It Took You Long Enough

When Saganno came back from his trip, everyone was badgering him to tell them where he went, especially Kiriko. Every time she got a chance she would ask him. Saganno decided before he got back to Tokyo that he would never tell her where he went. He didn't have the heart to tell her that Shio was never coming back to her. He would just try to change the subject but Kiriko was stubborn.

"So are you going to tell me?" She asked with him in a headlock.

"No!" He laughed, "Now let go!"

"Not until you tell me!"

"If you don't let go, I'm going to start tickling you."

Kiriko held on tight, "You know I'm not tickliiiissss HAHAHAHA" He tickled her enough just for her to loosen her grip then he slipped away and started to run back towards his house. She ran after him. She would have caught him if it weren't for her mother calling them.

"KIRIKO!!! SAGANNO!!"

They walked over to Kaoru. "Please take these two bags of clothes to Miss Yoko's house. Here's the directions." Before they could say anything, Kaoru was back helping Kenshin with the rest of the work.

While they walked, Kiriko kept on with the questions. Saganno got to the point where he just started laughing at her.

"What's so funny?!"

"You." He laughed.

"All I wanted to know is where you went?!"

"I'm not telling you." He chuckled. He could see she was getting frustrated. She looks so cute when she was angry, he thought and smiled.

"Saganno, I'm your best friend, right?"

He sighed, now she's going to put the guilt trip on me. "You already know the answer to that question."

She stopped walking. "Then why won't you tell me?" She said softly.

Saganno sighed again and put his arm around her shoulders. "With all honesty, I will probably never tell you where I went. Sometimes, even best friends keep some secrets to themselves. I know there's probably a secret you've never told me?"

She pulled away from him, "No, I've tell you everything."

He folded his arms across his chest and raised his eyebrow, "Oh really?"

"Yes."

Saganno grinned, "Let me think…Oh yeah! You know…I never heard the story of how you really met Shio."

Kiriko opened her mouth but closed it fast and started to blush. "Okay I get your point……I won't bring it up anymore." She walked away from him quickly.

Saganno laughed and hurried to catch up with her.

The next day they had a big surprise birthday party for Saganno. Even though he didn't want a party, he knew his parents were going to do something. The party was great. He had a chance to see his sister and Kenji since they move away after they got married. Aoshi and his family came to the party. Sano and Yahiko got drunk and danced all around the room. Saganno was so embarrassed. That was the main reason why he didn't want a party but he figured since it was all family it was okay. Until, Kiriko tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey Saganno, I have a big surprise for you." Kiriko said mischievously.

He looked at her suspiciously, "What is it?"

"Oh…just someone who came a long way to be here for your birthday." She stepped out of the way so he could see the person that just came into the room. Saganno flushed when Ayana came in. She looked even more beautiful then the first time he saw her. Her gorgeous golden hair was pulled up into a bun. She had green and gold kimono that complimented her jade eyes. She smiled brightly at him. Saganno walked over to welcome her but before he could say anything his father grabbed her hand and started dancing.

Saganno was horrified. "DAAAAAAD!!!!!"

Ayana was taking by surprise but laughed and danced with him. Sano stopped dancing, "OH be quiet Sagaaanno," he slurred, "I want her teaachhh me these new dance ssstepss you kidddds do today." Saganno whole face turned red but he calmed down when his mother came and got him.

"Come on, you idiot. Leave her alone and go have something to drink." She dragged him away.

"I'm so sorry about that." Saganno's face was still flushed.

Ayana giggled, "Its okay. Your father's really funny."

"You have no idea." He managed a smile when he saw Kiriko and the twins dancing with his father. They'll keep him busy, he thought with relief. "It's really good to see you again."

Her eyes sparkled with glee, "It's good to see you too." She spoke in her normal soft voice.

He smiled, "You look beautiful."

She blushed, "Thank you." She looked down at her hands and started to fidget.

"Why don't you two go outside?" They both jumped with surprise when Kiriko spoke up from behind him. "It's a beautiful night and besides I doubt anyone will miss you, Saganno." She pointed to everyone talking, laughing, dancing, singing, and eating.

"That sounds like a good idea. Thanks, Kiriko." He opened the door for Ayana and they stepped out.

Kiriko smiled.

Over the next couple of days, Saganno helped Ayana with her things for her new apartment not to far from where he lived. They were practically inseparable. Kiriko was happy for them but jealously crept its way into her heart. Not because Saganno was spending some much time with Ayana but because they had each other and she had no one. To keep her mind busy, she helped her father and mother more. Kiriko made deliveries for the customers who couldn't pick up their clothes.

"Miss Kiriko, could you please take these things to Mr. Otoshima's house."

"Sure daddy." Kiriko hitched up the bags to her back and headed out the door.

Meanwhile, just a couple of miles away from the Himura residence, Shio was just entering the market place. Since he wasn't to far from his destination, he decided to stop at a bathhouse. He wanted to make a good second impression since he totally screwed up the first one. After that, he went to pick up some flowers for Mrs. Himura. Finally he got to the front gate of the Himuras. When he went to enter his feet froze. Shio's whole body felt like a block of ice. All of a sudden, he couldn't move at all. He couldn't go forward or backward. What the hell am I doing here!!! His mind screamed at him. I shouldn't be here…I practically killed their daughter and I come with flowers. YOU'RE SUCH AN IDIOT, SHIO!!! He started to panic. Sweat beads formed on his forehead. He felt like he was about to pass out when…

"Excuse me. Is there something I can help you with?" A small sweet voice asked from behind him.

Magically, Shio's body relaxed. He turned towards the speaker. It was Tsubame.

"Um……yes…I-I'm here to see the Himuras. Do you know if they're in?"

"Yes, but they're in the back……Haven't I see you somewhere before?" She asked, remembering those red eyes.

Shio smiled a little, "I'm not to sure but you might have heard of me." He bowed, "I'm Shio Makoto."

Tsubame gasped.

He looked up at her guilt running through his veins. "Please. I mean the Himuras no harm." He pleaded, "I just came to-"

"It's okay. You don't have to explain yourself to me." She smiled. "Please follow me I'll show you to the back."

Saganno was in the back of the house with Kaoru and Kano. He came to pick up some items from Kaoru to go into Ayana's apartment. Kenshin came into the house to grab something to eat before he started on the next load of clothes.

Since no one was in the back yard where she thought they would be Tsubame decided to go to the house. "Please wait here, Shio." She smiled at him to help ease the obvious nervousness that was written on over his face. He smiled back.

Tsubame poked her head into the house. "Hello?!"

"Tsubame is that you?!" Kaoru called from the back room. "Come in!"

She stepped into the house but stayed near the door. Kaoru and Kano came out with some bags. "Come in, Tsubame and help me with these bags. Kano put those by the door."

Tsubame took Kaoru by the arm and spoke quietly in to her ear. "Um…Kaoru, you have a guest outside."

Kaoru looked at her strangely. "Guest?……Oh. You mean a customer."

"Not exact-" Before Tsubame could finish her sentence Kaoru was already heading outside.

"Hello! Welcome to Himura Cleaners. How can I…help..." She trailed off when she got a good look at the young man. Tsubame was standing behind her.

Shio didn't know what to say or do. He just stared at Kaoru. The sweat started to form on his forehead again.

Kano came outside to see what was going on. His eyes widened when he saw Shio standing there.

"Kaoru! Honey, what's this that you made in the pot?" Kenshin came outside. He looked at her then in the direction she was staring. "Oro?!"

Shio looked at Kenshin and for some strange reason all of the nervousness he felt lifted off his chest. The look on Kenshin face was expressionless but his eyes said something else. Is he glad to see me?

Shio swallowed hard and cleared his throat. He walked over to Kaoru. "Mrs. Himura, these are for you." He handed her the beautiful bouquet of flowers. Kaoru blushed slightly.

"Why…thank you Shio……Um…please come in."

Shio went into the house first and everyone followed in behind him. Kaoru went into the kitchen to put the flowers in a vase.

"Please have a seat." Kenshin ushered. Kaoru came back in the room.

Just when everyone was sitting down, Saganno entered the room. "Mrs. Himura, I couldn't find ...the….um…" Saganno stared at Shio in utter disbelief. First of all, he couldn't believe he was looking at the same guy he saw just two weeks ago. Second, he couldn't believe he was here in the first place. Saganno sat down with the rest forgetting all about what he had to ask Kaoru. He wanted to hear what Shio had to say.

Shio didn't count on Saganno being there but he figured that he deserved to hear what he had to say too. Shio placed Laplatina in front of him and bowed. "I came here today to bring back Kiriko's sword……I know she's probably missed it." He looked up at Kenshin.

"Thank you, Shio." Kenshin took the sword. "She had a feeling the sword was with you. I'm sure you took good care of it……um…is that it?

Shio looked at all the questioning faces. Saganno's was the hardest to look at. "Um………no." He took a deep breath. "I would also like to apologize again for all the trouble I cause your family. I am truly sorry for everything."

Kaoru smiled, "We accepted you apology two years ago."

Shio looked at her in shock, "Um…thank you……. I would also like to see Kiriko. If that is possible."

Kenshin was about to say something but Shio spoke up again, "Please let me rephrase that….it's more like I need to see her."

"Why?" Saganno blurted out. Everyone turned to look at him but he stared hard at Shio. They all knew why he needed to see Kiriko but Saganno wanted to hear him give a reason. And it better be a really good reason, he thought angrily.

Shio could see that Saganno was not going to make this easy for him. "I need to see her because I need to apologize for breaking my promise……I promised Kiriko a long time ago that I would protect her. I thought I was protecting her from a dangerous person….myself….However, a…." He looked at Saganno. "…friend……knocked some sense into me." Shio rubbed his chin. "And I've got the gap in my mouth to prove it." Everyone smiled except for Saganno. Shio continued, "He told me that I was hurting her just by not being with her…… I never thought about it that way……. So, with the help of a very persuasive fist I decided it's time to live up to my promise."

To Kenshin that reason sounded noble to him however Saganno wasn't satisfied, "Is that it?"

Shio sighed, "No…there is more…Mr. Himura, I've also come to realize that I can't live without Kiriko. My own heart aches from not being with her. I love her very much even though I am undeserving of feeling this way. No one has touched my heart the way she has and I don't think no one ever will." He looked at Saganno, "I would give my life for her without a second thought." They held each other stares for a brief moment.

Kenshin thought there was an underlined message in Shio's statement. It was obvious that Saganno and Shio met before and it was clear that there was animosity between them. Kenshin wondered if Saganno's train trip had anything to do with it.

Shio looked back at Kenshin, "I love her and I would like to spend the rest of my unworthy life with her. With your permission, of course."

"Well," Kenshin rubbed his chin, "I can not allow my daughter to be with an unworthy man."

Shio frowned deeply but he felt that Kenshin was right. "I understand and you are right, Mr. Himura. Kiriko deserves some one better." He bowed, "I'm sorry for bother-"

"However," Kenshin finish with a smile, "I can allow her to be with you. And believe you are the person that she fell in love with, Shio Makoto, not that unworthy guy."

He looked up at Kenshin with surprise. Kaoru pinch Kenshin in the arm for scaring poor Shio like that.

"Oro!" He rubbed his arm.

Kaoru spoke up, "In other words, Shio, you have our permission."

Shio smiled brightly, "Thank you."

"But Kiriko's not here. She went to drop off some clothes in town. However, if you take the road by the lake, you should run into her coming home." Kenshin informed.

They all got up. He bowed to everyone when he got to Saganno; they just looked at each other. Shio raised his hand to shake his, "Thank you……for everything."

Saganno hesitated for a moment but then took his hand and shook it firmly, "Now…I see something."

Shio nodded then said thank you once more and headed out the door.

Kiriko was just finishing up with her delivery. She didn't feel like going straight home so she decided to take a pit stop by the lake. She sat under a tree and rested in the shade. Today was the first day in a long time where she wasn't thinking about Shio however; he was aways at the back of her mind. She decided to take a quick nap before heading home.

A few minutes later, Shio came around the corner towards the lake. He saw someone sitting under the tree but paid the person no mind. However, as he came closer, the person's hair looked very familiar. Once he got to the side where the person was sitting he stopped. Kiriko, he thought. She was sleeping. To Shio's eyes, she really did look like a water spirit who had just sprung from the lake to take a nap. He just stood there staring at her angelic face. She looked so peaceful he didn't want to disturb her but just as he was thinking that her eyes started to flutter open.

Kiriko felt a presence close by. She slowly opened her eyes. At first she didn't know what she was looking at. Finally it dawned on her, she was looking at legs. Her eyes widen as they scanned up the lean body stopping at the beautiful ruby orbs that stared back at her.

"Please tell me I'm not dreaming." She whispered to the figure that looked like Shio.

He knelt down and whispered back, "You're not dreaming."

Kiriko slowly lifted her hands to his face but stopped just before she could actually touch him. She was frightened. If her hands went through him she would know it was just another one of her dreams. She started to pull her hands away. If he was a dream she wanted it to last just a bit longer, however, to her surprise he took her hands, brought them up to his lips, and kissed them gently. Kiriko gasped. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Shio?"

He wiped her tears off her face, "You're such a cry baby." He gave her the smile that would make her blush. All of a sudden, she flew into his arms causing him to fall back on the ground.

"Shio!" She cried into his chest. He held on to her tightly. He didn't realize how much he missed her until that moment. How could I have lived without you for so long, he thought. He didn't know what to say at that moment so he said nothing and just let her cry in his arms. When she was finally able to compose herself, she looked into his eyes. He just smiled at her. Suddenly Kiriko frowned then elbowed him in the stomach.

"Ooomph……What was that for?!"

"It took you long enough!!!! You jerk!!!" Kiriko sat up, turned her back to him and folded her arms across her chest pretending to pout.

Shio laughed, "I'm sorry."

"Yeah, whatever!"

He gently turned her around to face him again and looked seriously into her eyes. "I mean it. I'm sorry for everything. For hurting you. For breaking my promise to protect you. For not being there when you needed me. For being away from you for so long. I truly am sorry."

Her eyes filled up with tears again. "That doesn't matter. Just promise that you'll never leave me again."

He smiled, "That's a promise I intend on keeping until you don't want me anymore."

She smiled, "You know that will never happen." Kiriko couldn't hold back the tears any longer. They cascaded down her face as though they would never stop. He wiped them away again. She giggled, "I guess I really am a cry baby."

He nodded, "Yeah, but you're my cry baby." He smiled.

She blushed.

"I also wanted to thank you." He continued.

"Thank me?……For what?"

Shio gently pulled her back into his arms. She looked up into his eyes lovingly. "Thank you … for choosing me……I love you…Kiriko Himura." The smiled that lit up her face warmed his heart. She wrapped her arms around his neck. When their lips touched, he kissed her with so much passion that she thought her heart might burst. When he pulled away, she said the three words that would seal their love for all time….

"Call me brat."

The End