Even the Bakamatsu can have a Happy Ending

Even the Bakamatsu can have a Happy Ending

By: Shiara-dono

Standard disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Sadly.

Chapter 6

Kaoru woke abruptly the next night. She heard yelling and the sound of running feet. She sat up, her hand closing automatically around her bokken.

"Stay here, Kaoru."

Kaoru jumped. "K… Kenshin?! What's going on?"

"I don't know. Wait here please. I'll be back." He opened the shoji and was gone.

Kaoru barely had time to dress before he was back. His face was grim, and his eyes glowed dangerously. Katsura was with him. "We have to leave. Now. Bring your bokken."

"What's wrong?"

Kenshin hesitated, deciding on what to tell her. He sighed. "It's the Shinsengumi. They're waging an attack on us. They're being held back, but some of them may reach this room. Katsura-san will take you to a safe place." He walked out of the room, and she was forced to follow.

"Kenshin! I can't just leave you!"

"You have to, Kaoru. Katsura-san is needed for the new era. And… I can't let you die."

"But Kenshin-!"

"Kamiya-san, we're wasting time! Just do as Himura-san wishes. Just this once."

Kaoru grit her teeth. She couldn't just let Kenshin get killed!

Kenshin led them out the back way. He was grateful to discover that no one was lying in wait for them. They walked silently down the street, not daring to speak and give away their position. Once they were a safe distance away, Kenshin turned to Kaoru. "Continue to the end of this street. You will see a small trial on your left. If you follow it, you will reach a cabin. It's not exactly safe, but it's safer than here. Stay there until I come for you." He disappeared before Kaoru could answer.

Kaoru followed Katsura-san to the cabin, but hesitated outside of it.

"Kamiya-san?"

"Katsura-san, please forgive me. I must go back."

Katsura smiled. "Do not worry. Himura-san will be fine."

"I know, but with him injured-"

"He's injured?"

"He didn't tell you??" She growled. "Yes, he got injured in last night's fight. It's a shallow cut, but long, and it's on his sword arm." She bowed. "Please, forgive me for leaving you alone. I'll come back, but I have a feeling Kenshin might need me." She ran off into the darkness.

Kaoru ran back as fast as she could. Something in her heart told her he was no longer in the city, so she veered off, heading for what looked to be an open area. She heard the clashing of swords, and forced herself to run faster.

Kaoru skidded to a halt in time to prevent herself from careening over the side of the small rise she was on. She looked around. Everywhere there were swordsmen fighting. How would she find Kenshin? There, a splash of red! But it was just blood. That wasn't! She made her way down the rise toward him, eyes locked onto his head of red hair.

Kaoru had almost reached him when she saw him grimace and falter. His opponent grinned, swinging his sword for the final blow.

"Kenshin!" She screamed, throwing herself forward. She caught the hilt of the descending sword with her bokken, startling the assailant into stumbling backward. Kenshin made quick work of him before turning to Kaoru.

"What are you doing here, Kaoru?!"

Kaoru's mind was numb. She had just seen Kenshin kill. She swayed a little, trying to rid her mind of that image. "W… what do you mean, what am I doing here?" She asked hotly. "I just saved your hide!"

Kenshin sighed. "That's twice now. Arigato."

Kaoru blushed. She heard someone running at them, and swiftly placed herself against Kenshin's back, bokken raised. She fought one attacker as Kenshin dealt with another.

"Kaoru, you have to get out of here!"

"No, Kenshin, I won't leave you! What if you falter again?"

"That was only because he hit the cut on my arm. I'll be more careful." He killed his opponent and ran Kaoru's through. "Look, all or most of the people out here are hitokiri. You fight with a wooden sword! I know you are strong, but please, Kaoru, don't risk it!!"

Kaoru sighed at the pleading she heard in his voice. She lowered her bokken. "On one condition. Promise me you'll stay alive. Promise that you'll… that you'll come back to me."

Kenshin stuck his sword in the ground and pulled Kaoru to him, kissing Kaoru fiercely. He picked his sword back up. "I will. Now get going!"

It was some time later. How long, Kaoru wasn't sure. The cabin windows were boarded up. She didn't know if it was the same day even. Just that time passed. She paced the length of the cabin nervously, not even considering sleep. She jumped at the knock on the door, hoping against hope that it was Kenshin.

Sadly, it wasn't. The man, one Kaoru recognized from the inn, was all but jumping for joy. "Katsura-san, it's over!"

"What is, Jiya-san? The battle?"

"Not just the battle, sir. The war! The war is over! They've given up!"

They followed Jiya back to Kyoto. The signs of recent battle were everywhere. Katsura stopped a passing Ishin Shishi. "Report."

"Several casualties on our side, Katsura-san, although not as bad as it could have been."

"What about Kenshin? Is he alright?" Kaoru broke in.

"Not everyone has returned yet, Miss." But there was something in his eyes that made her uneasy.

Katsura noticed too. "What is it?"

The man shifted uncomfortably. "Sir, we don't know where he is. Himura-san went missing at the end. One minute he was there, and the next he'd disappeared. The only sign of him was his katana wedged into the dirt." He motioned, and another man came forward, holding out a sheathed katana.

Kaoru's eyes widened as she looked at the sword. She recognized it at once as Kenshin's. She took it with shaky hands, and looked up into the sky with unseeing eyes. Where are you, Kenshin?

The next month passed slowly. Kaoru stayed at the inn, caring for the sick and wounded, learning to cook without burning everything, and helping to repair roofs and walls that had been damaged. She sighed. Several times she had been told to give up, that Kenshin was dead. But she refused to believe it. She couldn't give up that hope.

She stopped by the main room to get some tea. Katsura looked up as she entered. "Kamiya-san. Join me for tea?"

She shook her head. "Arigato, but I'll drink it in my room." She filled a cup and turned to leave.

"Kamiya-san, I know you want to remain hopeful. But if Himura-san was going to return, I'm sure he would have done so by now."

Kaoru gave him a small smile. "I know he's out there, Katsura-san. The sword was a message, and I won't give up on him."

Katsura watched her walk away. Poor girl.

H crept into the inn, a shadow with blood red hair. He breathed out a sigh of relief when he discovered her things still in the room. His body protesting, he lay down on the futon to await her return.

Minutes later, the shoji slid open. He waited, eyes closed, wanting to see who it was. There was the sound of china shattering on the floor. Ah. That would be Kaoru. He could just imagine her staring wide-eyed at him. He chuckled inwardly.

He braced himself to be beaten senseless by her bokken. So, he was very startled when she cried his name and ran over to throw her arms around him.

"Oro! Kaoru-dono, I need air!"

Kaoru blushed sheepishly and let him go. "I'm just so glad you're alive, Kenshin!"

He grinned at her. "Does this mean you won't hit me for worrying you?"

"No, I still might. Where were you?!"

He sighed. "After the battle was over, I left to find the swordsman who had made my katana. I told him I didn't want to kill anymore. He laughed at me and gave me this." He held up a sheathed sword for her to see. "It's a sakabattou. A sword, yet I'm unable to kill with it. Then I visited my master. He wasn't happy when I ran out on him four years ago. He knocked me around a bit, and I needed to heal before returning." His voice grew quiet. "I left my katana so that you would know I was still alive. …Gomen, for worrying you, Kaoru-dono."

It was her turn to sigh. "No one would believe me when I told them you weren't dead." She growled suddenly, glaring at him. "And why are you calling me Kaoru-dono?!"

He gulped. "Ano, it's to show you the respect you deserve."

"I don't care. Leave it off, or else!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

After Kenshin had rested a bit, they went to find Katsura, who laughed inwardly at the way Kaoru was holding onto Kenshin. Kenshin, for his part, didn't seem to mind. The three of them conversed for a few minutes, then Katsura wished them luck and bid them farewell.

Kenshin and Kaoru decided to walk back to Tokyo, allowing themselves to spend carefree time together. They were a day out of Kyoto when it happened.

"Matte, Hitokiri Battousai!"

Kenshin groaned. "Not again!" He turned. Yup, same three Shinsengumi members. "What do you want?"

They stopped just out of swordsreach. "Just to wish you well, sir!" The leader spoke up. "We decided you were right, that the fight was fair. We won't bother you again." He turned to Kaoru. "I know it doesn't mean much, but please accept our apologies for your father's death, Mrs. Battousai-san. Well, bye!" They turned and ran off.

"Matte!" Kaoru's voice floated after them, but they were already gone.

Kenshin eyed her thoughtfully. "You know, that's not a bad idea."

"What, Mrs. Battousai-san?"

"Iie. But Himura Kaoru has a nice ring to it."

She turned back to him, eyes wide. A blush was spreading across her face. "Hi… Himura Kenshin, did you just ask me to marry you?" She questioned in a hushed voice.

Sparks of amber twinkled in his amethyst eyes. "Hmm, I believe I did."

She gave him a dazzling smile. "Then I accept." She held out her hand to him. "Shall we go home, Kenshin?"

He took her hand and smiled back at her. "Aa. Let's go home, Kaoru."

owari

/cries/ Ahhh, I'm done! I can't believe it! Thank you all for reading this story. I know the end is a little cheesy, but that's the way the story wrote itself. Anyway, 'til next time. Ja ne!

Glossary:

shoji: door made of rice paper

bokken: wooden sword

shinsengumi: the side opposing the Ishin Shishi

arigato: thank you

hitokiri: manslayer

ishin shishi: the side that Kenshin was on

katana: Japanese sword

futon: Japanese bed. It's more or less padding on the ground

dono: 'miss.' Kenshin uses it. It's more formal than -san

sakabattou: reverse blade sword, where the sword and the dull edge are flipped

gomen, gomen nasai, sumimasen: sorry. Each is more formal than the preceding one

ano: um

battousai: what Kenshin was called during the revolution, so named because of his Battou jutsu

iie: no

hai, aa: yes