Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, or any of the characters in said series.

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To be honest, she shocked me from the beginning. It was instinct to turn at the words "Hitokiri Battousai", and so I was already turning to look at the source of the words before I realized the voice was coming from a female.

Holding a bokken and advancing on me was a girl, one shorter than me. I had no idea that, after calling me by a name of a known assassin, she would charge me.

I'll admit, not that I'll ever say it aloud, I underestimated her. That is why I missed my landing and broke a fence. I simply wasn't expecting her skill or speed.

When the police whistle sounded, she stunned me again by the fact that she ran towards it, *throwing* my sword. Me being me, I followed.

I got there just in time to see her land after her attack, and then her dodge to the side. Anticipating the very large man's next attack, I sprinted over and scooped her. To this day, I don't know how it happened, but suddenly there was a very intense pain in a very private location. Dropping her, I went fetal.

When she glared at me and informed me of her how she was connected to the killer, I realized this slip of a girl was more than I realized.

After asking her about Kihei's past and her answer of not knowing anything, I momentarily thought her a fool. However, the next words out of her mouth proved me more than wrong, as her ability to know why I was a rurouni surpassed most who knew me. This little shihondai was wise.

The looks on her face throughout the confrontation in her dojo were predictable enough. Hurt over the differing philosophies, concern for my wellbeing, amazement at my abilities, fear at my identity.

I said my farewell, practiced time and time again, and turned to leave, fully expecting a silent departure as always.

Imagine my surprise when a bokken connected with my head. Really. Try. You'll fail to be more surprised.

Then she asked me to stay. Me, the rurouni. Her embarrassment made her break eye contact and spin around.

I was ready to go, slip quietly into the night before she turned around, when she asked me for my name. No one who knew me as Battosai had ever cared about my real name. As she rambled nervously, I studied her, this small, passionate woman, tiny in the wooden dojo. Her loneliness was evident, practically radiating from her.

I know how hard being lonely is.

She fell silent, and I knew that was my cue to go. Yet…I just…couldn't. Shutting the dojo door in front of me, I told her my name. The tentative happiness in her eyes assured me I made the right decision.

I know some of our friends and acquaintances think I stayed because I was already attracted to Kaoru. That's inaccurate. Yes, I thought she was pretty from the start, but I don't see women in a romantic light easily. I will admit that Kaoru was my first friend in eleven years. Maybe longer.

When she cried over her foolish students, I wasn't sure how to make her feel better. I settled for telling off her students and a hesitant hand on her shoulder. It was only later, when Yahiko told how she was willing to take the punishment herself that I realized how much compassion and loyalty my new friend had.

The first time she became more to me was right after Sanosuke challenged me. There was such a hopeful, wistful note to her voice when she said Kihei's name, and his voice, seething with resentment and fury, calling her a wench cut her to the quick. I had to concern myself with the fight, but oh how I wanted to do something to make that pain go away from her. Some part of me realized that I needed to be careful before I let Kaoru become more than a friend.

After Kihei fought dirty and tried to shoot me, Kaoru fell to her knees. I was fine, and then the idiot turned his gun to my friends. I still don't know who he was aiming at, Yahiko or Kaoru, but I was LIVID.

After the fight and knocking some sense into yet another new friend, I walked over and offered my hand to Kaoru. The moment her fingers clasped mine and I helped her up, I knew the one thing I had been trying to avoid more than anything had happened.

I was hooked.

This is my first Rurouni Kenshin fic. My husband recently bought me the entire manga for my birthday, and it struck me how many moments people gloss over, when in reality, these moments set the basis for the entire series. So I wanted to give them a little bit of attention.