Red Roses for a Blue Lady - Chapter 4 -

[Red Ninja]

Standard Disclaimers apply; I have 6 dollars that?s right 6.

**Author?s Notes: Look at me all updating quickly. Go me! Go me! For some reason I have no side scroll bar on Word, hmm oh why oh why. Oh it also seems I?m not carrying on with the booze related chapter titles. I really wanted to use this song.

---Pack up

Don't stray

Oh say say say

Wait they don't love you like I love you---

---Chapter 4------------Maps

Kaoru came in Monday, it was now Friday. That?s right, date night. I was supposed to go out with that Yumi woman. I was waiting for the call from Megumi to remind me.

?Kenshin, call on line two for you.?

?Thanks Linda.?

I picked up the phone it had to be Megumi.

?How you doing Tiger??

?Hello Meg, just fine thanks?

?Ready for your big date tonight??

?As ready as I?ll ever be.?

?You don?t sound excited?

?Oh I am.?

?Whatever Tiger don?t be late all right??

?I promise I won?t.?

?All right have fun Tiger.?

?Will do.?

?Ciao?

?Later Meg?

I often wondered how Sano dealt with her. She was like a nagging mother. I returned my attention to Kaoru?s questionnaires. She seemed pretty normal, stressed and hyped up on too much caffeine, but normal. I couldn?t help but picture her as she was on Monday. Well as she was sleeping Monday. I found having her there terribly comforting. I didn?t stare at her, but I just found knowing she was there wonderful.

?Kenshin??

?Yes Linda?

?I believe there is an Enshi on the phone for you.?

?Enshi??

?Yes, I know. Shall I put him through??

?Go ahead.?

I groaned. I can only imagine why the hell he is calling me.

?Hello?

?Ken, you little slime ball?

?Good to here from you too Enshi?

?Where is she??

?Who??

?Kaoru you daft idiot!?

?Why the hell would I know??

?She?s not over there??

?No, why the hell would she be!?

?Later, Ken?

And with that he hung up. It was amazingly odd. I didn?t have to think long on the subject though.

?Kenshin??

?Yes Linda?

?Ms. Kamiya is here she seems very upset and is demanding to see you.?

?Call Mr. Ives and cancel his appointment. Tell Ms. Kamiya to come in.?

She stepped in the door; she no longer swaggered or strutted. She was hunched over, her suit wrinkled and her hair in disarray. Her mascara was running down her face.

?Oh God.?

I jumped out of my chair and helped her unto the couch. I handed her a Kleenex and squatted down in front of her.

?What?s wrong Kaoru??

?I didn?t know where to go.?

?It?s all right. Just tell me what?s wrong.?

?My father is dead.?

?Oh God, I?m sorry?

?He died last night, he had a heart attack?

I patted her lower arm.

?I?m so sorry Kaoru.?

She slumped in half, laying her head on her knees.

?Oh God Kenshin, my dad?

?I?m glad you came here.?

?Thank you so much.?

She sat up, her blue eyes filled with tears.

?Would you like me to take you home??

?No, I don?t want to go home. Please don?t make me go home alone.?

Her mother had died two years earlier. I had noticed it in her packet.

?Do you have any friends I could take you to??

?Oh, I don?t know.?

?Enshi was looking for you.?

I stopped, Lord I hated him but if it helped her I?d do just about anything.

?I could take you over to him . . .?

?Oh Lord no.?

?Not an Enshi fan eh??

?That man is a raving lunatic?

I couldn?t help but chuckle. She looked up at me again and joined me. She smiled at me and grabbed my forearm.

?Do you mind spending some time with me??

I hesitated; I convinced myself that she needed someone. I was merely going to be doing my duty as her therapist.

?Sure?

?I haven?t ever eaten dinner alone.?

?Never??

?Never.?

?Well all right then.?

I helped her up from the couch. I quickly ran to my desk and packed my briefcase. She wiped her eyes and checked her appearance in a compact. We left my office and headed into the lobby.

?Linda you?re welcomed to leave early tonight.?

?Thank you Kenshin?

?See you Monday?

Kaoru and I hit the streets of the city.

?Where would you like to eat??

She pondered for a moment.

?How about the Joshua Tree??

My stomach tightened. Yumi, I gauged in my head, which was more important. In my mind Kaoru was the most important thing. Yumi would just have to eat alone this evening.

?Eh, how about somewhere else.?

?Basta??

?Sounds fantastic.?

We walked a few blocks down the road to Basta, a small Italian restaurant. We were seated immediately in a back corner table.

?So what?s at the Joshua Tree??

I was floored.

?How did you??

?Good guess. So what?s there a girlfriend??

I laughed out loud.

?God no, a date actually.?

?May I enquire with whom??

?Um that Yumi woman from Misao?s party.?

?Oh Lord, that woman? Yipes Red, a girl on the rebound.?

?Hmm??

?Just broke up with her fianc?, uh Shishio I believe.?

?Meg hooked me up with a woman on the rebound??

?That she did.?

?Man I?m not that desperate.?

She laughed at this. Our waitress came over and handed us menus and poured our water. We scanned our menus; I looked up to see her staring at a family across the room.

?Kaoru??

?I?m all right.?

?You don?t have to be you know??

?Yeah, he just wouldn?t want me to cry. He hated when I cried.?

?I?m sure he did. He wouldn?t want you to be sad.?

?Thank Red.?

?Eh, it?s my living to sort stuff out.?

?Yeah I keep forgetting.?

The rest of the evening remained pretty subdued. We talked mostly about her. Talked a great deal about her father. She picked up the check.

?I insist I pay it Red.?

?Really you don?t have to.?

?Hey who owns the multi billion dollar company?"

?I suppose you?re right?

We left and I walked her back to her apartment in silence. We reached the door of her row house and she turned to look at me. She reached up and removed my glasses.

?Kaoru.?

?Shhh.?

She put a finger to my lips. Before I could even make a move she had leaned in and kissed me. When she broke it off she wrapped her arms around my neck and leaned her head on my shoulder.

?Please come up and stay.?

?Kaoru?

?Please Kenshin.?

**Wrap-up Notes: Well that?s it for now. Hope you enjoyed, please review.

[Gundam Girl]

You stopped it there? YOU STOPPED IT THERE?!?!?!?!

Nooooooooooooooooooo, Red Ninja! You must add the hot monkey sex!

RJ: 0_o

GG: Do so. NOW.

-GG

[Red Ninja]

Hot monkey sex?

I've never written a lemon or anything......hmmm. I don't think I really can. Then again I haven't decided what Kenshin's going to do yet.

[Roa_Aoife]

must have next chapter..... :
This is excellent! keep writing!

[luved_by_bishie_duelistch]

why did u leave all of us hanging? Me want know what happen! is it lemony goodness? is it trying to get over her father? or does she really like him?... O.o too many questions! more please? *pouts* :razz:

[Red Ninja]

The next chapter was posted on ff.net this week. So you can check it out there. But I'll post it here sometime this weekend. No worries.


Glad you enjoy it!