chapter 7, to be continued!