Special thanks: William "Shinomori Aoshi" Buacharern (willcbua@ktb.net)
Who was both an advisor and a co-conspirator. ^_^x

---

 

Kaoru looked up into the sky praying for patience and strength to carry on. After a while she lowered her head back down lost in introspection.

She did not know when she had fallen in love with him. She just realized one day that she did not want to live her life without him. Everytime she saw him doing the laundry, or cooking, or playing with Doctor Ginazai’s grandchildren her heart just melted. He was so kind, so tender, his eyes so warm yet haunted. He did things around the dojo without being asked. He helped out as much as he could. She loved him for that. She loved him for bringing together a family that took away the horrible void in her life. He helped her cleanse her father's name from scandal. He gave her the gift of a student in Yahiko when she so badly needed one. Most importantly of all he gave her the gift of his friendship.

Thoughts of this rumbled around in Kaoru's distracted mind but the sound of a child's panicked voice woke her from her thoughts.

"Nani?" (What)

She followed the sound. Her thoughts on Kenshin tucked into the hidden recesses in her mind as she made her way toward the sound. She ended up in an alleyway, and before barging in she stuck her head cautiously around the corner to get an idea of the situation.

She saw two young children a boy and a girl crying plaintively at three government officers. And what she saw the officers doing made her bones chill.

"STOP! Please stop... it's just a cat, stop hurting it," whined a worried little boy's voice.

"Shut up you stupid brat," spoke one of the officers as he backhanded the boy, kicked the near-dead cat, and grabbed the girl.

"Aren't you a pretty little bitch," said the officer as he caressed her hair in a way that just made Kaoru's bile rise to her mouth.

Coming out of nowhere, she stormed the officers and smashed her bucket with the tofu in it over the man's head who was holding the little girl, watching the wooden vessel splinter in her hands.

"RUN!" she screamed to the kids, who after a shocked moment of pause ran as fast as their young legs would take them. The poor cat however, laid on the ground breathing its last breaths, and then died with a heavy whimpering sigh.

The man she had hit was cursing heavily and getting up woozily to his feet while the other two started to give chase. She put up a fight by using their momentum to throw them to the ground, but was greatly hampered by her kimono. As soon as she could, she ripped up the bottom of her kimono to allow her legs better manuervability. She was at a distinct disadvantage, being both outnumbered and having no weapon save her own body and ingenuity. She did have one thing going in her favor; the alleyway was to small to use guns without possibly shooting an ally, and it was too small for swords as well.

As the one man steadied himself on his feet, Kaoru was up to her neck with the other two assailants. One grabbed her by her hair; Kaoru instinctively responded with a wicked kick that caught him in the groin. The other one managed to send an uppercut into her abdomen, making Kaoru lose her wind and stumble back. As she did so, her foot slipped on the spilled tofu and she fell to her knees feeling her ankle roll underneath her.

"Shimatta!!" (Damn!!)

Feeling the pain rip through her ankle, she put her weight on her hands and swept out at the two with her good foot, managing to trip the officer who was grasping his family jewels. The other one managed to evade the sweep and kicked at her arms as she fell back down. She gets up biting her lip in pain from her hurt ankle and went into the best defensive stance she could manage with her back to the wall.

Meanwhile, the officer who she originally had struck with the bucket and the other who had his bells rung, managed to recover and she was now forced to fight all three of them. Sadly, she did not last long.

The head officer noticed how she favored her right ankle and began to aim every attack at it. Eventually, a connecting kick managed to sweep her off of her feet. Before she had time to do more than put her arms in front of her in a block, they all converged on her. The ringleader managed to get past her arms and slammed her head hard into the nearby wall.

A trail of dark crimson blood marked the place where her head was mercilessly bashed against the wall. Her vision was going all black, speckled with bright spots of light. She fought frantically to remain conscious, trying in a vain attempt to get her lethargic limbs to respond again.

"Bitch! You're gonna give us a good time after spoiling our fun!" said the head officer, grabbing her by her throat slowly choking her as he groped her breasts while roughly starting to loosen her kimono.

Tears streamed from Kaoru's eyes as she screamed out a silent scream for help in her mind. Her lips were parted... but no sound besides a hoarse sound of air could be heard. She tried with weak, rapidly going numb, limbs to fight them off, but to no avail.

"Yamero!" (Stop!)

Then just as the government officers were about to completely disrobe her a shadow looms up over the assorted group. The dying ember of a cigarette was seen as it arcs from the new person's hands away into the recesses of the alleyway.

The newcomer stood there with an evil grin, cracking his knuckles. He grinned evilly from ear to ear while uttering a single phrase.

"Aku. Zoku. Zan." (Sin. Swift. Slay.)

The assailants looked up in time to scramble hastily to their feet, which they could not manage to do very well as they tripped over Kaoru's body.

The high-pitched sound of fists impacting flesh and bone echoed hollowly in the alleyway. A few various moans and thuds punctuated the bone-crunching sounds, then all was silent

Kaoru gasped frantically for air. Her face faded from blue to a more healthy color, and she blinked fervently trying to see as well as stirred trying to get up.

"Kaoru."

She heard the voice, and yet she did not notice it.

"Kaoru?"

She felt a cool hand on her forehead, and her eyes fluttered open as she blinked away the black spots from her vision trying to make her eyes focus.

"Oi. Kaoru!"

She focused her vision on the one before her....

"Saitoh-san..."

She said it in immense relief. She stirred some more and tried to get up, but only managed to pass out from the concussion she had obtained.

Saitoh checked Kaoru over to make sure she had no serious injuries and could only find her head wound to be of any concern as far as blood loss was concerned. He deftly pulled her kimono back up to cover her, and used one of the men's shirts as a bandage for her head. He noticed her ankle, and decided to let a doctor deal with that.

Footsteps were heard running into the alleyway. Saitoh did not even bother to turn his head to speak to the just-arrived policemen.

"They're in custody, put them in jail. Kuno, bring a carriage and a doctor now."

One of the policemen ran out of the alley, following his orders, and the rest of the men detained Kaoru's attackers and carted them off to jail. Saitoh stood with his trademark scowl alongside Kaoru, smoking a cigarette as he waited for Kuno's return.

* * * * * * *

Kaoru awoke in her bedding in her room at Kamiya Dojo. For a moment she thought it had all just been a bad dream, but when she went to sit up, her head began to swim. She brought a hand to her face and winced in pain as it came in contact with her puffy and swollen eye.

She heard low voices in the other room, and strained her ears to try to figure out who was out there and what they were saying.

"I am going to need a medical report to enter as evidence," asked a male voice.

"I'll give you one but only with her permission," replied a female one.

"I understand."

"Must you really question her as soon as she wakes? I'd much prefer her to rest and not be stressed out more than she already has today."

"I have to make a report, and it is best to find out what happened from her as soon after as possible. I need the details, Takani-san, otherwise those men will be back out on the streets. I am under a time restraint imposed by the law."

"I shouldn't allow it. But I'll leave the decision up to Kaoru when she wakes."

"Very well."

Kaoru sat there for a while trying to figure out what she wanted to do. She did not want to have to deal with this right now, but she did not want those men to walk free either. She searched deep inside of her for the strength to confront her horror, and found it. Putting her fears aside she slowly and gingerly got up, being careful of both her head and her ankle and limped into the other room.

Megumi and Saitoh looked up in unison.

"Kaoru-chan, you should be in bed!"

Kaoru shook her head sadly. "Gomen, Megumi, but I'd like to finish up some business I believe I have with Saitoh-san first."

Megumi bowed her head. "As you wish. But you'll sit down and do it, and drink some medicinal tea."

"Hai."

Kaoru gingerly sat down, and was mildly surprised when she felt Saitoh gently helping her down. Megumi went into the kitchen and returned with a foul smelling tea, but Kaoru dutifully drunk ever last drop.

"Kaoru, I need to know in your own words what happened." He spoke softly, which amazed Kaoru yet again.

Kaoru stared down into her empty tea cup, Megumi got up and put a hand briefly on her shoulder and went into the other room.

"If you need me, I'll be cleaning up in the kitchen."

"Arigato, Megumi."

Kaoru sighed, looking back down in her cup, remaining silent for the longest time. Saitoh merely sat across from her waiting for her to begin when she was ready.

"I was walking home with the groceries...." she began softly.

Finally she finished her tale and Saitoh finished his tea.

"Arigato Kaoru. I will have your words written out and I'll come by for you to sign it and verify that it is true. I also need permission for Megumi to release to me a report on how bad physically you were hurt."

Saitoh coughed a bit uneasily.

"I'll do whatever it takes to ensure that those men get punished to the full extent of the law."

Saitoh nodded grimly.

"I'll see to that Kaoru. I'll go attend to it."

Saitoh got up to leave and as he walked out, Kaoru called softly after him.

"Domo arigato gozaimasu (thank you very much), Saitoh-san."

Saitoh nodded his head as he headed out into the twilight back to the police station.

As Saitoh walked out of the dojo he passed a small kid running in.

"Hellwo????"

"Yes? Come in please?"

A very shy and scared little kid came running in.

"I'm looking for Doctor Megumi... Haha ue (mother) is so sick! Something wrong with her belly."

Megumi walked in.

"Keiji-kun? Does your mother need me?"

Keiji nodded his head frantically.

"OK let's go." said Megumi as she grabbed her stuff, but she paused at the door. "Kaoru-chan?"

Kaoru smiled sadly. "Go Megumi, I'll be fine."

Megumi nodded curtly as she ran off after the little kid.

Kaoru sighed and gingerly got up limping and carrying in both her and Saitoh's cups into the kitchen. She put weight down on her foot wrong and fell to the floor, the cups breaking into pieces.

Kenshin, Sanosuke and Yahiko were walking up the path and heard the noise. The three turn to look at one another and Sano supplied a "kore wa nan da yo?!" (what the hell is that?!) The three of them ran up the dojo steps and followed the sounds into the kitchen, where they found Kaoru on her knees with fragments of the broken cups around her.

"Kaoru-dono, daijobu de gozaru yo?" (are you okay) spoke Kenshin with worry.

"I'll be fine Kenshin."

Sanosuke walked around her to help pick up the broken pieces and looked up at her.

"Kuso!! (Shit!!) What the hell happened to you *Ojouchan?"

*Author's Note: (Ojouchan: Sanosuke loves to call Kaoru this, which roughly translates out to "Little Missy". ^_^x )*

Kaoru looked up into his face, then looked down. Kenshin and Yahiko in concern moved around and saw what Sano was so upset about, and their faces were that of horror, rage, and fear. Kenshin reached out and gently lifted her head with his finger back up so that she was looking into his eyes.

"Kaoru-dono, what happened?"

Kenshin said it with such softness mixed with worry, and yet Kaoru saw the gleam of the hitokiri (killer) battousai in his eyes. That gleam made her stomach churn cold, and feeling his finger on her face and the softness in his voice just made her want to surrender to her impulse and need to cry in his arms. But she did not. She was so afraid that if she did that would make the hitokiri come out more.

"It's nothing. It has already been taken care of," Kaoru said it softly her voice thick with emotion.

Kenshin's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Sanosuke and Yahiko exchanged worried glances.

"Kaoru-dono, please tell us what happened."

Kaoru lowered her head back down, and sighed wearily.

"I was coming back home from buying the groceries, when I came across some of the police bullying on some kids and a cat. I got involved, we fought... Saitoh-san came along arrested them and threw them in jail."

Kaoru raised her head back up, Kenshin and Sanosuke both narrowed their eyes at her obvious pause in the story.

"Yahiko-kun, please go get some water so we can clean up the mess in the kitchen" asked Kenshin.

"Geesh... alright I'll go get it," said Yahiko as he walked out of the room scuffling his feet on the floor.

As soon as Yahiko was out of ear shot, Kenshin began his questioning again.

"There is more to this than you have said."

Kaoru sighed sadly, hanging her head in shame as she nodded her head softly.

"Hai, there is more... when they attacked me... I was so outnumbered and without a weapon..." she stopped. Choking back on sobs and took a few deep breaths calming herself down. "They... they tried to be...." Kaoru struggled visibly with the words..." tried to be physically intimate with me. That was when Saitoh-san came in and took care of them."

Kaoru hanged her head even more, soft tears falling down her face in the darkened kitchen. Sanosuke could be heard cursing softly under his breath. Kenshin was deathly quiet, he reached out with his fingers and deftly wiped away the tears from her eyes. Then gotup and walked out of the kitchen heading out for the police station.

Kaoru looked up as she heard him leave, her expression changing from one of sadness to one of shock and fear.

"Ken...shin?"

Kenshin did not even pause, or turned around, he just kept walking out of the dojo into town.

Kaoru got up shakily to her feet, biting her lip in pain at her throbbing ankle, and started out after him.

"Sanosuke! Stop standing there! We've got to stop him!"

Yahiko came back in the room with a bucket ladened with water.

"Oi, where's Kenshin going?"

"He's going to the police station!" said Kaoru, "We've got to stop him!"

"Eh?"

Yahiko dropped the bucket of water in surprise and shock. The water slopped messily all over the floor, but was unnoticed as Sanosuke ran out after Kenshin, Kaoru limped out. Yahiko stood there in shock, and then started running after everyone else.

"Hey wait up! What happened???," Yahiko yelled out as he ran to catch up with everyone.

As Yahiko was about to run a-breast of Kaoru, he was amazed as he watched Kaoru (who's never been on a horse before that he knows of) hop into a vacant saddle and started off toward the police station. Sanosuke was completely out of sight.

"Che! (damn). They left without me!"

Yahiko redoubled his efforts and ran flat our for the police station.

* * * * * * *

A sea of officers parted for Saitoh Hajime. He reached the front and stared down into the eyes of Himura Kenshin, who resembled the Hitokiri Battousai of old. Saitoh took a long draw on his cigarette.

"Battousai." Saitoh eyed Kenshin. "You have no business here. Leave."

Kenshin's eyes narrowed into thin slits, the purple irises practically glowing in an amber rage. His right hand held onto the sheath of his sakabatou blade, his thumb ready to flick the blade from the sheath. He took up a guard stance.

"Saitoh, get out of my way," his voice grated with feral rage.

Saitoh took another long drag on his cigarette, blowing the smoke out slowly.

"I can't allow you to force your way into a government building and raise hell."

"So be it."

Kenshin, with his left hand, held his sakabatou to the side of his hip and parallel to the ground. His right hand hung loosely above the pommel as he edged his right foot forward and turned his back away from Saitoh.

Saitoh took one last drag from his cigarette and flicked it in a high arc over the gathering crowd to burn itself out in some darkened corner of the street. Saitoh unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Kenshin as he slid deeply into the Gatotsu stance.

The two stared each other down, waiting, analyzing, watching both eyes and the body waiting for a tell-tale tensioning, a further narrowing of the eyes, as a warning of a movement to come.

In a simultaneous blur, both Saitoh and Kenshin lashed out; the movement of their swords were so fast that only the sounds of the two swords connecting could be heard.

They broke apart. Kenshin analyzing his foe of old for any weaknesses, any signs of sloppiness. Their narrowed eyes took the measure of one another, and they both came to the conclusion that they were as equally matched as ever.

The *Wolf's eyes glowed with an old fierce light, the power of wind and rain, storm and moonglow held mirrored within those dark irises, within the depthless dark pupils that glared intently into a separate but similar set of glowing amber eyes.

*Author's note: (Saitoh Hajime was a member of the Mibu Wolves. The Mibu Wolves was the nickname of the Shinsengumi. When the Shinsengumi was first formed, they were stationed in the village of Mibu, hence the name.)

The wolf stared into the eyes of the prowling crimson-maned lion. The two predators circled one another, their feet padded softly on the crisp dying grass. The lion's eyes glowed from the darkness borne from unknown origins, a darkness full of thunder and lightning, hurricane and spring. The mystery and raw power held in check like nature's balancing of the changing seasons.

The calm, the eye of the hurricane broke into the torrential flood of rains as Kenshin leapt, a blur of sight, coming down on Saitoh with blade in hand, like a flash of brutal lightning.

Saitoh raised his sword, blasting the lightning strike and holding it dead in its tracks. Sparks flew and thunder rumbled from the two silvered-edged beams, as the two combatants held each other to a standstill. A rush of wind passed through, and the lightning strike subsided showing two men glaring at one another again. The sparks of the raging lightning still illuminated their narrowed primal eyes.

A rhythmic pounding of hearts and hooves was heard both near and far as the cry of a horse pierces the sky as it is brought abruptly to a stop. Murmurs rippled through the gathering crowd like a spreading wave on the surface of a disturbed pond.

Kaoru in her haste, dismounted by sliding and hopping off the horse, landing on her feet which gave way. Falling to her knees, she stifled a sob of pain, and stood erect. Biting her lip, Kaoru began pushing her way through the crowd to the center, where she heard a return of the lightning clashing against this earthly storm.

Wading through the crowd she reached the shore, and looked desperately at the combatants.

No... I'm too late.... how can I stop them?

Kaoru wracked her dizzy head trying to think of something. The last time these two had fought she had been unable to stop them, and only Toshimichi Okubo* had been able to stop them.

*Author’s Note:(Toshimichi Okubo, in real life, was the most powerful man (politically, that is) in Japan during the Meiji Era where Kenshin and the rest supposedly existed. In the RK story, he was also the man who asked Kenshin to assassinate Shishio Makoto but was in turn assassinated by Seta Soujirou.)

Trusting in her faith of both of these men, she did the only thing she could think of to stop them. Just as she sensed the subtle change indicating another engagement between them she rushed out and stood between them. Her head bowed not looking at either one of them, her hands held at her sides in the most meek and submissive pose she could manage.

I'm not a threat. I'm unarmed. Please.... please let this work.She cried out to a fate that could be merciful or merciless, all depending on fate's whimsy.

She felt a displacement of air, and flinched internally, feeling wisps of her hair tug to the side. Then stillness.

"Get out of here, this isn't a place for little girls to be traipsing along!" Saitoh said gruffly.

Kaoru with her head still bowed, shakes her head slowly but sadly. "I can't do that. Not when this fight serves no purpose, not when this is because of me!"

Kenshin moved toward her and walked past her, then in a rush charged at Saitoh again.

"Kenshin! NO!!!!"

Kaoru was grabbed and pulled back from off the battleground by strong hands.

"What do you think you're doing Ojouchan?"

"Sano, I just can't stand by and do nothing! Please, let me go."

"Gomensai (sorry). I can't do that. You'd just end up getting yourself hurt or killed. Stop being so selfish."

Kaoru's eyes began to tear up at those harsh words from him and in frustration. And spoke with a voice thick with raw emotion, "Forgive me Sano..."

As she kneed below the belt and got free again, Kaoru stepped over the prone Sano while trying to impede the fight going on before her.

But before she could do more than limp a couple of steps, she felt arms wrap around her legs and pull her back.

"Stop being so stupid you old hag!"

"Yahiko! Shimeteyaru!" (I'm gonna beat the living crap out of you!)

Yahiko, for Kaoru's own good, kicked at her feet, catching her as best as he could when she fell. Sano was there helping Yahiko, and quickly untied his headband and bound her feet together.

"Stop this. It's not any use!" Sano said in a slightly high-pitched voice.

Kaoru still tried to struggle, but Sano held her down by placing his hands on her shoulders. Sano leaned over her some and whispered in her ear, "You getting in the middle of them didn't do any good, give it up. This is beyond us."

Kaoru stopped fighting him, and looked up at Sano who was gazing intently at the fight. With a heavy sigh, she stopped struggling, then watched the fight unfold, terror rampant in her heart and mind.

Kenshin dashed at Saitoh as his sakabatou leapt out of his scabbard in an arc of silvery light. Saitoh parried Kenshin with a flick of his blade and sidestepped to the left as he toe-kicked Kenshin in the small of his back with his boots.

Unfazed by pain that would make a normal man submit, Kenshin woozily stepped to his feet only to see the glimmering point of Saitoh's Gatotsu. He held out his sakabatou in desperation, and he just barely managed to prevent himself from being skewered onto Saitoh's sword.

Meanwhile, lightning erupted from the sky as the two titans wage war in a gamble of skill and chance; the stakes: their pride and their lives. In the background some of the government officials were waging their own war... a gamble on the outcome, Kenshin or Saitoh. Money was exchanged amid sordid laughter.

Yahiko heard the laughter and turned, wondering what sort of idiot would laugh at a time like this. Yahiko saw the exchange of the money, furious he tugged at Sano and pointed them out.

The men were tapped on their shoulders. They turned around, and one of them was impertinent enough to ask "How much and on who?" and his answer was a face-caving punch that knocked him out. His companion fell less than a second later with the sound of shattering wood.

Sano walked away smirking, pocketing the money in his pocket. Yahiko trailed Sano, muttering about his shattered bokken.

Kaoru sat there watching in horror, tears fell shamelessly from her eyes, her body numb, her mind far from it. She was analyzing ever move, ever tactic, and searching desperately for a way to stop the fight.

From the vaguest, most ethereal recesses of her mind a thought came, and formulated.

He's doing this because of me. What if...

Before the thought could even be finished Kaoru cried out with body, heart, mind, and soul.

"KENSHIN!!!"

Delving deep inside of herself, recalling the attack from earlier in the day, she brought all of it back to mind, and called out for help with the voice she could not use earlier.

"HELP!!!"

In a flash, the Hitokiri Battousai of old turned toward Kaoru looking for a foe, seeing none, he stopped dead in his tracks, trying to fathom who the enemy was.

The shimmer of tears in Kaoru's eyes as she gazed at Kenshin, her mouth moved with unvoiced words. The tempest abates, a calm wind breaking through the brooding amber eyes of Kenshin, leaving behind a violet haze.

"K-Kaoru?" whispered Kenshin, his mind still in a haze.

Kaoru half sobbed in relief, then to her horror saw something from the corner of her eye "Kensh-"

Kenshin half turned, seeing the sword coming down for him, not having time to react.

The sword screeched to a halt through the air, and flinged off several drops of sweat from Kenshin's neck.

Kaoru sighed in immense relief. Sano and Yahiko looked at one another smiling.

A smirk appeared from the face of the wolf.

"Battousai, there's no challenge when you don't fight back. Go take the little girl home, as well as the brat and the spiked-headed fool."

"What the hell did you just say?" Sanosuke blurted out.

Saitoh turned around grinning while he re-sheathed his sword. He then lit a match and a cigarette, as he walked back into the building.

Sano frowned. "What an asshole," he muttered.

The crowd mulled, staring at the odd little group.

"Hey what the hell are you staring at! Go home!" Sano yelled, and the crowds knowing his reputation decided it would be in their best interest to leave.

Kaoru tried to get up, but fell to her knees, forgetting about Sano tying her legs together. Kenshin was at her side in an instant.

"You shouldn't be straining your foot like that."

He gently untied her bindings and returned the offending article to Sano.

"Let's go home."

"Hai," Kaoru whispered it, yearning for home and the safety there.

Before Kaoru realized what was happening she felt herself lifted off of the ground.

"What do you think you are doing?!"

Kenshin merely smiled down at her in his arms.

"You're in no condition to walk, and you have to get back to the dojo somehow."

"But I came here on a horse..."

"Oro? There aren't any horses around."

"Nani?"

Kaoru heard the soft padding of hooves and her eyes followed the sound to see Sano and Yahiko sneaking off with the horse.

"HEY! Come back here Sano! Yahiko!"

The two looked at one another, bolted onto the horse's back and galloped down the road into the sunset.

"I'm going to kill them."

Kenshin looked down at her, and smiled.

Don't you know why they did that?

"Kenshin, please put me down. I don't want you having to carry me."

Kenshin looked down at her, his face unreadable.

"No. I'm not about to let you walk home, not like that. Especially when if it wasn't for me you wouldn't need a way home."

Kaoru looked intently in his eyes and sighs. Her eyes closed tightly, and she whispered "why?"

Why do you go that far for me? Why did you even have to come here in the first place? Why do you now have to carry me? Why is it I never know your heart, whether it's in regards to me or others? Why? Why do you hold back so?

The approaching night hid his face in shadows.

"Because, I wasn't there to protect you when you needed me earlier. All I am now is a man sworn to protect my friends, what am I if I can't do that?"

"Kenshin, you can't be everywhere with us, and I can usually take care of myself. Please, don't go that far for me. I don't need the hitokiri as my friend, I need Himura Kenshin as my friend."

Silence fell between them like a shroud. Kaoru leaned against Kenshin, both for comfort as well as for the more practical reason of moving the center of gravity closer into Kenshin, to make it a bit easier for him to carry her. She closed her eyes allowing her raw nerves relax a bit in the warmth of Kenshin's arms.

Twilight fell upon the land like a comforting blanket. Kenshin walked toward home, the sleeping Kaoru held gently in his arms.

* * * * *

Days had passed since the events of that day. Kaoru had woken up in her own room very confused, but very glad to be home. Yahiko had been a bit more considerate than usual, and teased her a bit less the first couple of days. But as she healed and time lapsed, things slowly but surely returned to normal.

Kenshin had left for town with Dr. Ginzai’s granddaughters to buy the groceries. Yahiko and Sanosuke had left to go fishing. Megumi and the Doctor were tending the clinic and their patients. Kaoru was the only one left behind at the dojo, mainly because she felt too self-conscious of her bruised and battered face to leave the safety of the dojo. So she put her self-inflicted confinement to good use and began cleaning the dojo with a vengeance.

After she finished sorting out the various old piles of knick-knacks in the dojo, she decided she had earned herself a break and went to go brew up a pot of tea. As the tea was brewing she went out to the well, took off the scarf of fabric that held up her raven-black hair and shook her hair down to flow in a darken visage of a waterfall. She proceeded to wash her face and hands, being very ginger with her puffy and all too sore face. She had just sat down to enjoy a cup of tea, when she heard someone approaching.

Momentarily, stricken with fear and panic, she swallowed the fear down and reinstated her practical mind over the fresh fear filled memories racing through her head.

"Gomen kudasai," spoke a voice from the front courtyard.

"Saitoh..."

"Kamiya-san," Saitoh spoke formally and with a slight inclination of his head.

Why is he being so polite, it's not like him. Why do I have a bad feeling about this . . .

"Youkoso (welcome)," said Kaoru with a feigned smile. "Would you care for some tea, Saitoh-san?"

"Hai, that would be nice."

Kaoru, poured him a cup of tea, and handed it to him. "So, what do I owe the honor of this visit?"

"Itadakimasu." Saitoh accepted the tea nonchalantly, and sipped at it seriously.

"Kamiya-san, it seems those men who attacked you have escaped. I have reason to believe that they will come here and try to kill you, since yours is the testimony that damns them."

Kaoru closed her eyes visibly moved by the cruel blow, and for long moments was silent, took a deep breath, and opened her eyes with a strong defiant look in her eyes.

"Arigato (thank you) for the warning. Now, might I inquire as to how they managed to escape and how you intend to deal with them?"

"I am still investigating the matter, but I know that they had some sort of help, whether it was outside or internal remains to be seen. And as to my intentions, I plan to lay in wait for them here, yet still send a couple of men to try to track them down. I would like to place guards at the dojo."

"I don't want guards in the dojo, this is a place of learning, not a guarded prison. But I will tolerate them outside of the dojo. I will only accept those men that you will verify and vouch for as being uncorruptable. In case it was an inside job, I don't want one of those men in my so called guard."

"I understand, and I find it acceptable. Thank you for the tea, I must go initiate my plans. Ja, mata ato de. (Until next time.)"

Saitoh nodded his head, and reached into his jacket for his cigarettes, selected one and lit it, beginning to leave a fading trail of smoke as he left.

Kaoru sighed heavily as he left. When will this ordeal ever be over? She held the cup of tea in her hand, and sat there for a while lost in her own thoughts, not until she heard the laughter of her sisters and Kenshin's soft voice coming near did she finally snap out of it, and began to pick up the tea, to brew a new, fresh, hot pot.

Kenshin's eyes narrowed as he saw several officers around the dojo. What's going on?

"Why don't you two go play. I've got to go cook dinner."

"HAI! Ken-ni-chan!" and with that the two little girls* left in a blur of giggles and bouncing hair.

*Author's note: (These little girls are Doctor Ginzai’s grandchildren. The Doctor has been looking after Kaoru since her parents death. She watches the girls during the day when the Docotor is working int he clinic. I don’t know if their aprents are still alive or dead. But they consider kaoru and kenshin as their older siblings.)

Kenshin walked into the kitchen, where Kaoru was brewing up a fresh pot of tea.

"Kenshin, I see you got the groceries, would you mind cooking tonight? I'll help cut up the vegetables though."

"Hai. I wouldn't mind the help. Kaoru, why were there police outside?"

The light faded in Kaoru's eyes, her shoulders hunched over ever so slightly, and she sighed.

"Saitoh came by, seems those men who attacked me have escaped and he beleives that they'll come after me. The men outside are here to protect me."

A feral gleam burned in Kenshin's narrowed eyes, the violet hue colored with a amber haze. He allowed the matter to drop and proceeded to quietly cook dinner.

"I'll tell Yahiko and Sano if you prefer."

"That's alright Kenshin. I'll tell them myself. Don't worry about me, I'm tougher than I look."

Kenshin just stood in silence, worry engraving itself deep in his heart.

* * * * *

Kaoru stood in the dojo, sweat pouring down her still bruised face, as she practiced her forms, again getting use to their movements after having to avoid such work while her injuries had healed.

The limp was gone, as was her headaches and the swollen bump on her head. The bruises along her face and neck were still visible, but barely so. They had diminished to just a hint of yellow-green on her porcelain-like skin.

Kenshin sat outside on the dojo steps, waiting with some fresh tea for Kaoru while she finished up. In the days since he had come home that one night with police outside the dojo, someone had always been with Kaoru. Either Sano and Yahiko, or Kenshin had made sure to stay behind. Today, Kenshin had willingly stayed behind, somehow he could not help himself, he was always shadowing Kaoru. He was reluctant to leave the dojo these days, and would only do so for very brief periods of time. Sano had noted it, but kept his mouth shut, and helped out where he could. Sometimes Sano would be the one to bring home the groceries freeing up Kenshin to stay at the dojo.

Why is it the ones I care for are always in danger?

Kenshin sat looking down the dojo path, brooding, only Kaoru's hand on his shoulder woke him from his dark thoughts.

"Kenshin! Are you alright?"

"Hai, I was just thinking."

Kaoru would have asked about what, but somehow she saw the look in his eyes and though it better to let sleeping dogs lie.

Kenshin, poured Kaoru some tea and handed it to her, then poured himself a cup as well.

"Arigato, Kenshin," Kaoru said with a tender, sad smile on her face.

"Doo itashimashimate, " Kenshin replied smiling softly. "So how was practice?"

"Well, it was okay, but I'm definitely looking forward to a hot bath! I am going to be so sore after not working these muscles for so long, and the injured ones are still on the stiff side."

"Well, I already drew some water, and I have the fire going to heat it up for you."

"Arigato Kenshin, I appreciate your thoughtfulness"

Kaoru looked at him with soft wordless eyes. She always felt so special the way he just did things for her without asking. She loved him for that, but she saw no real hope that he loved her as anything more than a friend or as a sort of adopted sister. Yet, there were times that he just acted in a way that gave her hope that despite it all he really did have some affection for Kaoru the woman.

She was not for sure, she might just be imagining things, but she swore that Kenshin had been shadowing her of late. Not like she left the dojo, in a way she was almost too scared to do so, and a bit ashamed too. But everytime she turned around of late, there was Kenshin hanging back in the corner of her eye.

Kenshin looked up at her and smiled, taking a sip from his tea. For a while the two just sat there in silence drinking their tea, despite the chilled bite of the wind. Kaoru finished her tea, and put it down then leaned up against the wall, closing her eyes and sighing heavily.

"Kaoru?"

She just sat there a while, eyes closed, a few minutes passed and the only real sound heard was the wind howling softly. "I hate this. I don't know how much of this I can stand. I feel like a caged animal in my own home. This constant sense of dread. I just wish this whole thing was over already. I want to get on with my life, but I can't."

Kenshin looked out the door of the dojo.

"I think you only feel caged because you do not go out. If you'd like I'd accompany you somewhere?"

Kaoru eyes lit up but the light was diminished, snuffed out by a wind of her own creation.

"I think I'll just go take that bath. Practice wore me out. Perhaps another time."

Kaoru realized how weak of an excuse that was, but she did not feel like going anywhere. It was as if the whole ordeal had drained Kaoru of her energy and the enjoyment she found in life. She did not see the point in leaving the dojo if she would not enjoy it, and she knew shewould not. Not at this point.

"Okay, I'll go see if the water is ready for you. And I'll take care of the tea too."

Kenshin got up, and left. Kaoru stared at his retreating back, with so many things on her mind, so many things in her heart. She finally closed her eyes again and sighed, feeling the coolness of the breath of the coming winter on her skin.

Deep within Kaoru stirred a sense of unease, she tried to focus on it, but it eluded her, and then she heard the battle screams.

She jumped to her feet, reaching for her sword in an automatic reflex, and began heading toward the sounds outside of the dojo. She was halfway down the path before someone pulled her hair from behind. She whirled around to strike at her opponent, and only stayed her attack when she say the unruly mane of crimson hair and the familiar x-shaped scar.

"KENSHIN! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Gomen, but you don't know what's out there."

Kaoru bowed her head for a brief second.

"True enough, but I just can't stand by when I hear others in trouble. Gomen, Kenshin, but I HAVE to do this."

Kaoru turned back around and began running toward the ruckus. When all of a sudden the door came crashing in, broken off of its hinges, shrapnel from the splinters flying through the air.

Kaoru threw her arms in front of her face shielding her face from the flying debris, a few splinters caught in her clothes and rent minute tears in them, but she was unharmed. As she drew her arms back down, she saw standing in the doorway the face of one of her attackers.

"Well bitch, I see you're ready to greet me. I'm going to pay you back for spoiling my plans!"

Kaoru merely narrowed her eyes and went into a guard position.She sensed Kenshin beginning to move up behind her. She heard him clear his throat, and before he could ask to fight for her, she cut him off at the pass.

"Kenshin, watch my back please, there are two others out there somewhere. But don't get involved. This is my fight. I NEED to deal with this.

Kenshin nodded his head in acknowledgment his heart pounding with worry, but he stepped back, and Kaoru stepped forward.

"Aw, how sweet, the little bitch think she's going to do something"

Kaoru did not utter a word, she merely narrowed her eyes, and shifted into a guard position, waiting for him to make the first move.

*Like a tiger pouncing on its prey he leapt forward, getting ready to take this pesky field mouse into his mangling paws, but like a graceful crane she sidestepped the attack, and with a swooping gesture brought her sword down.

This surprised tiger was not amused, and still had the agility of a cat, and managed to not only block the swordstroke but managed to attack with a knife pulled from his belt.

---

*(Author's Note: The Tiger and Crane Imagery is supposed to be an allusion to the origins of the art of Kung Fu. A Shaulin Monk saw a Crane defend its’ young (or was it nest?) from a Tiger, and from this fight got the ideas for the most basic rudiments of Kung FU)

---

Kaoru saw the glint of the blade, unable to block it, she jumped back out of the way. The first clash of yin and yang done.

The predator narrowed his eyes, appreciating that this would be no easy kill, and was simply enthralled by that fact. Kaoru stood, her face an unbreakable mask. The world narrowed down, her battle senses were at full intesity: watching, waiting, analyzing.

Realizing that sometimes the best defensive is a good offensive, Kaoru attacked suddenly. Utilizing the element of surprise, she managed to close the distance between them before he had enough time to go into a true defensive stance. Her sword snaked out and disarmed him, his sword falling on the ground a couple of feet in front of Kenshin. Kenshin felt a huge weight lifted from his shoulders, yet some weight still remains: the weight of worry.

"Give it up," Kaoru saai in an expressionless voice.

"You can't be serious! I'm not over yet you bitch!"

He lunged at her with a rabid ferocity, using the knife from earlier as a new weapon. Taken off guard, Kaoru parried the knife and knocked it out of his hands. She then kicked the knife behind her in the direction of Kenshin.

"Give it up."

This time Kaoru said it as a command, the cold edge of anger icily freezing a path along the wintry tones of her voice. He looked up, hatred engraved in a snarl on his face, and used his finally trick.

Kenshin saw the glint of metal in the light, his stomach suddenly in his throat.

"KA-"

Kaoru felt a chill, and insitinctively dodged to the side, hearing the dull thwack of a knife slapping against the ground.

Kaoru's eyes narrowed, and she walked boldly toward the creature prone on the ground.

"I have had enough of you!"

She thwacked him satisfactorily across the head, knocking him unconscious.

Kenshin heard Kaoru sigh, and began to walk toward her, but her voice stilled him.

"Kenshin, would you get some rope for this one," she said with a nod of her head at the man at her feet.

"Hai."

Kenshin ran back into the dojo for some rope, Kaoru backed away keeping an ever-wary eye on the foe at her feet, somehow keeping her emotions in check.

She sensed rather than saw or heard their approach. She allowed them to think that they were sneaking up on her. When they were only a scant fifteen feet away shespoke up.

"Give it up. Or you'll end up as bad or worse than your companion."

The two men stopped dead in their tracks startled, and shared a brief glance.

"And just what are you going to do about it?" yelled one as they both sprang to attack her.

Kenshin ran up, his instincts going haywire, rope and sword in hand, only to see the two men attacking Kaoru. Torn between whether he should help her or not, he stood, the rope dropping from his fingers to lay on the cold ground, his sakabuto held ready in his hand.

Kaoru turned aside at the last minute, blocking one sword stroke, dodging another as she kicked out with her foot, sending one of the men flying a few feet away.

"Two on one? The Odds hardly seem fair for you two."

Kaoru said without a hint of gloating or pride, instead it was heavily accented with a stealy sarcasm. She looked briefly at Kenshin and nodded at him toward the man she had sent flying

The man closest to her, pivoted and came at her with both sword and knife, one wielded in each hand. Kaoru came down hard on his knife bearing hand, knocking the knife from his painfully numb hand, and pivoted out of the way of the sword stroke. Then she turned rapidly, her pony tail flying so fast it snapped through the air, as her sword arched out toward his, and disarmed him.

Meanwhile, Kenshin waited for the other man to get to his feet, but the other man saw the x-shaped scar on his face, thought better of it, and ran.

Saitoh walked through the bashed in Dojo Door, the retreating man ran right into him, and Saitoh merely looked at him and struck his head, the man falling to the floor unconscious.

Kenshin approached with the rope, and tied up the man Kaoru fell earlier. Then walked up behind Kaoru.

Kaoru stood, her sword at the ready waiting for this idiot to try to fight. He stood where he was waiting to see if an opportunity would present itself, but never saw one, and before he knew it Kenshin was tying his hands together.

"Saitoh, I believe this refuse is yours. Please clean up your mess. And maybe do something about the gate. And try to keep your trash in its proper place this time."

Kaoru turned around sharply, and walked mechancically back into the dojo, and went quickly into her room, closing the door partially behind her.

"Hmph." Saitoh put his sword up, and reached for a cigarette.

"I'll return the rope later. And I'll see about getting the gate fixed."

"Arigato."

"By the way Battousai, I still await our rematch." And with that Saitoh turned around following behind a procession of officers carrying the other men away.

Kenshin with a sigh, turned around and went into the dojo, searching for Kaoru.

He found her in her darkened room, the door shut, but left slightly ajar.

"Kaoru-dono?"

His only answer was a whisper of a cry.

Kenshin stood there unsure if he should intrude, but the next heart-wrenching sob from Kaoru broke his heart, and he entered. He walked over to her and knelt down beside her.

"Kaoru?" He spoke so softly, his voice and eyes so full of concern.

Kaoru looked up through her visage of tears, whimpered, and fell into his understanding arms.

For the longest time he held her, his own eyes closed, hurting that he had failed to protect her, failed to prevent this suffering. Every sob was a knife into his heart. He had not heard her cry like this since the day when he left to fight Shishio. And then it was a sword strike to his heart. One he never thought would heal. Despite it all, when she came after him, he felt guilt and shame, and yet, that wound did heal.

From time to time, he would caress her hair, or gently wiped away some tears. Finally the wrenching sobs faded, and her breathing returned to normal. For a while yet he just held her, tenderely and loosely, yet firm with caring.

She finally pulled back, after an eternity of pain ended to soon. Kenshin with reluctance let her go.

"Gomensai. I've made your shirt all soggy."

Kenshin just smiled gently at her.

"Don't, worry it will dry, " he said with wry humor and raised both hands to her face, his thumbs deftly wiping the tears away.

Kaoru looked up, then looked down at her hands.

"Arigato Kenshin. I guess I've been needed to let that all out for a long time. Thank you, for not interferring and trusting me back there. It meant alot to me. I had to deal with them. I had to or I could never face myself again."

Kenshin nodded.

“Why don’t you go take a bath get cleaned up, I’ll go cook dinner. okay?”

Kaoru nodded and gathered her things and went for that very nice sounding bath.

Kenshin with soft eyes watched Kaoru leave for her bath then quietly went into the kitchen.

“ORO?”

The mess before Kenshin’s eyes was unbelievable. He had totally forgotten that he had started dinner earlier. The dinner was one congealed burnt mess.

* * * * *

Kaoru walked into the kitchen towel-drying her hair, her nose wrinkling at the fumes that assaulted her nose.

“Kenshin? What happened?”

Kenshin was elbow deep scrubbing away at the encrusted food on the pots and pans.

“I had forgotten that I had started dinner before the fight. It’s not salvageable... I tried.”

Kaoru sighed. “Well there’s just no helping it I guess. Hey move over and I’ll help.”

Kenshin obliged and scotted over, kaoru took her place beside him after securing her sleeves back. they worked like that for quite some time. The food was thoroughly burnt on.

Kaoru and Kenshin reached for the last pot at the same time, their hands touching. Their hands lingered there and they both looked up and smiled into each others eyes. Kenshin was the one to break the silence.

“Why don’t you start drying the rest of the dishes I’ll finish up on this one and help.”

Kaoru smiled softly and started toweling the pots dry.Eventaully ever last dish was clean and dry, but the problem of what was for dinner was still unresolved.

"Kaoru, you've been cooped up here for so long. Would you like to go out to eat tonite?"

"HAI!"

Kaoru grabbed a cloak, and brought Kenshin his blue scarf. The two of them walked into town for dinner. The world returning to its’ familiar orbits. The star-crossed lovers still circling one another with a gulf between them, but the gravity though caused that gulf to decrease ever so slightly.

---

*(Author's Note: IT'S DONE! MWAHAHAHAHAHHA! (Well unless I missed some spelling mistakes or typos) Please I love criticism, so let me know what you think!)

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