Wow! You guys are really amazing… Thank you SO much for the many wonderful reviews!!!!

Yes! Your questions should be answered in time with the development of the story. And ask for some Kenshin/Kaoru loving: Of course! That is the heart of this little tale of mine, and it will come in not too long.

So thanks again, and I really hope you will enjoy this new chapter too… (Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!)

Love, Sara

Remembrance

Chapter 2

Kaoru's eyes opened wide at the sound of fine wood working as the door to the small room was pulled aside. A sound waking her from a short dance with sleep which had given no peace.

She had curled up on the bed; tried as she did every time, to forget that it was made for two, but failing always. The sickening scent of smoke already lingered too deep... The smell alone bringing newborn tears to her eyes.

Bowing her head down while pulling her legs as close to her stomach as she could, she had let the black, silky curtain of her hair hide the tears as they fell. And Kaoru had bit her lip as she cried; cradling the little life she felt reacting to her sorrow; moving uneasily within the protecting circle of her body.

She had heard as one voice raised in anger broke through the silence she had fought to retrieve; only one voice… Saitou's. She knew Kenshin was speaking too; could not hear the words, but the sound as he spoke had reached her as a soft vibration mixing with the rhythm of her heart.

Calming not only one soul, but two…

With a vision blurred by the teary veil, she had watched the two shadows to be seen through the door's thin barrier. Screamed silently when Kenshin drew his sword and the sabato's silhouette inflicted an invincible wound on the air before her eyes.

Had felt the vulnerability in her Rurouni even then; knew that he needed the shield only she could give. But as she reached out, the barrier was there in shape of a closed door, and a limit separated her suddenly from her beloved swordsman. A limit marked by Saitou's body and his sharpened blade.

"Kaoru!"

She heard his voice and fought to sit up straight as quick as she could in a battle with her body which protested at the sudden movement. She moaned as pain shot up her spine then, but kept fighting alone. Knew that Saitou's ears had deafened themselves to those sounds a long time ago.

"Yes…" she answered him finally; voice strained from the feelings she tried so deeply to suppress. Pain. Sorrow. Anger. Love… No.

Yes! Love.For a Rurouni…

She waited for his questions; the interrogation which always followed one of Kenshin's visits. Words to close the cage; captivating her heart and soul once more after their gentle but brief liberation by Kenshin's hands. But none came this time, and Kaoru had to speak in the end to pause the worried cry from her mind.

"I-Is Kenshin still here?" she whispered, trying to make out Saitou where he stood still in the shadows. Already knowing the answer to her own question. She could feel it… "Maybe he wants to stay for dinner. I-I could make som-"

"Your Rurouni has left!" A ring of smoke floated passed her face, and Saitou seemed to emerge from it; suddenly so near… "He has abused my hospitality more than enough." Those dark eyes narrowed and Kaoru whimpered before he even touched her. "My… possessions…"

-

"May was such a beautiful month this year… I'm surprised your dear Kaoru-dono doesn't remember…" Kenshin had felt blood tickle the skin of his palm; holding his sword with a shaking hand and battling with his killer-instinct as Saitou urged it to rouse with his gleeful and taunting words.

"But who knows? Maybe it's for the best… What could a poor Rurouni like you give her anyway? Nothing that I can't do better!" Saitou smirked while he let his eyes run across Kenshin's body from feet to glowing golden eyes; as if measuring him for a mental fight in waiting.

"Much better…"

"You don't love her…" he'd answered; those few, simple words holding all his strength…

And his gift for Kaoru and her unborn child; something Saitou could never give…

With that he had turned on his heel and left the house; knowing that that door would never be open to him again, unless he broke it down. But Kenshin also knew that to cross the limit and break the invisible barrier he would need something stronger, more powerful than even a reverse blade sword.

-

"Don't look so scared, Kaoru… Kenshin has not gone wandering again." Saitou leaned in and brushed some locks of long, soft hair out of his young wife's face. The gesture was almost gentle, but from the hold on her wrist a bruise was blossoming, and his eyes told that he fed on her despair. "I just don't need him around to take care of my wife…"

Kaoru just sat there; her eyes lowered beneath long lashes while her free hand rested on the precious bulge. If she tried she could still feel the warmth where Kenshin's hands had been.

"Kenshin…"

"…He has done more than enough already!" She gasped and her eyes sprang open when Saitou's other hand suddenly pressed against her stomach just lightly while those words left his lips.

"S-Saitou-san…" She stuttered; trying in vain to back away. "W-What are you doing?"

"Mmmm…" Saitou hissed, only holding her tighter. "You look so divine when you're scared." His voice was sickly sweet; so soft he was almost humming. Then he grabbed a handful of her hair; pulling her head closer with a sharp jerk so he could sniff it. "And you smell of spring-flowers… blooming in… May…"

-

Kenshin paused outside the house; stood in the sunshine while his feet gave him the chance to change his mind before they would carry him away.

Once, he turned his head and saw the closed door; saw Kaoru; beautiful and smiling in his mind…

"She doesn't remember…"

He closed his eyes tightly, but Saitou's voice, his words resounded over and over again until they took shape as a shadowy opponent only visible in the mental battle within his mind.

The sword cut through the fresh autumn-air followed by Kenshin's anguished cry…

-

Tears filled Kaoru's eyes once more; this time falling unhidden. And Saitou watched, smiling… Each droplet turning crimson in his mind.

In her eyes he could watch Battousai in agony. And as long as he kept Kaoru trapped within his self-made web weaved from power and cruelty, his torture and defeat of Kenshin would be endless…

"Mmmm yes…" he thought. "The tears only inflamed her beauty…"

-

The branch descended to the ground killed by a single stroke from a reverse blade sword; the orange and yellow leaves falling slowly; sliding from the sky like tears from a man who didn't even have the strength left to cry himself…

---

Kaoru paused and placed the two filled buckets of tofu down on the ground beside her feet, and her hands now being free, she pressed them against the small of her back. Sighed deeply at the dull ache which had taken up permanent residence there.

Lifting one hand, she wiped the sweat off her brow, and taking another deep breath she willed herself to continue the journey to her home… No. Saitou's house. Home was still at the dojo… She wished that her baby could be born there; (where she had been) near her friends, her grandfather…

Kenshin…

Was Kenshin still at the dojo? Was he still there at all?

She had not seen him since the day he came to visit her at Saitou's house, and that was over 1 week ago. She had wanted to go search for him; wanted to follow him and bring him back… home. As she always had in the past.

Before Saitou… Before, in a time which now seemed lost forever…

These thoughts overwhelmed her, and the sorrow they brought shook her body and made her head swim. Suddenly she could no longer feel her legs and the loud thump when the buckets fell filled her ears while her hands went to shelter her stomach and the life inside.

Dry lips moved; forming words but no sound came out: "Ken-shin… Ken… shin…"

"Kaoru-dono…"

And that was the sound that reached her when reality took her back; not the sound of her own body hitting the ground, but the sound of a voice reaching for her with tender softness and a wonderful familiarity.

"Kenshin…"

The Rurouni held Kaoru in his arms; for just a moment he allowed himself to do so; could sense that her feet had not found their right place on the ground quite yet.

He smiled as he found her slightly heavier than he remembered; could feel the fine curve of her bottom and growing bosom as she leaned into him. The wonderful weight of a Mother to-be… But Kenshin knew he could still carry her if she needed him to.

"Kenshin… W-What are you doing here?" She looked up at him with an expression that was far from grateful.

He smiled at that, this was the Kaoru he knew; no need to look like a pregnant woman in distress even if that was the case. He tilted his head to one side setting the ruby locks in motion, and lifted one hand to brush a dark lock of Kaoru's now ruffled hair out of her eyes before answering.

"I was on my way to see you…" he answered in a tone that spoke like they had never been apart. "But now you have spared me the rest of the walk…"

The smile never left his lips even as she slowly stepped back out of his arms, but with those glowing eyes he still held her… He wanted her to remember. He could help her if only she would let him. Together they could find and share that memory once more.

A memory that could maybe set her free…

If only…

"Kauro-dono are you alright?" His worry for her was stronger than even his own dreams. "I saw you stumble-"

"Yes, yes. I'm fine. I was just clumsy…" She stood up straight in front of him; so graceful! Then pointed to the two buckets which now lay overturned on the ground. "They were just so heavy."

Kenshin frowned; lifting first one bucket then the other. "You should not carry these things at all, Kaoru-dono…" He tried to make his voice stern, but failed as always with her. And moments later he was smiling again; nodding towards the bulge on her stomach which seemed to have grown even bigger in the short time since he was last near her. "You are already carrying enough…"

"Well now, Kaoru-dono…" Suddenly Kenshin let the buckets drop again, and instead reached out to grab hold of one of her hands. "Since you're outside the house on your own in your condition, I take it that Saitou isn't home today…?"

Kaoru giggled; the wonderful sound sending vibrations through their entwined fingers and settled as a pleasant warmth in Kenshin's chest. "No…" she said while pursing out her lips; her cheeks blushing stronger than the finest cherries. Suddenly he remembered that expression from another place, another time…

"He isn't home, but I think you already know that, my dear Rurouni… Isn't that why you chose today to come see me?" She lifted a fine brow in question.

Kenshin nodded without a word.

"I have something for the baby…" he finally said. "But I can only show you if you come with me now…"

An eternity seemed to pass as he waited for her answer… And it came; in her smile bringing them light on an otherwise cloudy autumn-day. And in the way her hand tightened around his as she followed him; let him lead her away…

The first raindrops fell slowly into the half-filled buckets they left behind.

-

Together they wandered; passed familiar places, but many times Kaoru felt like she was seeing it all anew. The light rain also found them, and the wet ground gave Kenshin a chance to carry his Kaoru-dono; helping her safely over each place where her feet might had given way.

And each time, Kaoru felt a soft rush through her body; memories hidden deep within her heart knocking on the door to her mind, but Saitou's lock of fear still held it closed tightly, she couldn't open it yet. Not alone…

Finally they reached their place and Kenshin put her back down on safe ground. He helped her to sit down in the damp grass; let her use his body to lean against, so she could at least forget about the physical pain when she was with him.

And he could relish in the feel of just having her near…

"Close your eyes…" he then whispered to her, brushing his fingers across her eyelids just in case.

And moments later the sound reached for her; a melody; a wordless song of love; a lullaby to a child not yet born…

She dared to open her eyes then, and Kaoru saw him; her Rurouni… Kenshin sat with closed eyes, gently blowing into the small, wooden flute; the nimble fingers of one hand playing each tone, while his other hand had dropped from her eyes and now rested near her cheek.

She watched him, and from the flute came the voices of a Spring not long ago. Flowers, birds, feelings which could never be denied. A Freedom now lost…

She watched as his hair fell around his face; like soft, crimson feathers gently tousled by the wind… "My wild, wandering bird…" she thought as he continued to play his song to her and the child within her.

"When you do fly, please take me with you…" her heart begged him, but she didn't say anything…

"It has grown." Kenshin smiled as he felt the movement beneath his palm; felt the heat of Kaoru's skin through the fabric of her kimono. He seemed to think for a moment, then looked at her again. "In 5 months…" he placed the flute in her palm; closed her fingers around it. "In 5 months this baby will come into the world… Soon I will be able to see its eyes when I play." He hugged her hand tightly in his own bigger one.

"You keep this for me, Kaoru-dono…" he whispered, gazing deeply into her eyes. "Give it to the baby if I'm not there when it is born…" He put a finger gently to her lips before she could form words for any protest. "Keep it, and know that I will always come to play… for you both." In his eyes lay a promise not spoken with words. "Always…"

Kaoru felt happy tears well up in her eyes when she accepted Kenshin's gift. He was so sweet and considerate; Saitou had not given her anything for the baby, had not spoken of her pregnancy unless it was in anger. She shivered as he entered her thoughts unbidden; violated the sanctuary created for this moment in time, with the help of a beloved Rurouni.

She felt as Kenshin's hands sought her stomach once again, and she let them rest there; felt as they calmed the little one inside… Could it feel the happiness he brought her?

A happiness devoured by worry and fear when Kenshin spoke again; whispered softly against her ear as he dared to hold her to him.

"…And know… My dear Kaoru-dono… that this baby is mine…"

TBC…