Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Don't sue me! I'm poor! This story is for entertainment only and is no way meant to be offensive!

Warning: The story is PG-13, but chapter ratings will vary.

Rating: PG-13

Author's Note: THANKS to the people who have reviewed so far! Please keep reviewing! This story is very A/U and will probably contain OOCness.

~~ denotes shifts in time/character perspective, ** denotes character's thoughts

***Once again and always…for Susan…***

Touch Me Deeply

Chapter 5: The Beginning of the End?

Mars Colony 324: New Tokyo

Year: 2502

"Attention! Attention!" Lieutenant Claire called sharply from the front of the auditorium. "We have called this emergency meeting to inform you all of something discovered by our undercover agents last night." He paused, waiting until silence had settled over the large group before continuing, "It seems that the Hebi people now have two intended targets for their next attack. One is Kyoto II. The other is Colony 323: Nova Hokkaido."

Allowing this new bit of information to sink in, the tall lieutenant held up a hand to quiet some of the cries of outrage coming from soldiers who had family or friends in the afore mentioned colony. "Because of this most recent development, half of the teams formed the other day will be sent to Nova Hokkaido while the rest will travel on to Kyoto II.

"Your new assignments will be available in the cafeteria. As soon as you know your intended destination, suit up and prepare to leave immediately!"

Kaoru felt nervousness rise in her belly as she let her navy gaze slide over to Enishi, who had been standing beside her silently, one hand resting comfortably in the small of her back.

"I have a bad feeling," she murmured, following him up the aisle as they proceeded to the cafeteria. "They're going to separate us even more, I know it."

Enishi paused mid-step, reaching back a hand to her, which she grasped eagerly. He easily weaved his way through the crowd, his tall, commanding presence almost demanding that people step to the side and make way. Pulling Kaoru along gently, he ducked into a dim, abandoned lecture hall and shut the door behind them quickly.

Before Kaoru could inquire as to what they were doing, she found herself pushed back against the wall firmly as his mouth settled over hers hotly. Recovering from her surprise almost instantly, Kaoru reached up and buried her fingers in his hair, whimpering into his mouth.

The kiss quickly became savage, Enishi's tongue sweeping throughout her mouth almost as if he intended to devour her. Twining her arms around his neck, Kaoru moaned softly as he pinned her to the wall with his body. His left hand wove into her raven hair while his right settled on her bottom, urging her to wrap her long legs around his narrow waist.

Kaoru gave into his urgings, lifting her legs and clinging to him desperately as the kiss grew in intensity.

For a few moments, Kaoru wondered if he planned on making love to her right then and there, but her musings ceased as he wrenched his mouth from hers, burying his face in her neck as he breathed roughly.

"I'm sorry," he whispered against her skin. "I don't know what came over me. I just don't like…I don't like the idea of being so far apart from you. We have no idea when we will get a chance to see each other again." Pausing, he looked up, meeting her eyes with a sheepish grin. "I suppose I might be overreacting. We haven't even seen the assignments yet."

Kaoru returned his smile, fingers coming up to toy with the hair behind his ear. "No need to apologize. I quite enjoyed it, but I know what you mean…I don't like the idea of being apart from you either!"

Releasing a soft sigh, Enishi allowed Kaoru's legs to sink to the ground slowly. "We'd better go before someone notices our absence."

~~~~~~~~

"Where the hell is this guy?"

Kenshin looked up at Sano's question. The taller man was leaning against the wall beside him, idly gnawing on a toothpick as he shifted impatiently.

"I'm sure he'll be here any…" Kenshin trailed off, eye narrowing as Enishi and Kaoru entered the cafeteria, hands clasped together tightly.

Lavender eyes traveled over the girl's slightly flushed face, settling on her swollen lips. She looked like she had just been thoroughly kissed. Judging by the tousled state of Enishi's midnight hair, Kenshin could easily guess who exactly had been doing the kissing.

He gritted his teeth in agitation as the girl's navy gaze finally settled on him. He watched as she said something to the tall man next to her, before glancing towards them once again.

Within moments, Kenshin found the young couple standing before him.

"Hi, Kenshin," Kaoru said brightly. "Did you already see our assignment?"

Kenshin nodded, straightening. "We will be going to Kyoto II."

"And we will be going to Nova Hokkaido," Sano interjected, holding out a hand to Enishi. "I am Sergeant Sagara Sanosuke. I take it that you're Second Lieutenant Yukishiro…"

Enishi inclined his head in silence, reaching out to shake Sano's hand quickly.

"We should probably be going, Kaoru," Kenshin murmured, lifting his bag from the ground.

"Of course," Kaoru replied, turning to Enishi and biting her lower lip slightly. "I'll miss you." Leaning up, she wrapped her arms around his neck for a short hug. Feeling his hand settle on her waist, she moved her lips closer to his ear and whispered, "I love you."

"I love you, too," Enishi said quietly before releasing her. "See you later…"

Kaoru nodded, smile faltering slightly as she willed herself not to cry. "See you."

Noticing the look of impatience on Kenshin's face, she adjusted her duffel bag on her shoulder and turned away from her fiancé. "Let's go, Kenshin."

"Good-bye, Sano," Kenshin said quietly.

"'Bye, Kenshin," Sano muttered around his toothpick. "Take care of yourself, buddy."

"You, too."

Once the major and young sergeant had disappeared, Sano turned to the silent man beside him. "Well? Shall we go?"

Enishi nodded, not speaking as he began to follow the younger man towards the airlift, thoughts lingering on his fiancée and the venomous look that had come into the major's face when Kaoru had leaned up to give him a hug.

~~~~~~~~

"Are you upset?"

Kaoru turned away from the window to meet Kenshin's amethyst gaze. The man was eyeing her intently, an expression of concern clear on his handsome features. "Why do you ask?"

Shrugging slightly, Kenshin turned his gaze to the pattern on back of the seat in front of him. "You just seemed to be upset. You haven't spoken since we left New Tokyo."

"I…I guess I was just thinking about Enishi," Kaoru replied after a moment. "Worrying about whether he will be safe and when I'll get to see him again…those sort of things…"

"Ah, I see," Kenshin murmured.

Feeling her gaze on him, he turned back to her, eyebrow arched. "What is it?"

"Tell me, Kenshin," Kaoru said, eyes moving over his face. "Why did you request to have our partners switched?"

"I…"

"Yes?"

"I felt that we would work better as a team than you do with Yukishiro."

Shock filtered into Kaoru's features at his reply. "What? But…you don't know Enishi and you don't know me, either. How could you make that sort of assumption?"

Kenshin's eyes were intense as they settled on her face. "You're wrong, Kaoru…I do know you…"

The raven-haired girl stared at him in surprise, navy eyes wide in her pale face. "What do you mean? We've never met before now…"

Kenshin shook his head slightly. "We've met before…I've always known you…"

Kaoru's brow furrowed in confusion as she slowly ingested his words. "I have no idea what you're trying to say, Kenshin…"

"I'm saying, Kaoru, that we have met before in a different life…in a different life, you and I were lovers…"

The sergeant stared at him for a long moment before she burst out laughing, hand coming up to cover her mouth.

"I'm sorry, Kenshin," she said after a few seconds, trying to stifle her giggles. "But are you aware of how crazy that sounds? You're joking with me, right?"

Kenshin turned away from her, face expressionless, shoulders stiff.

Kaoru's laughter slowly faded. "Right, Kenshin?"

"Of course," he said shortly, refusing to meet her gaze.

Kaoru bit her lip, feeling anxious as she turned back towards the window. "So, what's the real reason?"

The auburn haired man was silent for so long that she felt he might not answer. After a few moments, though, his voice sounded softly from beside her. "Maybe I'll tell you one day…"

TBC…

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Hello, minna! Hope you liked this chappie! Please review. I don't know why the chapters for this story seem to come out short, but oh well! I'll try to be faster, but I'm sick right now. Spent all of yesterday in the ER. Not fun…

~Midori^_^