A.N: Wai wai! I’m having so much fun writing this fic…mwhahaha…SPRING BREAK! YAY!

Oh yes, remember the strange twisted man from the last chapter that had a liking for our beloved Aoshi? Justin Lock? Well, he is Justin no more, but Daylin Lock. Some of you who might have read the last recently chapter might have noticed the change already. I just don’t like the name Justin, and have no clue why I even used the name. So yes, Justin is no more, Daylin is his new name, and his permanent one.

Akin Sijin: No…I didn’t receive your e-mail…gomen nasai! *bows*

Oh and yes, someone please tell me how to use italics on ff.net. I still don’t get it. (yes, I am quite slow sometimes)

Chapter Eight

The day was early when the students began piling into the laboratory. Kenshin sat in the corner of the laboratory nursing a cup of coffee. He was still bleary-eyed from pulling two straight all-nighters to finish his two papers. He suddenly felt two familiar ki in the room, and looked up. There in the opposite side of the room was Misao and Kaoru. Kaoru had turned her head and they locked eyes, she gave him a small smile. Kenshin nodded in acknowledgement.

"Get off your lazy butt baka deshi," Hiko growled behind his student, "and stop looking at her!"

"Oro!" The red-head nearly choked on his coffee.

"All right, you guys know what to do, so get to it," Hiko addressed to the class. "I want those labs in by next Wednesday, no later. I have a meeting to attend to, so ask Kenshin if you have any problems."

Aimlessly, the T.A walked around the lab, coffee still in one hand.

"Kaoru you’re such a tease," a boy murmured trying to pull the girl into his arms.

"Get off of me you bastard," she hissed jabbing him in the stomach.

"Fiesty for someone so small," the guy said with a grin as he nearly crashed into a laboratory bench.

"Watch it," Kenshin said coming over. "You’ll be paying for those microscopes if you break them Adam."

"Just playing with Kaoru, no need to be so touchy T.A," Adam murmured.

"Hey Kenshin!" Misao chirped with a small wave.

"Hey," he replied with a smile before turning to Kaoru. "And how are you?"

"Fine," Kaoru replied softly. She walked over to grab a textbook, but was slyly tripped by Adam. Kenshin’s quick reflexes came alert and he caught the girl before she could fall.

Cradling her soft body in his arms he asked, "Daijabou?"

"Aa." The two were silent for a few moments, but promptly separated when they noticed some people staring at them.

"Yo T.A, I need some help over here!" someone yelled.

"Excuse me," Kenshin sighed before walking over to another student.

Kaoru turned back to her microscope and went back to focusing the lens. "I think he likes you," Misao murmured.

"You think?" she asked softly turning her head.

"Yeah, definitely."

* * * * * *

The pool was relatively empty today. Only two people were swimming in the lanes. Aoshi frowned as he walked around the pool deck. His shift was usually quite active, since it was Friday afternoon. Which usually meant he spent his time reprimanding teenage boys, and trying to avoid the giggling girls. The slight sound of the water splashing gave the atmosphere an eerie tense feeling. He looked up at the clock, an hour until the swim team arrived. Aoshi had the Senior A team to coach, and in the water too today.

"Yo Aoshi, message, or shall I say a delivery for you," someone in the life guarding office shouted.

"Thanks Dave," he murmured.

"Looks like someone has an admirer," the other man teased. He handed Aoshi one dozen red roses. Aoshi remained unemotionally as ever as he looked over the flowers. He found a note inside

These reminded me of you,

I haven’t forgotten you yet,

My beautiful dark angel.

There was no signature at the bottom of the card. Aoshi’s expression remained passive, yet his insides were churning. He had feeling he knew who was behind the flowers. Putting the roses away, he walked back to the pool area. By now the swim team was beginning to arrive. He saw his class waiting by the lane on the left side. They were already warmed up and ready to go.

"Hey guys," he greeted the swimmers. Murmurs of greetings were returned. "I want one hundred kick and two hundred free to start with." They nodded and one by one dived in.

Training was over by 9p.m. Aoshi ruffled the wet hair of one of the boys he trained. "Good work today, and keep that left arm straight during backstroke."

"Yeah."

"Bye Aoshi!" a group of girls chirped.

He flashed them a small smile as he grabbed a towel. "Bye girls."

"They love you. You should see what the AA team girls says about you," Dave said with a wide grin.

"With this body? Oh yeah," Shannon, one of the females coached murmured brushing her fingers over his hard stomach. "I’m jealous of all those girls who get to spend time in the water with you."

"What about me?" Dave pouted.

Aoshi shook his head at the antics of his friends as he walked into the changing room. A few minutes later he walked out with his gear, and then signed out. Walking along the hall on his way out of the YMCA, he accidentally bumped into a girl.

"Sorry," he murmured. He looked down and saw Misao. "Misao…"

"Aoshi! What are you doing here?"

"I life guard and coach at the pool. You?"

"Playing basketball with friends."

"So you’re done?"

"Yeah," she murmured, now slightly uncomfortable.

"Would you like a ride home?"

"Um, it’s all right. I don’t want to bother you."

"You’re not. Besides, it’s dangerous for a young girl to be going home at this hour."

"I’m 18, I think I can handle it," Misao said flatly as she looked at him evenly.

Aoshi ignored her comment. "Come on." He gently pushed her towards the exit. They walked into the dark parking lot silently. There were only a few lights here and there, casting shadows on to the cement.

A limo was parked next to Aoshi’s car. "Odd," he murmured as he opened the trunk and threw in his bag. He heard the click and the opening of the limo door. He looked down and saw a pair of polished black shoes stepping on to the ground.

"My dark angel," a voice whispered.

Aoshi turned around, bracing himself for the person he would see. There was Daylin Locke, standing no less than a meter and a half away from him. The lamplight cast a spotlight on him, illuminating his golden hair. It took every once of Aoshi’s will to stand there, and not run away. There were only a few things that frightened this assassin, and one happened to be the movie star standing in front of him. Daylin had a small smile gracing his perfectly sculpted lips.

"Who is this?" the blond whispered, his green eyes locking with Misao’s. The petite girl moved herself closer to Aoshi. The man slid an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in, protecting her. "Is she yours, Aoshi?"

The raven-haired man did not answer, but his grip on Misao grew tighter. "Hhmph…she’s quite pretty. Almost worthy of your beauty my angel," Daylin murmured in a soft, almost sweet tone. He reached out a pale hand to touch Aoshi’s cheek, but Aoshi blocked his hand away. With a small delicate laugh he cried, "She’s almost as beautiful as me."

"Leave him alone," Misao finally was able to speak up. There was something about this man’s presence that made her immobile.

"Leave him alone?" Daylin asked in an astonished voice. Then he smiled, "Leave…him…alone," he sighed drawing out the three words as he looked at the sky. His green eyes locked back on to Misao’s. "I’m sorry. I like him too much to leave him. Pity such beauty is wasted." His voice changed again to a much lighter tone. "Well, it was a pleasure to meet you again Aoshi. I will see you around…of course." The blond reached out to quickly brush the back of his hand against Aoshi’s cheek, but was smacked away once more. Daylin drew his hand in quickly, resting it on a button on his upper shirt. He smiled once more, before stepping back into his limo.

The ride to Misao’s house was silent. Each person was lost in his or her own world of thoughts. Aoshi was becoming increasingly agitated as time seemed to progress these days. The unearthing of the memory he buried in the back of his mind ages ago was the cause of this. The memory had scarred him for most of his childhood days, until he was far into his training as an Onibanwanshu, at the age of 11. He knew his own mental instability when it came down to the memory. With his previous encounter with Daylin Lock, the memory seemed to flood back. As much as he tried to suppress it, he felt the childhood visions tug at his mind.

* * * * * *

Crimson blood was splashed on the floor as the man took a step closer to his father. The man brought he gun and aimed at his father’s chest. The trigger was pulled, and the shot rang out. From Aoshi’s sport behind the couch, Aoshi watched his father fall. His eyes widened as he pushed back against the wall. He bumped into an object and turned around. There lay his mother, dead, her body brutally mutilated. The child wanted to scream, but no sound came out of his throat. He backed away from his mother’s body, his blue eyes darting around, looking for a way to escape.

"Such a stupid child," the man muttered, "but beautiful though. The things I do to obtain you."

"Go away!"

"Quiet!" The man gripped his shoulder hard and forced him to face a full- length mirror on the wall. "Look at yourself child."

Aoshi looked into the mirror. He saw a terrified child staring back at him. Black hair pulled into a small ponytail and innocent blue eyes wide. The man stroked his tender cheek. "Your beauty, that’s what I wanted, and that’s what I have achieved. You will be mine, forever to hold and love. You will grow up to be a beautiful man."

"Give it up Ashley, we have you surrounded," another voice said.

Ashley turned around and smiled at the detective. "Come to join the fun?"

"You are twisted. Let the boy go."

"But he’s my new toy!" the man pouted.

"I said let the boy go!" the detective shouted, pointing the gun towards Ashley.

"Fine, as you wish," the man shoved Aoshi in front.

The boy ran for the detective, the man opened his arms and embraced the child. "It’s all over now Aoshi."

As Ashley was led out of the house he turned around and looked straight at the young boy. "You will see me again, my beautiful dark angel."

* * * * * *

Misao snapped out of her thoughts as the car swerved on the street. She quickly took hold of the wheel and punched Aoshi’s arm with the other. The man seemed to be lost, his fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly, but he was not controlling the car. She punched him again and he came back to reality. Aoshi parked the car on the side of a street and took a deep breath. He pushed the chair back and ran a hand through his hair.

"Daijobu?" she asked.

The man was silent. His body was shaking slightly. He hadn’t lost control like that in ten years. Misao touched his arm and felt him tremble. "Aoshi…" she murmured. "It’s okay."

"Misao…" he breathed looking at her.

"Oh god," she thought as she looked into his pained blue eyes, "he’s about to break any second."

Misao climbed into the man’s lap and wrapped her arms around him. "It’s okay, I’m right here." She felt Aoshi stiffen, and then relax, his own arms snaking around her. He hugged her tightly, his chin resting on top of head. "It’s over, whatever you had to go through, it’s all in the past," she whispered.

Aoshi closed his eyes and just held her. Tears began to fall from his closed eyes and on to her hair. He was sorry that Misao had to see him like this, so weak and vulnerable. He barely knew her, and here she was, comforting him and holding him like Hiko had done when he was a child. A while later, when his tears finally stopped he raised Misao’s face to look at him. "Arigatou, Mi-chan."

"It was nothing…" Misao whispered.

"I hate being so vulnerable like this," he said looking out the window. He still held her tightly.

"No one on this earth can always be strong Aoshi."

"Mi-chan…"

"Why do you always keep calling me that?" she asked looking up at him.

For the first time Aoshi smiled warmly at her. "I first saw you at the Aoiya, when you were just a child. You trained with me for the first two years, and then I passed you on to Okina, who trained you to use kunai. Do you remember me now?"

Misao’s brow furrowed as she thought. She remembered her first master, a tall lanky boy. He was the Okashira she recalled. She didn’t know his name, but only addressed him as Okashira. Then it dawned on her. "Okashira?"

"I gave that title up two years ago," he replied.

"That’s right," Misao whispered. "Do you mind me if I asked you something?"

"Go ahead."

"What happened?"

Aoshi was silent for a moment. "It happened a long time ago, demo, I’m not sure if I’m ready to tell anyone yet."

"I understand if you’re not ready."

"Arigatou Misao," he murmured before he hugged the girl again.

Misao had remained snuggled in Aoshi’s embrace in the car for quite some time. Though they were three blocks away from her house, neither made an attempt to move. Aoshi wanted to smack himself for breaking down so easily. Yes, it had been ten years, and in the ten years he had mastered the art of keeping his heart closed, and his emotions in check. However meeting one man broke down that brick wall, and Aoshi cursed himself for his weakness. However, Misao’s words continued to ring in his mind.

No one could be strong all the time.