A/N: here's the next chapter enjoy..my updates are going to be slow so don't expect my updates to be quick. But plz! Enjoy for now!

Chapter three:

Kaoru chopped up pieces of carrots and added them to the boiling pot. She angrily chopped up more carrots while mumbling to herself. The commotion earlier this morning was still in Kaoru's mind. Apparently when Katsura said she would be escorted she didn't think it would be Kenshin. Yes, whenever she needed to go out Kenshin had to follow her. The person who she was trying to avoid so that he wouldn't interrogate her. Kaoru snorted as she recalled Katsura saying this with a grin. Kenshin wasn't too happy about it either. How old was Katsura anyways? In her opinion he looked a bit young to be a leader. She finished her cooking and put the rest of the vegetables in the pot. Grabbing the wooden spoon she stirred the soup and tasted to check if everything was alright. She peaked out of the kitchen finding the dinning area empty. Cleaning her hands she put out the fire and walked out of the kitchen checking once more for people. Kaoru walked out of the inn with pride and grinned. These people were stupid to leave her alone.

"And where are you going?" a voice called out. Kaoru froze in place and turned her head to the left. There Kenshin was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. Kaoru pouted, she really thought no one was around.

"I need to visit a friend." Kenshin stood up and walked towards her.

"Who is this friend of yours." He asked which sounded more of a demand. Kaoru sighed.

"I'm not going to lie to you." She said surprising Kenshin. But of course he didn't show it. ", it's the man I saved." He wasn't expecting her to tell him even though he already knew who it was. Kaoru decided to leave and he followed not too long after. Kaoru fidgeted with her fingers due to the silence that filled the air. She never knew Kenshin could be so intimidating. She looked at the side of her eyes as Kenshin followed quietly. Hopefully he won't kill the man when they reach there.

"How old are you?" came the unexpected question from Kenshin.

"I'm seventeen. What about you?" she asked still looking forward.

"….Fifteen." Kaoru turned around in surprise.

" Really? …y-you're younger than me. I expected you to be young but not younger than me." She said the last part quietly.

"What was that?" Kaoru smiled. This Kenshin was different from the Kenshin she knew but it also seemed like the Kenshin she knew. He still looked the same.

"Its nothing." They reached a small hut, parts of the wood were peeled off and holes where seen in different places. The door to the entrance was substituted with a long blanket instead of a wooden door and a window was built to the right of the entrance.

"Yuki-chan?" Kaoru called out. A little girl peaked outside, seeing Kaoru she smiled and ran out giving her a hug. She looked at Kaoru and noticed someone behind her.

"Who's he?"

"…A friend." Kenshin looked at her with his eyes as she used the term 'friend.'

"I've come to check up on him. Is he doing well?"

"Yes. But he's always sleeping." Kaoru turned round facing Kenshin.

"I think its better that you wait outside. Wouldn't want him being startled with you inside." She said with a smile. Kaoru went inside finding the man awake and looking at the ceiling. She took some bandages going over to the man.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked as he looked at her.

"You…you're from last night."

"Sorry, but could you sit up? I need to change your bandages." Kaoru helped him up slowly hearing him groan a bit from the pain in his shoulder. She quietly took off the bandages. Taking medicine that was given by a doctor she wet it in small cloth and carefully touched the wound with it. Finally she rewrapped it making sure not to put it on too tight. He watched her as she finished and set her hands down to her lap.

"What were you doing out so late?"

"I was following someone."

"Who?" Kaoru smiled looking at him.

"You wouldn't believe me if I said it. Anyways the doctor said that it'll take about a month to fully heal also you need to rest and eat a good meal." She said changing the subject. ", Yuki-chan is a friend of mine and she'll take care of you in the mornings. I'll visit here in the afternoon." Kaoru got up and over to a table where a bucket of water and a basin was set. She poured water into the basin and put the cloth in. He watched her as she washed the cloth trying to get the blood stains off. He couldn't understand why she saved him but he was grateful for it.

"You don't even know me." He said breaking the silence. She turned around with a smile.

" You don't need a reason to help people." There was defiantly something different about the girl. It was rare to find a girl showing her emotions without a care. Not only that but his wound was partially healed. There was no way a doctor could do that over a night.

"What's your name?"

"Kaoru…and yours? I can't call you mister forever." He chuckled .

"I'm Akira." Kaoru squeezed the cloth so that the water would come off, spreading it on the table so it would dry. She then turned around and kneeled down in front of him. She bowed to him and put her hands in front of her head.

"Onegai….dont tell anyone about what happened last night. I know he almost killed you but—but….he was only doing his job."

"Kaoru-san….." Kaoru looked up with her eyes half open.

"It may seem selfish to ask you this…and I cant tell you the reason. But please, when you get better. Don't tell anyone."

" Battosai….he know's you? From the looks of it he looked like he wanted to kill you too."

"He does know me," she paused with a sad smile ", in another Era." Akira looked at her in confusion.

Another era?" Kaoru looked up and shook her head.

"No, no. Ignore my rantings." Akira eyes her curiously.

"What I can't seem to figure out is how my wound was able to heal so quickly." Kaoru stiffened.

'Hiroshi-no-baka! I thought he erased his memory on that part!'

"Well..i better go. Don't try to leave this place or you'll regret it." She said suddenly with a warning. Akira watched in silence as she turned around and left the hut. Kaoru expected Kenshin to be at the same spot but what she found was him and Yuki sitting down on a hill that led to a small river. From the looks of it Yuki was probably talking about random thing while Kenshin listened quietly. A smile appeared on her face. Even young he was nice with kids. If Suzume were here she would be playing with Kenshin right now. Kenshin looked up as Kaoru came walking towards them folding her hands together.

"I'm ready to go back."

"Aww..ne Kaoru-chan! I like Himura-san! You should bring him here everyday! He's just a little bit quiet." Kaoru looked at them with amusement. Looks like Yuki did a little interrogating to find out his name. Kenshin got up and started walking away.

"Ah see you later Yuki-chan." She then went to catch up with Kenshin. The two once again walked in silence. One Kenshin wasn't the type to talk, she had guessed by now and she herself didn't want to say anything afraid she was going to slip up by saying something that would surprise him. Kaoru looked at him through the side of her eyes and back to the road. She had better stop looking at him like that. He is handsome. She wondered how he felt if she was in his arms. Would he hold her strong and firm like the time Kenshin had left to fight Shishio. Kaoru blushed at the thought. She shouldn't be thinking about that…but then again maybe one more look wouldn't hurt.

'baka…remember that was the Kenshin in the future.'

"Well Himura-san I still hope you don't think I'm a spy."

" Why did you follow me last night?" he asked. That was a hard one to answer.

"I-I don't know. Somehow I felt like I've met you before….and…I wanted to ask you but you went off. If I had known you were on an assignment I wouldn't have followed." She finished her sentence holding her breath. Hopefully he would buy that one. They reached the inn going their own separate ways. Kaoru sighed hitting her head with her palm.

"How stupid of me! Baka baka baka! I shouldn't have left Akira-san like that. Now what am I going to do? Hiroshi!" she called out angrily. Light blue light glowed in the room as Hiroshi appeared in the room.

"You called?"

"I thought you erased his memory last night!"

"Eh…must have forgotten."

"Baka! Now he might suspect something! And I don't even know him!" Hiroshi put a hand on her shoulder.

"Maa maa, calm down. I'll erase it once he's asleep again." Kaoru hit him.

"You can't do that! It's against his will!" He looked at her sheepishly.

"Geez….make up your mind. For all I care you should have left him to die."

"Hiroshiiii…"

"I'm just kidding. Anyways has this Tomoe appeared yet?" Kaoru blinked.

"No. Actually…I don't know when she'll appear."

"Gee your making progress." He said with a sarcastic tone. Kaoru glared at Hiroshi as he leaned to the wall. The two kept quiet as two shadows was seen passing by the room. As the footsteps were no longer heard Kaoru slid the door open and checked at the hallways.

"It's dangerous to pop in here so I'll have to make this quick." She said going back in the room.

" Just tell the guy what you really are. People do believe in spirits ya know. They just haven't seen one before."

"Yeah.. a dead spirit from the future! He won't believe me."

"It doesn't matter. If someone is going to harm you then that is where you call me and I appear. Something you should've done when that 'battosai' was going to kill you."

"Sorry Hiroshi-kun. I don't mean to worry you." Arms wrapped around her body and brought her face to a firm chest.

"Just promise me something. Don't get yourself killed and call me when you're in trouble. If you die, I won't forgive you." Kaoru smiled.

'If I die……. being a lost soul isn't that bad.' Hiroshi held her tighter.

"Promise?" he asked again.

"I promise. Hiroshi-kun." She replied in a whisper. Hiroshi took a step backwards then grinned.

" So tell me why your not with him? This is a chance to make him like you instead of her."

"You know what I'm here for and I won't change anything. I don't want to get close to him. I don't want him finding anything about me. My place here is to make sure Tomoe-san doesn't die. They're destined for each other. I know that now." She said with a calm voice.

With that Hiroshi disappeared leaving her alone in the room. Kaoru slowly walked out of her room her mind wandering out of reality. She stopped walking as she found a pair of feet in front of her. She looked up and found Kenshin staring at her. She bowed slowly avoiding eye contact and walked past him with a stoic face. Kaoru went to the kitchen and took a bucket of water quietly, starting her chores witch started in the dinning area. She took the cloth out of the bucket whipping the crumbs off the table. She shook her negative thoughts away and smiled to herself.

"Mou! Wake up Kaoru! Everything will turn out fine. Then you can go home with Hiroshi and Taku." Almost through the whole day Kaoru kept herself busy with chores to keep her mind off of things, not knowing a pair of amber eyes watching her. He mused to himself watching as the girl talked to herself and fix her hair as loose strands fell down to her face. He blinked with a frown and looked away. What was he doing? No he wasn't attracted to the girl. This was just plain curiosity. Kenshin walked away leaving the girl to finishing her chores. There was nothing else to do and there was no way he would join Katsura-san to another outing.

"Hoy! Himura. Where are you going?" Izuka called out as Kenshin passed him.

"I'll be back." Izuka watched as Kenshin left the inn and into the night. The streets were filled with the effects of war. Kids quickly ran across the streets hiding near alleys or shelter they had built. He continued walking down the path ignoring glances that were upon him. He knew why he was part of the Ishin Shishi. It was for the sisters that died protecting him, he had to keep himself busy, that why he wouldn't think of them. This time 'she' was on his mind. There was something about her that bugged him and he couldn't figure out what it is.

"Tch…" Kenshin frowned. He didn't like where this was leading. He knew for sure she was a spy, all he had to do was prove it.

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Rain poured heavily on the ground, the streets were empty and a few lamps were lit making a glowing affect to the streets. Not too far from the town led a bridge to out of the village. All left heard was the sound of the rain and a few croaking houses.

"Damn it….I cant see." a man said to himself lying on the grass with his back to the ground. He had no clue what hit him or how he even got hurt but he was dying. Hearing a ruffle he squinted his eyes to take a good look of who was around.

"Who's there?"

"It doesn't matter. Soon your soul will leave your dying body and then it is mine for the taking." A voice replied. The young man let out a last breath before his heart finally gave up.

The body twitched as it slowly stood up and walked to the nearest inn soaked from the rain.

"Coming late on such a night. Who might you be?" the innkeeper asked eyeing him carefully.

"Imuda Nako."

TBC…………..

A/N: for people who don't remember Imuda Nako was mentioned in chapter one. That's all I'm going to say! Until next time! Ja! XD