Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Healing Hands ❯ Epilogue ( Epilogue )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
It was time for Kenshin to have his stitches out. He held perfectly still as Megumi cut and pulled the stitches out of his wounds.

"Another week and we'll be able to take your arm out of the sling, Ken-san," she said.

"Thank you, Megumi-dono. You're a wonderful doctor," said Kenshin, who was very glad to be rid of the noisome bandages and stitches.

Just a week after returning from Enishi's Island, Kenshin was well enough to travel. He and Kaoru sailed to Kyoto where they both visited Tomoe's grave. Kenshin said a few words to her and then Kaoru took her turn. She thanked Tomoe for looking out for them on the island. Kaoru and Kenshin left the graveyard together, hand in hand. Kaoru slept with her head pillowed on Kenshin's left shoulder as the ship carried them back to Tokyo.

---
September 15, 1878

Megumi gave Kenshin a checkup. Although he was still a bit underweight, his ribs and spine were more covered in flesh than before. The hollows in Kenshin's cheeks had filled out and his violet eyes were once again clear and bright.

She removed the stitches from Kenshin's right shoulder. Kenshin moved his right arm around and flexed it gingerly, testing it. It was stiff from being in the sling so long, but not at all painful. As he put his gi back on, Megumi gave him a stern lecture about not overdoing it with his right shoulder.

"Don't even think about picking up a sword for at least two weeks, Ken-san. Your shoulder is weak from having not been used in so long. I want you to work gradually back into swordsmanship," she said firmly.

"I promise not to even look at a blade," said Kenshin. Megumi was unconvinced. Kenshin was a warrior by nature and would start pushing himself faster than he should as his shoulder started to feel stronger.

"If you don't keep it, you'll re-injure your shoulder worse than it was before, even to the point of not being able to use your arm," she warned severely.

---
While Kenshin was getting dressed, Megumi emerged from the bedroom and said a few words to Kaoru.

"He's going to need at least two weeks before he starts wielding a sword again. If you see him even looking at the Sakabatou, beat him senseless," she said.

"I'll keep a bokken on me at all times just in case," said Kaoru. "Thank you, Megumi-san."

Kenshin came out of the room silently behind Kaoru and snaked his arms around her waist Kaoru flinched a bit, but quickly relaxed into Kenshin's embrace. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world. What a wonderful feeling, to be fully held by the man who had become the focus of her world.

That night Kenshin and Kaoru lay under the covers of her futon. Kaoru wore a sleeping yukata and Kenshin wore just his hakama, preferring to sleep bare-chested, which Kaoru didn't mind at all. The time had finally come to get to know this man in both mind and body. Kaoru's hands began their relentless exploration.

---
Later...

Kenshin, having his suspicions about his body's incompatibility with his longtime sword school confirmed by Megumi, decided that he needed to settle the final score with Saitou. This never happened. Saitou instead requested a transfer north to Hokkaido. He and Kenshin would never cross paths again.

The good friends Kaoru and Kenshin were coming to see as their surrogate family all went their separate ways. Misao and Aoshi left for the mountains to collect their fallen comrades for burial in Kyoto. Megumi left for Aizu. Sano, set up by the corrupt politician Tani Jusanro, was chased from Japan and set off to see the world. Yahiko moved into Sano's flat on Ruffian Row, leaving Kenshin and Kaoru alone in the dojo.

Time flowed on and the story continued. There are no endings of people's stories until they are dead. Kenshin, Kaoru, Sano, Yahiko, Megumi and the others were bound to have more adventures, laughter, tears, love and hate. That is the flow of time, that is the course of life.

Where the first story ends, the second picks up.

~~Owari~~