Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Three ❯ Three ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I never will (huge sigh). Oh, well…

Author's Notes: These three short stories, as a one-shot, have been sitting on my hard drive for a couple of months. I finally decided to polish them up a bit and post them. The first short story has obviously been done before, but I wanted to write my own interpretation of this particular event. The third story contains the dream that Kaoru had in the last episode of the anime series, but I moved it here. I hope you like my little pieces of fluff!

Three

By Amberle-chan

One: Awakening

Three days and three nights. For three days, Kaoru had knelt at Kenshin's side, her hands gently caressing his face as she brushed the cold, water-soaked cloth against his fevered skin. He had not woken up since the battle with Shishio, since the night Sanosuke had carried him back to the Aoiya. For three nights, she had slept lightly on another futon at his side, her heart clenching in fear every time he cried out in pain, even while he remained unconscious. She would then crawl over to his side, gather his hand into her own, and watch his face for any sign of wakefulness. She did not let go of his hand until his soft moans lessened, her mere presence a comfort although he remained oblivious.

There had a been steady stream of visitors that first day, everyone from the local doctor who had stitched and bandaged Kenshin's wounds in the early morning hours before dawn, to Aoshi, who did not speak to Kaoru at all as he stood in the doorway, silently watching her tender ministrations. Misao visited several times, each time kneeling by the futon's side, one hand laid against Kenshin's arm, her jade eyes shining brightly as she cajoled him to improve: "You've got to get better, Himura. You've just got to."

Sanosuke and Yahiko hovered in and out of the room constantly, each of them taking turns helping Karou take care of Kenshin. Yahiko always looked liked he was on the verge of tears every time he entered the room, and the usually verbose Sanosuke remained silent as he carried in tea and refreshened the basins of cold water when needed. They were just as fearful for their friend as she was, and Kaoru found their constant, loving presences a comfort and a blessing.

Hiko arrived late in the afternoon. He did not kneel down by the futon's side as the others had done, but loomed above it, staring down at his former student.

"Has he woken up at all?" he asked Kaoru.

"No," Kaoru replied, looking up at him. "You know him better than any of us, Master Hiko. Will he get better?"

Hiko's lips curled up into a sardonic smile. "Well, he always was an obstinate fool, even as a boy. Stupid apprentice," the Hiten Mitsurugi master grumbled. "Yes, I'd say he'll get better. He's too stubborn to give up now."

Megumi arrived late in the afternoon on the second day of Kaoru's watch. She had left Tokyo immediately for Kyoto after receiving the telegram Sanosuke had sent her. When she arrived at the Shirobeko, she did not stop to unpack or rest, but went instantly to Kenshin's sick room.

Megumi knew it would be useless to ask Kaoru to leave as soon as she entered the room. Kaoru's whole body was tense with fear as she sat there, one hand entangled with Kenshin's fingers. Megumi did not say anything to the other woman as she knelt by Kenshin, her medicine box at her side, gently lifting and removing the bandages covering his torn and battered body. Kaoru's eyes followed Megumi's every movement as the doctor carefully examined Kenshin's wounds, gently smoothed ointment into the many cuts, slashes, and abrasions covering his body, and then rebound them in fresh bandages. Megumi peered into her patient's eyes and then sat back on her heels and sighed. She turned her head slightly as the door behind her slid open, letting Sanosuke and Yahiko shuffle into the room. Megumi could feel their concern just as much as she sensed Kaoru's overwhelming anxiety. Kaoru did not even acknowledge their presence, her eyes locked onto the young doctor's face as Megumi stood up and sighed once more.

"Megumi?" Sanosuke questioned from behind her, his voice tinged with worry.

Megumi did not turn around to face him, but looked down at the young woman who sat so quietly at Kenshin's side, still desperately holding onto his hand. "I don't know, Kaoru," she said softly. "I don't know when, or if, he'll wake up."

Kaoru did not reply immediately, but a single tear trickled down her face as she reached into the basin at her side and once more wrung out the cloth before she gently it placed on Kenshin's forehead. "I will wait," she murmured as she let her fingers caress his face.

Megumi bent down and picked up her medicine box and turned around to the two young men standing in the doorway. Sanosuke had his good arm draped over Yahiko's shoulders, his face etched in concern, attempting to give her a small smile. Yahiko did not even see her; his eyes were latched onto Kenshin's still form, his teeth biting his lower lip as if he were trying to stop himself from crying. "Come on, Sano," Megumi said, laying her hand on the arm he had bound up in a sling, "Let me check that hand." They both followed her out of the room, leaving Kaoru to her silent vigil.

Yahiko returned to the room a little while later, a tray with two teacups perched on it held in his hands. He knelt down at Kenshin's side and placed the tray down. "Megumi sent me with this tea, Kaoru," he told his foster sister. "She wants us to try to give Kenshin some. She said it would help with the pain."

Kaoru said nothing as she moved around to the back of the futon and gently lifted most of Kenshin's unmoving form until he was sitting up partially against her. Kaoru pressed her fingers against his lower jaw, holding his mouth open as Yahiko tipped the tea cup against his lips. She and Yahiko or Sanosuke had performed this ritual several times in the last two days and they knew what needed to be done. Yahiko poured a little of the tea into Kenshin's mouth as Kaoru massaged the underside of chin to get him to swallow the liquid automatically.

Megumi came back again just as they had finished giving Kenshin the last of the tea. She watched as Kaoru laid him back against the futon, tucking the blankets around his shoulders. She smiled at Yahiko as he began to leave the room, the tray with one empty cup and one full cup on it. She deftly reached out and grabbed the full cup and sent Yahiko back downstairs.

"The other cup of tea is for you, Kaoru," Megumi said. "I want to you to drink it."

"I'm not in pain, Megumi," Kaoru answered. "I don't want any tea."

Megumi sighed softly in frustration, knowing that although Kaoru may not have been in physical pain, her heart was in agony. "No, but you are exhausted. The tea will help you sleep. Sano told me that you haven't slept in the last two days. Would Kenshin want you to wear yourself out for his sake?"

Kaoru looked up into the older woman eyes, her shoulders tensing up with stubbornness. Megumi pushed the cup under Kaoru's nose. "Drink the tea, Kaoru," she said sternly. "Those are doctor's orders. I'll take care of Kenshin while you sleep."

Kaoru sighed audibly, took the offered cup, and brought it to her lips, but before she drank from it, she gazed up once more at the young doctor, an unasked question in her eyes. Megumi smiled slightly. "Don't worry, Tanuki," she told Kaoru. "I will wake you if there is any change in Kenshin's condition."

Several minutes later, Kaoru was laying back against her futon, yawning and sleepily blinking her eyes. Megumi watched her slide into sleep and then checked Kenshin's condition once more, peering into his eyes, one hand gently wrapped around his wrist to take his pulse. She was also deeply worried. She has never had seen someone so torn and beaten survive for long. She then she reminded herself that her Ken-san was strong both in body and spirit, aspects of his life that strongly favored his recovery.

She looked over at Kaoru, who had finally fallen into a deep sleep. "My Ken-san," she thought bitterly to herself, as a flash of jealousy ripped through her. "He will never be my Ken-san, will he? You are so lucky, Tanuki-girl. You are the only one he loved so much to say goodbye to." She sat back on her heels, dipping her hand into the cold basin of water for the cloth to lay against Kenshin's brow. She sat and she waited, watching over the man she loved, but finally realizing in her heart that he who would never be hers.

OXkOXaOXrOXoOXuOX

It was the false dawn, that time between the hour of the morning star and sunrise when Kenshin finally awoke from his nightmare. For three days and three nights, he had been trapped in a world of utter horror, locked into an endless struggle with Shishio.

When Kenshin's eyes slid open, he did not move for several minutes, his eyes fixed on the ceiling. He was instantly aware of his pain-ravaged body, every wound and abrasion a burning fire. The memory of his nightmares still lingered, but then faded away when he turned his head and saw Kaoru.

She lay on a futon a few feet from his own, her face turned toward him, her breathing deep and even as she slept. His eyes stared at her in awe, almost unbelieving that she was real, no longer just a picture in his mind that had been his haven during the battle with Shishio. It has been her image, his memory of her that had set his determination to defeat the megalomaniac. And now Kaoru was before him, no longer just a vision to keep him sane, no longer a flash of solace in the dark dreams he had lived in for endless hours. He reached out to her and then jerked back his hand as a spasm of pain traveled along his nerves; he then contented himself with just watching her sleep.

He was still gazing at her slumbering form more than an hour later when the day's first light slowly entered the room, dawning upon her face. He watched in stunned amazement as each flicker of sunlight made her even lovelier to behold. He waited, unmoving, for her to awake, wanting to see her sapphire eyes awaken with the sunrise.

Kaoru awoke a few moments later as the bright light touched her eyelids, to find Kenshin's deep amethyst eyes watching her intently. She leapt out of her of blankets in an instant, to kneel at his side.

"Kenshin, you're awake!" she cried, one hand gently caressing his scarred cheek. "Thank Kami-sama, we've all been so worried!"

He did not reply, but tried to sit up; Kaoru pushed his shoulders back against the futon. "Oh, no, you don't, Kenshin," she admonished sternly. "Don't you dare move! I'll go get Megumi."

As she rose to leave, Kenshin's hand reached out to grab her wrist; she settled back down to the floor, looking at him with concern. "What is it, Kenshin? Do you want me to stay?"

He nodded in reply, his eyes still intent upon her face. She smiled reassuringly at him, her smile making all of his agony worthwhile. He tried to speak, but his voice emerged from his lips as a mere rasp. Kaoru bent down closer to hear him.

"How long?"

Kaoru instantly knew what he was asking and answered. "For the last three days, Kenshin. We were all so worried that you wouldn't wake up. We sent for Megumi right away. She arrived yesterday."

At that moment, the door slid open, and Yahiko with Sanosuke at his heels, stepped into the room. Kaoru looked up at them, the smile blooming across her face telling them all they needed to know. Yahiko threw himself down at Kenshin's side, a huge grin on his face. "Kenshin!" he cried happily. Sanosuke, obviously not caring who he might wake up at that time of the morning, stuck his head back into the hallway and yelled, "Megumi, Kenshin's awake! You'd better come!"

Kenshin barely had time to greet Sanosuke and Yahiko before Megumi rushed into the room, nearly tripping over her yukata in her hurry to get to her patient. She laid her medicine box on the floor, shoving Yahiko out of the way as she reached up to touch Kenshin's forehead to check his temperature. She smiled at him when her fingers met only cool skin.

"No more fever!" she stated, as Kenshin attempted to sit up. "No, Kenshin. Don't you dare move! You've got a lot more recuperating to do before you should try to move again. How are you feeling? How much pain are you in?" She didn't wait for an answer, but turned to Yahiko, ordering the boy down to the kitchen to make some more of her tea. "Make it only half-strength, Yahiko," she said, as he scampered from the room. Megumi turned back to her patient. "I want Kenshin to stay awake for awhile."

The young doctor finally turned to the beaming Kaoru, who was holding Kenshin's hand as if she would never let go. "Do you know how long he's been awake?"

"I don't know, he was awake when I woke up…," Kaoru replied, then she looked down at Kenshin as realization dawned. It would have just been like him not to wake her, even if he had been in pain. "Just how long have you been awake, Kenshin?" she asked crossly.

Kenshin's rurouni grin flashed across his face. "I did not want to wake you so early in the morning, Kaoru-dono," he replied, his voice all innocence, not wanting to reveal the real reason he did not want to wake her. She had been so beautiful as she slept.

"Damn you, Kenshin!" Kaoru cried, shaking a finger at him. "Just when are you going to learn to take care of yourself first?"

Sanosuke, who was still standing near the doorway, started to chuckle, a sloppy grin plastered across his face. Megumi turned to him, pursing her lips in disdain. "Just what is so funny, Tori-atama?" she demanded.

"Just listen to them, Kitsune-onna," Sano replied, laughing. "There's the sure sign that Kenshin's going to be just fine."

A slow tear of joy glided down Kaoru's cheek as she gazed down happily at Kenshin. Sanosuke was right. Kenshin was finally awake and going to be fine.

Two: Irises

Three days after coming home from Kyoto, Kaoru sat down heavily on the dojo porch with a deep sigh of satisfaction. It had taken two days to get the dojo back in order after their extended stay in Kyoto, but it was now polished and cleaned to perfection. She, Kenshin, and Yahiko had worked hard in the last couple of days. Even Sanosuke had helped, fixing the tiles on the roof that had loosened during the late springs storms that had occurred while they had been away. All three of her men had left earlier that morning; Yahiko had gone to help Megumi at the clinic and Kenshin and Sanosuke had gone fishing.

She smiled as she glanced down to her side and saw the irises that Kenshin had brought home that first day. She was very surprised to see that they had not wilted yet and that their soft amethyst petals were glistening with dew in the early morning light. "How like his eyes," she mused to herself. She lightly brushed one finger down the delicate petals, realizing that she wanted to keep them forever.

Kaoru reached down, took the irises out the bucket, and then gently shook all of the water from the flowers before she stood up and went back into the dojo. She went into her room and sat down at her desk and took out several pieces of parchment. She laid the flowers across one piece of parchment and then laid another piece of paper over the flowers. She then gently but firmly began to flatten the irises between the pieces of paper, pressing each petal down into place with stroking fingertips. When she was satisfied that her flowers were laid out properly, she walked over to her chest across the room and opened the lid. She took out several of her kimonos and then placed the parchment-wrapped flowers on top of the heavy winter blankets she kept at the bottom of the chest and then placed her kimonos on top of them. They would keep there.

OXkOXeOXnOXsOXiOXnOX

On a chilly, rainy day three weeks later, Kaoru returned home to the Kamiya dojo in a very bad mood. She had not slept much the night before because of a nightmare, and had been asked to teach at another dojo across town. Because they had very little money, she willingly obliged. However, when she arrived at the dojo, the students there were very disrespectful and unwilling to learn kendo from a woman. Then, on her way home, a gust of wind blew her umbrella inside out, leaving it broken. She arrived at the dojo soaked through to the skin, teeth chattering from the cold.

Yahiko was standing on the porch. "Hey, busu!" he said. "Did you leave your umbrella behind?"

"It broke," Kaoru replied through gritted teeth as she resisted the urge to hit him with her bokken.

Kenshin emerged from the dojo a moment later. "Miss Kaoru!" he exclaimed as he took in her wet and bedraggled appearance. "You should get out of those wet clothes now before you catch a cold, that you should." He turned toward Yahiko. "Yahiko, go start a hot bath for Miss Kaoru."

"Sure, Kenshin," Yahiko replied as he turned toward the bath house. Kaoru almost growled after him. How did Kenshin get the boy to do things without him putting up a fuss?

Kaoru stepped into the house and padded down the hallway to her room. "I'll get you some towels, Miss Kaoru," Kenshin offered as he followed her.

"Th…Thanks…Kenshin," she murmured through still chattering teeth. She opened the door to her room and went inside. When Kaoru stepped back into the hallway a few minutes later, there were several towels laying outside of her door. She could hear Kenshin in the kitchen, humming softly to himself. He was probably making her tea. She would appreciate it, because despite divesting herself of her wet clothes, she still felt ice cold to the bone. A hot bath and hot tea were definitely what she needed. She headed toward the bath house, hoping that Yahiko had the fire blazing by now.

Kenshin was putting a full teapot on the stove to boil as he heard Kaoru walk out to the bath house. He looked outside to the yard. The gray, wet, dreary daylight was waning fast, and the evening promised only more rain and even colder temperatures. Deciding that Kaoru would need her heavy blankets that night given the chilled condition she had come home in, he went into her room and opened her chest. He removed the kimonos that lay on top of the blankets, only to encounter two pieces of parchment laying on top of them. Curious, he peeled off the top sheet of paper.

There lay three perfectly formed, perfectly preserved irises.

"She kept them," he thought to himself, as he looked down at the dried flowers in wonder.

Kenshin gently lifted the piece of paper holding the irises out of the chest and placed the precious burden to his side before he pulled out Kaoru's blanket. He draped the blanket over her folded futon and then bent back down to pick up the flowers to put them back in the bottom of the chest when he suddenly halted his movements. A gentle smile crossed his face as he stared at the fragile amethyst irises. "They should not be hidden away, that they shouldn't," he murmured. He put the paper back down on the floor, covering the flowers with the first sheet of paper. He then placed Karou's kimonos back in the chest. He picked up the flowers again and crossed to the hallway to his room.

Dinner that evening was quiet. Yahiko went to bed early, and Kaoru soon followed, having had a long, exhausting day.

Kenshin did not immediately retreat to bed. After he was sure that Kaoru and Yahiko were asleep, he took a candle and went to his room. After he retrieved the flowers, he walked over to the storage shed in the middle of the compound. Setting the candle on one of the tables, he began to rummage through the various shelves, seeking certain tools and materials. Minutes later, he had what he needed and began to work.

The next day began with a burst of sunlight that tinged the leftover clouds of the night's rain storm orange and pink. Kaoru awoke with a smile on her face. Going to bed earlier than usual had certainly brightened her mood. She had slept the whole night through without any nightmares for once. She rose from her bed, slipped on her yukata and headed straight for the kitchen.

She wasn't a bit surprised to find Kenshin already awake, humming under his breath as he cooked their breakfast. "Why don't you take a bath now, Miss Kaoru?" he suggested. "Breakfast should be done when you're finished."

She readily agreed and headed for the bath house. Several minutes later she returned to her room to change before joining Kenshin and Yahiko for breakfast. She knelt down at her table and picked up her hairbrush, but the brush stopped halfway to her hair as she beheld the irises that she had put in her trunk weeks before. Framed by simple pieces of dark wood, the flowers now sat at one of corner of her desk, the dark purple petals standing out in sharp contrast against the light beige parchment they had been pressed against. Kaoru reached out a trembling finger and reverently touched the frame. "Kenshin," she whispered.

She quickly brushed her hair, put on her favorite kimono, and hurried into the dining room. Kenshin was placing bowls of miso soup on the table. She approached him, a shy smile crossing her lips as she brushed his hand with her fingers. "Thank you, Kenshin," she said, her eyes gleaming with gratitude.

Kenshin's own eyes glowed softly as he watched Kaoru's cheeks turn a dusty pink.

"You're welcome, Miss Kaoru," he replied.

Three: Dreams

Three nights. For three nights, Kenshin had awoken to the sound of Kaoru tossing and turning on her futon, low moans of despair coming from her room as she dreamed.

On the first night, he had heard the rustle of her blankets as she awoke from her nightmare, the sound of short, panting gasps drifting out into the dojo hallway. Kenshin had almost gone to her, but he held back, thinking that perhaps she would not to like to share her dreams with him. He certainly did not tell anyone about the vicious and bloody nightmares he experienced. Sometimes, he was surprised that he did not wake all of the denizens of the dojo with his own cries when his memories came to taunt him in the dark.

Kaoru seemed fine the next morning, the dream forgotten with the daylight. Yet, that night, it happened a second time. Kenshin once again awoke to the sounds of Kaoru's nightmare filtering through the thin rice paper walls of his room. He listened as she tossed her blankets away and rose from her futon, and watched as a candle bloomed in the darkness of her room. He could sense that her ki was troubled, but once again he chose not to disturb her. He stayed awake, sitting against his wall, as she did, a silent companion, for the remainder of the night.

Yahiko and Sanosuke did not observe the shadows under Kaoru's eyes the next morning as they gathered around the table to eat their breakfast, but Kenshin could not help but notice that how tired Kaoru was. She also seemed a little depressed. Her smile seemed forced and her movements listless. Sano finally noticed that something was wrong when Yahiko insulted her and she did not reply with her usual sharp words.

"Oi, Jou-chan, you ok?" Sano asked.

"I'm fine," Kaoru replied quietly as she began to gather the breakfast dishes together. "I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Oh. Well, I'm off. I promised to help Megumi find herbs today. See ya!" Sano gave them a jaunty wave goodbye as he strode out to the dojo yard.

Kaoru took Yahiko's empty dish as he handed it to her. "Why don't you get started by yourself, Yahiko?" she instructed her pupil. "One hundred strokes. I'll be in a little while."

"Sure, Kaoru," Yahiko replied as he in ran into the dojo hall.

Kenshin stood up and lightly grabbed one of Kaoru's wrists in his hand. He smiled at her as he took the dishes from her. "I'll do these today, Miss Kaoru," he said. "Go get started in the dojo. Perhaps, if you finish early, you can take a nap later."

"Thank you, Kenshin," she murmured as she turned to follow Yahiko. Kenshin then knew that something was definitely wrong with her, more than just lack of sleep. Kaoru had not smiled at him; the special bright smile she saved just for him was missing. He could not help thinking about her, worrying as he did his morning chores, wondering why she was having nightmares that seemed so terrible.

Later that morning, after he had finished his tasks, he wandered over to the dojo hall to watch her teach her students. Kaoru seemed to have gained back some of her usual cheerfulness and energy as she put her students through their exercises. He watched her every lithe movement intently as she corrected one boy's stance and another little girl's hold on her bokken. "She is so beautiful," he thought to himself as he stood in the dojo doorway, his gaze never leaving her graceful form.

Kaoru did not take the suggested nap, but she did allow Kenshin to warm some bath water for her before she went to bed.

"Perhaps, this will help you relax, Miss Kaoru," he called over the bath house wall, as he added another small log to the fire.

"I certainly hope so, Kenshin," her soft voice answered.

Kenshin only allowed himself to doze lightly that night, his ears half listening for any sounds coming from Kaoru's room. Gentle sobs emerged from inside Kaoru's walls just after midnight, just as they had on the two previous nights. Kenshin rose up instantly from his futon when heard his name among her soft cries. He padded into the hallway and stood before her closed doorway.

"Are you ok, Miss Kaoru?" he asked quietly. "I heard you call my name."

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other side of the wall, and then Kaoru's soft voice answered back. "No, I'm fine, Kenshin. It's nothing. You can go back to sleep now."

He did not reply, but retreated back into his own room. He sat down, his back against the wall, listening intently. Several minutes later, he heard Kaoru's door snick open and close. Kenshin got up, opened his door again, and watched as Kaoru walked toward the dojo, the candle in her hand lighting her way. He followed her, his soft footfalls a bare whisper against the dojo floor.

He stood in the shadows of the dojo's entrance, his amethyst eyes concerned as she took a shinai from a nearby rack and began to perform katas in the middle of the floor. At first, her strokes were strong and precise, but his expression grew even more anxious as each successive swing she took became wilder, her unbound hair flinging madly about her face and shoulders. Something was very wrong. This was not his Kaoru, whose every movement was beautiful and disciplined. He also knew that she would not find peace this way. He silently slipped to her side.

Kaoru gasped in shock as Kenshin grabbed her arm and forced it down to her side. "This has to stop, Kaoru," he said sternly as he took the shinai from her hand. She did not reply but watched him listlessly as he returned the shinai to its rack. Kenshin then turned back to her, grabbed her hand, and pulled her gently out onto the dojo porch. Kaoru did not speak, but allowed him to lead her, head down, shoulders slumped.

It was a warm, late summer night. The sweet scent of honeysuckle was wafting through the yard, but Kenshin did not notice it; all of his attention was focused on the young woman who sat down heavily beside him. Kaoru did not raise her head to look at him, her eyes remained hidden by the long black bangs that had fallen around her face. He let her sit there quietly for a minute before he tucked one finger under her chin, lifting her face to the moonlight so he could see her face more clearly. His amethyst eyes glittered with concern as she tried to pull away from him. He did not let her go; he moved his thumb to her cheek and caressed it tenderly.

"I know you've been having nightmares, Kaoru," he told her, his voice a gentle whisper, "and I know they're about me. I heard you say my name."

Kaoru could not help but notice that Kenshin had just used her given name twice, something he had done rarely in the past, usually when he was very worried about her.

"I'm okay, Kenshin," she said softly, dropping her head away from his searching eyes and his touch.

Kenshin frowned. Despite her half-hearted reassurance that she was fine, Kenshin knew something was wrong, and this time he just could not let it be. He moved closer to her and wrapped an arm lightly around her shoulders. Kaoru stiffened for a moment and then relaxed slightly. "You're not fine, Kaoru, that you are not. Won't you please tell me what's wrong?"

Kaoru's head remained down, her eyes resting on her hands in her lap, which were nervously playing with the loose ends of her yukata belt. She sighed loudly and briefly wondered if there was somewhere she could hide from his concern. But then again, Kenshin rarely touched her, and she knew he would not let her go with claiming she was fine this time around. Kenshin did not push her any further, but waited patiently for her to say something in reply to his question. Minutes passed in silence until Kaoru gathered her courage together.

"I'm…afraid, Kenshin. I'm just afraid," she finally admitted, her voice breaking.

Kenshin pressed her head against his shoulder, his hands entangled in her hair, wanting to comfort her, trying to reassure her that she had no reasons to be frightened of him. "Of what, Kaoru?" he asked. "Is it me? Is it something I did? I don't want you having bad dreams about me, Kaoru, that I do not. Please tell me what you are dreaming about."

Karou sighed again and gave in. She had to tell him about the dream, the dream that scared her so much. Her voice was muffled as she replied; Kenshin bent his head down further to hear her more clearly. "I'm…we're walking together. I don't know where. Then…suddenly…the earth shakes and splits apart. There's a chasm…I'm on one side and you're on the other. You keep on walking away. I call your name, but you keep on walking away!" Kaoru suddenly began to weep, her face buried against his chest.

"Kyoto," Kenshin said softly into her hair, his arms tightening around her. He felt her head nod against him, and he suddenly realized the one thing he had never told her since his recovery and their return to Tokyo. The words should have been spoken in Kyoto, even before they left. He also knew she should have been furious with him for not saying what needed to be said earlier than this, but her fear of his leaving again had eclipsed her anger. No wonder she was having nightmares. His hand cupped her face, lifting her head up, his eyes searching sapphire irises still glistening with dew. "I hurt you deeply, didn't I?"

She nodded against his palm, a single tear running down his fingers. He hugged her once more, pulling her against him tightly. "I'm sorry, Kaoru," he murmured, brushing his lips against her hair, a deep sadness welling up inside him that he had not apologized sooner. "I'm sorry."

Kaoru let herself be comforted by his warm embrace for several moments before she spoke again. "I've forgiven you for Kyoto, Kenshin. I truly have," she told him, her voice slightly trembling, as she pulled away from him so she could see his face, "but you're a wanderer, Kenshin Himura. Some day you'll leave again."

Kenshin shook his head in reply and smiled down at her, one finger moving across her face to brush away her tears. "I'm not a wanderer anymore, Kaoru," he assured her, his voice warm and tender. "You realized that yourself the day you welcomed me home from Kyoto. I will not be wandering again, that I won't. I can't."

"You…can't?" Kaoru's voice caught for a moment, as she looked up into his face, studying his amethyst eyes.

Her own eyes widened as Kenshin bent down closer to her, capturing her lips with his own. He kissed her gently, his lips moving tenderly against her mouth. Kaoru looked up at him in startled wonderment when they finally broke apart, her breath quickening. He smiled warmly as his hands cupped her face, his amethyst eyes gazing steadily into her sapphire irises. "You've captured my heart and soul, Kaoru," he whispered tenderly, "I can't leave." He silenced her reply with another soft kiss, and then moved across the floor until his back was leaning against the dojo wall, one arm wrapped around her waist, gently taking her with him. He embraced her tighter in his warmth, pillowing her head against his shoulder. "Go to sleep now, my Kaoru," he murmured. "You don't need to be afraid. You don't have to have nightmares anymore. I'm not going anywhere."

Kaoru snuggled against him and let herself be lulled by the steady beat of Kenshin's heart, and finally spoke the words that had been lingering for so long in her own soul. "I love you, Kenshin," she whispered before sleep closed her eyes.

"I love you also, my Kaoru," he said quietly in reply as he closed his own eyes and tenderly kissed the top of her head. "We'll never be alone again."