QED: Okay, I know what I'm about to write is not really original, for people have done the same thing with their own style, but I can't help it because I love sappiness!

Yahiko: /rolls his eyes/ She's such a fangirl.

QED: Yes, I am thank you! But I will never be a fangirl who wants to marry the characters. Ugh! I am a fangirl of the couples. OH, THEY'RE SO CUTE!

Yahiko: Earth to QED!

QED: Oh yeah, I don't own anything. All I have is some RK merchandise and that's still not really even mine!

Kaoru knelt beside Kenshin, who was sleeping in a futon, unconscious to the world. Bandages that had been expertly wrapped by Megumi covered almost his entire body. While helping Megumi, Kaoru had noticed older wounds had reopened during the final fight with Yukishiro Enishi. Those had been from the first fight when she had been kidnapped, that much she knew. But why hadn't they healed. They should have been at least almost fully healed.

A muffled sound came from the futon. Kaoru looked up at Kenshin to see him begin to writhe slightly. She began to panic for he wasn't allowed to move just yet, for his wounds had not closed fully. Not knowing what to do, she grabbed his bandaged hand that lay outside the covers.

That instant, he calmed. Kaoru breathed a sigh of relief, but did not let go of Kenshin's hand. It gave some comfort to her as well. For her, it was déjà vu. Only about six months ago after the fight with Shishio Makoto, she had been in the same position, sitting by him, waiting for him to wake up. She prayed that Kenshin would be up soon, and she could see his smiling face.

A light squeeze on her hand brought her out of her thoughts. Kaoru looked down at her hand that held Kenshin's and noticed that his hand had now wrapped itself around hers. Her gaze slowly traveled up his arm to see Kenshin's eyes open and a small smile on his lips.

Kaoru stared at him in shock for a few seconds, when she realized he was awake!

"Kenshin!" she exclaimed softly, too excited to shout. "You're awake! I'll go tell Megumi…" She made a move to get up but her hand still trapped in his grip. She turned back to him. "Is something wrong?" she asked with a slight blush on her cheeks.

"Iie, Kaoru-dono," he answered hoarsely with a slight shake of his head. Kaoru's heart leapt at his mention of her name. "Just please stay with me for a little longer." Kaoru relented and knelt back down.

Kenshin stared up at Kaoru, his heart bursting with joy. She was alive! Seeing her during the fight with Enishi wasn't a dream!

Kenshin walked over to Kaoru, who stood waiting for him on the beach in front of their friends. "Are you all right?" he asked.

Kaoru smiled, and he smiled in return and moved forward again. But, he tripped over his own feet into Kaoru's soft embrace. The last thought he remembered before succumbing to the black was, She…she's…here…with me…

Kenshin felt like shouting, but he wanted to stay and look at her for just a bit longer. So, he had begged.

He squeezed her hand again. It felt small in his grasp, but it was still hers, and she was sitting beside him.

Kaoru noticed his strong gaze at her and blushed again. "Why…why are you staring at me?" she whispered. "You're looking at me as if I came back from the dead."

Kenshin swallowed. By that statement alone, he knew the others had not told her what had happened while she was kidnapped. But, it still brought up horrible memories, and he shut his eyes as if in pain.

"Kenshin! Are you all right?" Kaoru began to panic again.

He opened his eyes and looked at her, giving her a smile. "Hai. This one is all right, that he is, Kaoru-dono. Demo…may this one ask you a favor?"

She nodded. "Of course, Kenshin."

He began to blush slightly. "May you let this one rest his head in your lap?"

Kaoru's eyes widened, and she blushed furiously. "Why?" was her first reaction.

Kenshin turned his head away. "Never mind. It's all right, that it is." Why had he asked that! It went against all propriety! How could he…

His thoughts were interrupted by the swish of cloth and the movement of his head. Kaoru had complied and now cupped his face with her cool hands. Kenshin smiled.

Kaoru had been surprised by his request, but it gave her permission to do something that she hadn't done since when he was unconscious after the fight with Shishio. But this time, he was awake and aware. She blushed again. She brought up the courage to lift his head to her lap and to place her hands on his cheeks.

Her left hand felt the scarred skin beneath it, and she unconsciously began to stroke his scar with her thumb. She was surprised by Kenshin's reaction by closing his eyes in ecstasy. He liked it, and thought made her giddy.

Kaoru's eyes moved to his red hair. It had always fascinated her, how it could be that color, when most Japanese had brown or darker. Her right moved to touch it. It was silky beneath her fingertips, and she began to stroke it.

Kenshin suddenly sighed, and she stopped.

"Iie," he murmured. "Don't stop, please."

Kaoru blushed again and relented without much difficulty. She had been enjoying herself. But one thought plagued her mind. Why was Kenshin being like this? Well, it wasn't as if he suddenly started showing her affection. Before the first battle with Enishi, they both had…well…confessed in a sense. She blushed redder at the memory.

"Hey, Kaoru. Is Kenshin – ," Yahiko stepped into the room, and Kaoru immediately pulled back her hand from Kenshin's hair. "KENSHIN, YOU'RE AWAKE!" he screamed, his face lighting up with joy at his mentor's revival.

Kenshin hid his disappointment, but he knew the others had to know. "Hello, Yahiko," he said smiling at the boy. Kenshin was genuinely glad to see him.

Running footsteps were heard, and Megumi, Sanosuke, Aoshi, and Misao appeared by the shoji.

"Himura!" Misao cried. Kenshin was surprised to see her eyes filling with tears.

"Hello, everyone," Kenshin greeted. "It's nice to see you, that it is."

Suddenly, Sanosuke smirked and pointed. "Yahiko, I think you interrupted something."

"Huh?" Yahiko looked at where Sanosuke was pointing. He grinned. "Ooo," he said and began to sing. "Kenshin and Kaoru sitting in a tree. K-I-…" He didn't get past the first letter, for Kaoru laid Kenshin back down, grabbed her bokken, and began to chase Yahiko about the dojo.

Everyone laughed, and when they calmed down, Aoshi, surprisingly, was the first to speak. "Have you told her?"

Kenshin closed his eyes, laying back on the futon. "Iie, this one has not, that he hasn't. This one cannot bring himself to, that he can't."

"You will have to eventually, Ken-san," Megumi said softly.

"This one knows, but how this one does not know, that he doesn't."

I could leave it here, but I want to know if I should. I have ideas to continue it, but please let me know! But even if people tell me not to, I might do it anyway, but I would still like your feedback!

Thank you! God bless!