Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ To Prove You Wrong ❯ Finding the Answers ( Chapter 6 )

"A rose by any other name, would get the blame for being what it is-- the color of a kiss, the shadow of a flame." -Tanith Lee (untitled poem)

To Prove You Wrong

By: EvilNekoEatsYourSoul

Author's note: This is the last chapter, for some reason this story was a strain on me. I didn't take to it like I thought I would so unfortunately I just lost all the excitement for writing this story halfway through and I'm really sorry. For all the people that reviewed I would just like to thank you and well, most of you seemed to enjoy the story so I'm glad. Who knows, maybe one day I'll try again at a Rurouni Kenshin fanfic and hopefully this time I'll think it through more. Anyways, hope you enjoy this last chapter, ja ne!

Last time: "Kaoru-dono?" She turned to him, his eyes were clearer now and he didn't sway as he stood. There was noise at the door and it opened to reveal three disgruntled males.

"Oh, Kami!" muttered Kaoru.

Chapter 6: Finding the Answers

~*~

"Hmph, well if it isn't Battoussai's Tanuki."

Hajime Saitou walked into the disheveled room followed by Aoshi and a young man with short dark hair and deep blue eyes.

Everyone in the room froze and looked at the three men who had just entered.

"Pathetic," Continued Saitou, "don't tell me you had to be saved by your woman, Battoussai."

Kenshin fell forward, his eyes becoming clouded once again. Saitou ignored him and turned back to Kaoru who gaped at him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Misao screamed, walking towards the newcomers.

"Ah, and is that the itachi musume? What are you doing here dressed up like that." He said, referring to the make-up that still covered Misao's face. (A/N: itachi musume = `weasel girl')

Misao ignored him and walked over to Aoshi.

"I told you to go back to Kyoto!"

"Be quiet, itachi. Now you," he said pointing to Kaoru, "tell me what you're all doing here."

She turned away from him and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Misao-chan and I came here to get Kenshin. Now what are you doing here, Saitou-san?"

He ignored her question and turned to the group of men who were fidgeting nervously.

"And who are these ahou's?" he asked.

"These are the people we are saving Kenshin from, baka!" came Misao's answer from where she stood next to Aoshi.

"Why did you bring this jerk here, Aoshi?" she asked, turning to the former Okashira.

"I didn't."

"Anou. . . I believe Saitou-san came her to get me." The young blue-eyed man answered.

"Exactly, I came here to fetch the Tenken back to police headquarters." Replied the lanky police officer.

"That's the Tenken, Seta Soujiro?" asked Kaoru and Misao at the same time.

He smiled at them and nodded, everyone else ignored them.

"I suppose I will be taking the rest of you in as well." Saitou said, pointing to the three men standing on the opposite side of the room and the still unconscious Toshiro.

"You two," he turned to Kaoru and Misao, "will come in for questioning."

He paused for a moment.

"As well as the Battoussai and Shinomori. For now go home and wash that horrid mask off of your face itachi musume. I expect to see you all at the Tokyo police headquarters tomorrow morning. I'll be waiting so don't be late."

With that said, he stepped out of the room and called for a few other police officers to lead the newly acquired outlaws back to the station. Soujiro who bowed respectfully to them and smiled followed him.

Misao and Aoshi stared at each other while Kaoru was left looking very confused.

"What just happened?"

"Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin's groggy voice shook her from her thoughts and she rushed over to him.

"Oh, Kenshin!" she threw her arms around the unsteady rurouni and buried her face into the crook of his neck.

"Are you alright, Kenshin? I was so worried about you." Slowly, tears started to travel down her cheeks, making her blue eyes sparkle beautifully.

At that moment she looked so angelic and Kenshin's heart started to beat erratically. He knew then that he wanted to be with her forever, whether or not he was worthy. Even through the haze of his mind he knew he would probably never feel as if he was good enough for her. `But that's okay,' he decided, `because I'll spend the rest of my days working to become worthy of her. I will stay as long as she allows me to.' Out loud he said. "I'm fine Kaoru-dono. Let's go home."

They stood to leave with Kaoru helping to support Kenshin's weight since he was still unsteady on his feet. As they walked out into the hall that was now crowded with curious onlookers, they noticed that both Misao and Aoshi were gone.

~*~

"We should leave them alone now, they'll be fine." Misao whispered to Aoshi, and they both left quietly without disturbing the reunited couple.

They both remained silent as they exited the building, ignoring the stares they received from the halls inhabitants. Misao was deep in thought. She couldn't help but feel saddened by the sight of Kaoru and Kenshin embracing. Of course she was happy for them, but she longed for that kind of relationship with someone. Having given hope no Aoshi she didn't think there was anyone else for her.

So much of her time had been spent searching for him and the deceased members of the Oniwabanshu that she had no friends her age in Kyoto. There had been no suitors for her; she had only started growing into a woman a few months ago. Her love for Aoshi had blinded her to any other men and now that she was determined to leave him behind she realized there were no others. Every man seemed so dull compared to him, she could never be happy marrying a merchant or a farmer; not after having known the strength and perfection of Aoshi.

She was startled when she heard Aoshi's voice; it sounded deep and loud in the still night air.

"Will you be coming back to Kyoto with me?"

They both stopped walking. Misao studied their surroundings for a second, some dark nameless Tokyo street. She wondered where they had been walking. Next, she looked up into Aoshi's cold blue eyes. He looked even more tense then usual, but his eyes gave away nothing. `The same old Aoshi,' she thought to herself.

"My goal in life used to be to make you smile. I thought that if I could accomplish that just once then maybe my dreams would come true."

"Misao-" She held up a hand to quiet him.

"Now that I've grown, I know better. You would never be able to give me the kind of love and the affection that I want. You were right, Aoshi; it's time for me to give up my childish dreams. I'll just have to find a new goal, but until I find one I can't go back to Kyoto. I won't be able to forget my old dreams with you there."

She left him there, in the middle of a deserted street, shocked beyond words and staring after her. For some reason the world looked different now, the street was just a blur and no darkness or light existed. Now that Misao didn't love him anymore, the earth seemed to transform beneath his feet.

~*~

"You know Kenshin, you're a lot heavier then you look." Kaoru giggled as she repositioned his arm that lay across her shoulder.

They were now walking along the river but still had quite a bit of walking to do before reaching the dojo.

"Gomen, Kaoru-dono, perhaps you should leave sessha hear and go and get Sanosuke to help me back. I don't think sessha is well enough to walk on his own yet, de gozaru yo."

"I can't," Kaoru said, "but let's stop and rest here for a little while."

Kenshin nodded his agreement and they sat near the base of a tree near the river's edge. Leaning his back against the tree he told Kaoru to sit between his legs and she rested her hands on his knees and leaned against his chest. There was a deep blush on her cheeks as her rurouni wrapped his arms around her.

"Now tell sessha why you are unable to get Sanosuke."

"He's sleeping. . ."

"Aa, Megume-dono helped you?"

Kaoru nodded silently.

"Sanosuke, Yahiko and Aoshi-san were all supposed to be asleep. I don't know why Aoshi was awake." She admitted.

He shrugged. Not many thoughts were able to pierce through the fog of his mind. At least not many that didn't have to deal with Kaoru. His cheek rested against the silky length of her hair and his arms held her tightly.

The words left his mouth before he knew what he was saying, but he didn't regret them.

"Aishiteru, Kaoru-dono."

Kaoru was stunned speechless for a moment. He hands moved from his knees to her own chest, to press against her rapidly beating heart.

~*~

The morning came, bright and clear as ever. It made Misao's heart feel even darker in comparison to the brilliance of the morning rays. Kaoru had Kenshin had returned just minutes ago, entering the dojo gate hand in hand. They had all been waiting for them in the courtyard area.

She had listened silently to Sanosuke's and Yahiko's yelling, not having the heart to argue when she returned earlier. Megumi, who had sensed something was wrong with the girl, had curtly told them to shut up. Finally noticing the young ninja's silence they had stopped their yelling. All of them sat waiting silently for the return of their two friends.

As soon as they had come into sight, Yahiko and Sanosuke ran towards them.

"Jou-chan how could you leave me and the kid out of your plans?" whined the tall ex-gangster.

She smiled sheepishly and shrugged.

"Oi, busu, what happened to your hand." Yahiko pointed to the hand covered in dried blood.

"Oh, I almost forgot about that." She said, now Megumi had joined them and was examining Kaoru's hand.

"Well, let's go to the clinic," ordered the doctor, "you too, Misao."

Nodding, Misao stood and walked over to the group. Kaoru watched her friend, wondering at the defeated look the young ninja wore. As Kenshin was about to announce that he would accompany them, Megumi held up a hand for silence.

"No, Kenshin. You go straight to the bath, you smell awful." She stated bluntly, shoving him towards Yahiko and Sanosuke.

"You two make sure he gets some rest while I take care of Kaoru's hand for now."

They nodded in agreement.

The walk to the clinic was quiet, each woman was lost in her own thoughts. Misao was the first to end the silence as they sat down in the clinic and Megumi began to clean off the dried blood on Kaoru's hand.

"Anou. . . Kaoru, do you think it would be okay if I stayed at the dojo a while?"

She played nervously with her fingers, looking down her the tatami mats beneath her.

"Of course Misao-chan, but why? What about Aoshi-san?"

Slowly, Misao lifted her head to look into her friend's eyes. Kaoru could see the barely suppressed tears forming in Misao's deep blue depths.

"I'm not a child anymore Kaoru. It's time I grow out of this silly infatuation. He doesn't love me and I can't force him to no matter how much I wish. I just. . . I just need time away from him."

Kaoru nodded, not knowing what to say to comfort her friend. She was unsure of what to think, she didn't know if it was a good or bad thing for Misao to forget about Aoshi. Megumi stood, turning on her heel to face the depressed ninja girl. Roughly grabbing her arm and yanking her to stand, Megumi slapped the younger woman across the face.

"Don't be a fool itachi! Why would Shinomori-san come to Tokyo to fetch you if he didn't care? Didn't he also go to make sure you were safe at the teahouse? You know better then anyone else that he shows no emotions, he's not capable of it. Yet weren't you the one always saying, `I'll be the one to make him smile.'? What happened to your determination, are you so weak that you are going to give up what you have worked your entire life to achieve?"

"You don't understand!" Misao shouted, her anger apparent on her face, "he turned away from me. I told him I loved him and he turned his back on me and walked away."

Megumi tugged on the smaller woman's arm that was still held in her iron grip.

"So what?" the tone was icy, "it's nothing he hasn't done before. Only this time you ran away from it. He followed you; that's sign enough from a man like him. If he didn't care he wouldn't have come after you."

Finally finding her voice, Kaoru spoke in a calm, even tone.

"Misao-chan, why did you really come here? Think about it, the answer is probably one you didn't even think of yourself. Did you hope, deep down inside that he would follow you? I'm sure Aoshi-san has hurt your feelings so much, but Megumi is right. He wouldn't have come here for you if he didn't care. Maybe now he is willing to talk after realizing he could lose you. I will understand if you want to stay here and forget about him, but Misao, could you ever be happy loving anyone other then Aoshi?"

She was trembling now, and seeing that their words had gotten through to her, Megumi released Misao's arm.

"What have I done? I told him to go back to Kyoto without me, Isaid- Oh Kami! I have to find him!"

Kaoru stopped her as she began to run out the door.

"He's near the bridge, Misao-chan. Kenshin and I saw him meditating their on our way back to the dojo."

In an instant she was gone, running out the door and into the busy streets of Tokyo.

"Well, shall we get that cleaned, then?" asked Megumi, turning back to Kaoru's injured hand.

~*~

He was exactly where Kaoru had said he would be, sitting near the bridge and the river's edge. His broad back and shoulders facing her, she walked towards him kneeling behind him and resting her forehead and hands on his back. Her eyes closed and she was filled with peace, as if his state of mind during meditation was flowing through her.

"Gomen, Aoshi-sama. I've done so many childish things since you've arrived here. I didn't know until Kaoru and Megumi said it, but you-you have to care about me, right? That's why you came here after me, even if you can't say it yourself I know it's true. I think I understand now, that all these years I've had the wrong idea. I wanted to change you into a better person, someone who could love me. But today I realized that I was wrong. If you changed you wouldn't be Aoshi-sama anymore you'd be someone else and I wouldn't love you. Love is about accepting a person as they are and if you let me I think I can do that. I know I can love you for yourself even if you can't show me that you care. But I need to hear it, Aoshi. Just once, I need to be sure that you care if I'm going to go through with this."

She fell silent as the final words tumbled from her mouth.

"Aishiteru, Misao." It was a faint whisper that she could barely hear. But it was enough, she wouldn't ask for more, wouldn't push him until he was ready. He turned to her and cupped her face in his large hands, his lips pressed gently against hers in a single sweet, chaste kiss that left her crying in joy.

"Aishiteru, Aoshi."

~*~

"Well, I guess it all turned out alright, but, Kaoru-dono, I don't understand. Why did you think I needed to be saved? I've been through much worse before, de gozaru yo."

She smiled warmly at him, her bandaged hand resting on his forearm.

"I never thought that you needed to be saved. I just wanted you to know I'm capable of protecting myself. I was tired of you treating me as if I were made of glass. I've never said anything before but I can't stand it when you give me the `Sessha worries about you, you're such a delicate woman, de gozaru yo,' speech. I just needed to-"

He cut her off with a kiss before she could finish. It was moist and warm, it left breathless, staring into his soft violet eyes.

"You just needed to prove me wrong?"

She smiled again, and brought his head down to her level to peck him on the lips.

"Exactly! I needed to prove you wrong."

~*~*~*~*OWARI*~*~*~*~