QED: Yes! I have a plot bunny! I've been wanting one!

Yahiko: Whatever, busu.

QED: EXCUSE ME? I don't own anything.

Kenshin sat on the engawa, leaning against the post, with one leg hanging over the edge and arms crossed in his kimono in a relaxed manner. He leaned his head back, closing his eyes, and sighed in contentment. The warm spring sun was shining brightly, and Kenshin was soaking up its warmth after the cold winter. His one-year-old daughter, Kaori, was sleeping soundly beside him. He was enjoying the peace.

"TOU-SAN!"

So much for peace and quiet, thought Kenshin. He opened his eyes to see his five-year-old son running toward him, his violet eyes wide and his face full of worry.

"Oro? What's wrong, Kenji?"

Kenji tried to breathe while bursting out, "It's Kaa-san!...She…kitchen…!" That's as far as Kenji got, when his father disappeared to find his mother, with only a word to watch Kaori.

Kenshin burst into the kitchen, his face tight with fear. "Kaoru! What's wrong!"

Kaoru looked up to see her distraught husband. Hiding the tears that had threatened to fall from him, she smiled at his normally calm face, now full of emotion. "I'm fine, Kenshin. I just slipped while chopping the vegetables and cut my thumb. Kenji just over-reacted. I'm fine."

Letting out the breath he had been holding, Kenshin walked over to his wife and took her injured hand in his own. He brought her slightly bleeding thumb to his mouth and sucked on it.

Kaoru blushed and inwardly chided herself. She had been married to this man for six years, and he still could get her to blush.

Kenshin smiled at his wife's embarrassment, now squeezing her hand. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I was only distracted," Kaoru explained, turning away. But now that her head was turned from him, Kenshin noticed that dried tear trails were on her cheeks.

"Distracted? Kaoru-dono?" he said, softly, pulling her face towards his. "You…you've been crying?"

Kaoru lowered her head. Why did Kenshin have to be so observant? She was worrying about nothing.

"Koishii, something's bothering you, that there is," Kenshin stated. "Please, tell this one."

"It's nothing, Kenshin, really," she said, trying to brush him off. "I'm worrying about nothing." She tried to turn back to the counter, but Kenshin grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"You don't have to lie to me," Kenshin said huskily.

Frozen in that position, her turned away, with him holding her wrist, silence reigned between them for a few moments, but to Kenshin it seemed like an eternity.

"It's May 14th," she answered, so softly that Kenshin almost didn't hear her.

Kaoru felt him let go of her wrist, and she thought he left the room, when she felt Kenshin wrap his arms around her from behind. She gasped in surprise at the unexpected move, and he buried his face in the junction of her shoulder and neck.

"I'm sorry," Kenshin whispered. He did not need to specify why he was apologizing. They both knew.

"But do you forget so easily, koishii?" he asked, sorrow underlying his question, his breath brushing against her ear. "I told you I had come home, that I did." He gave her a light kiss on her temple. "If you need reassurance, then I promise you that I will never leave you or our children.

"I promise."

Tears began to leak out of Kaoru's eyes, and Kenshin felt her chest heave slightly with sobs. Turning her around so that she could face him, he held her tightly to his chest, kissing the top of her head. Taking her chin in his hand, he tilted her face to his.

"I love you, Kaoru. So please…don't cry." He then captured her lips in his.

Kaoru melted against her husband, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. With every stroke of his lips, she felt her worry dissipate.

"I love you, Kenshin-anata," she said, when they pulled apart. Kenshin merely smiled and dived in for more.

"EEWWWW!" a voice squealed in disgust. "Kaa-san! Tou-san!"

Kenshin and Kaoru quickly broke away to see their son, looking on in complete disgust, and their daughter, now awake, crawling behind her brother. They laughed softly at Kenji, not happy about seeing his parents' "lovey-dovey-ness."

Kaoru picked up Kaori, who had crawled to her mother, wanting "up."

"Are you all right, Kaa-san?" Kenji asked, remembering the former incident.

Kaoru smiled. "Hai, Kenji-chan. I'm fine. Your father took care of me." She glanced at her husband, who gathered Kenji into his arms. "I just needed some reassurance."

Kenji cocked his head. "Re…asshhor…ance?"

Kenshin chuckled at his son's puzzlement. "Hai." He leaned over and gave his wife a peck on the cheek.

"TOU-SAN!" Kenji's parents just laughed.

Hmm. I like. Yes. I do. I wanted it to be a way of Kenshin promising Kaoru that he wouldn't leave and go traipsing (authoress starting to growl in anger) around Japan as something I won't mention made him do. ARGH!

And I had Kenshin say "Kaoru-dono" at least once, because he doesn't stop calling her that. (Manga, people.) And I like to think he almost says it in an endearment sort of way.

Well, tell me what you think! (And it came out a lot longer than I expected.)