-1Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from RK. I really wish I did though. I hope you enjoy the story.. Please, Please Review!

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Brink of Death

Usually Kaoru would hate to be left alone, but Kenshin, Sano, Megumi and Yahiko had promised to be back in a week.

'They'll be back today!' Kaoru thought happily as she was sweeping the dojo's floor. Kaoru had finished cleaning and was training, when she heard something outside. She went to look and found a man outside, readying himself to attack. He lunged himself at her and she quickly kicked his butt. She got some rope and tied him up.

Clinic

"Yahiko, go tell Miss Kaoru that we will be there soon." Kenshin told the boy.

"Ok, Kenshin" he answered while running off. Kenshin, Sano, and Megumi stopped by her clinic before going to the dojo. Megumi headed in and dropped off her bags before quickly changing into some more comfortable clothing.

Dojo

Kaoru was still outside when another man appeared and attacked. She took him down as well. Yahiko could hear fighting when he opened the dojo gates. He saw Kaoru fighting and taking down a man. Five more came out of the woods and went towards his sensei. He took out his bokken and charged towards the attackers. It took only a couple minutes to take beat them and tie them up. They were about to get Kenshin and Sano after Yahiko relayed his message, but ten more armed men came out of the woods and attacked. Kaoru got a wound on her side, but it wasn't anything serious. When they were done they tied them up and Kaoru went to get a coat, for it was a little chilly that day, and so she could wait for the others outside. She knew something was wrong the moment she stepped into her bedroom.

Clinic

"Can we go now, Fox?" Sano asked impatiently.

"Yes, rooster-head we can go." Megumi answered tiredly.

They started walking when they heard a scream that sent chills down their spines.' Kaoru,' Kenshin thought fearfully as he ran towards the dojo. The others could barely keep up with his pace and quickly lost him. They continued running nonstop towards the dojo.

Dojo

Three swords entered her body five seconds after she entered her bedroom door. She screamed bloody murder that could be heard for miles around. She felt the swords slide out of her body and that's when they kicked her through the wall. She hardly felt anything as she landed hard on the cold ground. She couldn't feel anything but pain and the blood flowing from her body.

Kenshin had made it in time to see Kaoru fly through the wall and land on the ground. He beat the men unconscious, that had attacked her, until he felt some what satisfied.

"Yahiko, go get Saitoh. Now!" Kenshin all but yelled at the poor horror stricken kid. He ran through the gates on his mission and met up with Megumi and Sano. They noticed he was crying though he didn't seem to notice it himself.

"What's Wrong?" Megumi asked worriedly. The poor boy couldn't do anything but point towards the dojo. They left him and ran to where he was pointing and he continued on his way.

Kenshin kneeled next to Kaoru and checked her breathing. His heart skipped a beat when he heard her breath hitch for a moment and then continue unevenly. Her Kimono was torn and she was bleeding heavily. As he picked her up, Sano and Megumi came through the gates.

"What happened?" Megumi and Sano asked at the same time while looking at the unconscious men.

"I don't know, but Kaoru is hurt pretty badly." Kenshin answered his voice thick with worry and concern.

Megumi gasped as she finally noticed the bleeding figure in his arms.

"Kenshin, don't stand there! Get her into the living room so I can treat her. Sano go get some bandages and hot water, Now! Hurry!" She told the men.

Megumi got Kaoru's futon and put it into the living room. She thanked the gods she had unconsciously brought her medicine bag with her. Kenshin laid Kaoru gently down on the futon and moved out of the way.

"Kenshin there's a wound on her head, can you bandage it for me?" Megumi asked as she continued to bandage the wounds Kenshin had seen earlier.

"Of course Miss Megumi." Kenshin answered and got the bandage Megumi handed to him.

After he was done bandaging her head he laid her head on his lap and he leaned against the wall.

Two hours later Kaoru was fixed up and resting while Megumi was staying the night to make sure Kaoru would be alright. Kenshin had not moved from his spot against the wall and Kaoru had not woken up yet. Sano and Yahiko went to the police station to see why the men had attacked Kaoru. No one knew, but Kaoru was having a strange dream.

The Dream

"Who are you? And where am I?" Kaoru asked the woman figure in front of her.

"I am Tomoe, you need not fear me, for I am here to help you." Tomoe told the frightened girl.

"You are in the world between life and death. You're too close to death in your body so your spirit unconsciously sought refuge in this world. You have the choice to live or die, what is your decision?" she asked.

"I want to live." Kaoru answered unfazed.

"Good, I thought you would say that. Now in two minutes your body will stop breathing and that's when you have to go to your body. If you don't, you will die." Tomoe told her and pointed the way.

"I want you to tell Kenshin that I love him, but he needs to move on and forget his past deeds. You need to tell him that you love him, I know he has feelings for you. He hasn't told you because he thinks that he is unworthy. It's not true and you believe that. Go now or you will miss your chance." Tomoe told the stunned girl and with that she ran.

Real World

Kenshin opened his eyes as he heard Kaoru's breathing become harsh and rigid.

"Megumi!" Kenshin yelled as he put Kaoru's head on her pillow and looked at her.

"Megumi! Kaoru's breathing has changed!" Kenshin yelled frantically. Megumi ran into the room and sat down beside Kaoru quickly, while trying to determine what was going on.

At this point Kaoru took one last shuddering breath then no more.

"Kenshin, I'll push down three times on her chest then you blow into her mouth twice then we'll repeat until she starts breathing."

Megumi said quickly and pushed down. Kenshin waited impatiently, then blew into her mouth twice. They repeated and with every attempt their fear began to grow. Finally, she took a shallow breath then another, until her breathing became regular. Kenshin was shaking; he was so scared for her, and Megumi was crying she was so relieved. Megumi stood up and went to tell Sano and Yahiko, who were outside the door, that Kaoru was going to be ok.

When she had left he took Kaoru's hand and let a few tears, he had held, flow down his face. 'God I hope this never happens again. I won't let it happen again.' he told himself. The few tears he shed were that of relief and the failure he felt for not protecting her. He was startled when he felt a hand touch his face and looked down to see Kaoru looking at him.

"Don't cry Kenshin. I'm right here, everything is ok now, you don't have to worry." she said soothingly. He wouldn't be weak and cry again, but a surge of relief took him and he rested his head gently on part of her stomach not injured. She was shocked that he actually laid like that on her, but she gently stroked his hair and whispered nonsense to him just to comfort him more. 'God, today must've been stressful for him.' Kaoru thought and noticed that he had fallen asleep. While she was looking at him she remembered what Tomoe had told her. She told herself that she was going to tell him her feelings as soon as she could.

She awoke with him still sleeping the same way from last night, except that he didn't look as troubled. Also, he was spread out more and looked more comfortable. She winced when she stretched a little and looked at her bandages. They were a brown color and none of it looked fresh. 'Good, I don't like to look at blood.' She thought and waited for Kenshin to wake up.

He awoke in layers, noticing that he was warm and comfortable. He then noticed he was laying on something soft and he remembered last night. He started to get up a light blush staining his cheeks, but was stopped by a small hand.

"You can lay for a while longer, no one is awake yet." Kaoru told him tenderly. He obeyed and laid back down closing his eyes.

"Are you feeling ok, Kaoru-dono?" He asked breaking the silence, while his eyes stayed closed.

"Yes, much better, thank you." She answered, yawning.

"You should sleep, that you should." He told her.

"I will, but I have something to tell you." she said quietly. He turned his head to look at her and noticed a serious expression on her face.

"Whatever it is Kaoru you can tell me." he said.

She nodded and thought that it was odd that he had forgotten the -dono on her name and didn't even seem to realize it. She didn't mind though, she liked it better this way.

"Kenshin, I have wanted to tell you that Tomoe helped me come to the world of the living and that she loves you. She wants you to be happy and that you are not unworthy."

Kenshin was astounded that his old love had helped her come back to him and that she had said that he was not unworthy. He looked at Kaoru with happiness and thankfulness that she was alive. He pulled her into a hug that he had wanted to give to her for a long time. Kaoru decided that she would tell Kenshin that she loved him when she felt ready.

She hugged him back gently and sighed in contentment. He sat up and his head shot towards the door when he heard someone shout from outside. As he listened he sensed a dark presence and looked down to her.

"I'll be right back." he promised her and left to go outside.

As he walked outside he dodged a throwing star aimed for his head. He looked up and saw a man dressed only in black.

"What do you want here?" Kenshin asked coldly.

"Why, I want Kaoru of course." The man answered calmly.

"What do you want with Kaoru?" He asked cautiously.

"I want revenge, her father killed my family and I have come here to kill her." he answered.

"You will not lay a hand on Kaoru-dono, that you will not." Kenshin said while pulling his reverse blade sword out.

"We will see." The man said as he pulled his own sword out.

Sano awoke and went inside to check on Kaoru and found her against the wall peeking outside. As he watched she slumped against the wall and held her chest. Her eyes were shut tight and she whimpered a little.

"What's wrong Kaoru?" Sano asked worriedly as he went to her. She couldn't answer, she was reliving the past.

Flashback

"Papa where are you going?" little Kaoru asked. Her father smiled down at her and told her that he was going to a friends house and that he would be back soon. She nodded and waved as he left.

Little Kaoru noticed that when her father came back his sword was a dirty brown-red color. A month and a half later a dark figure entered her house and her mother made her hide in a secret room in the closet. She peered out of a hole in the closet, watching as her only family were murdered. He had looked for her, but never found her and left before anyone came by. She heard him swear that he would kill her and would finish avenging his dead family before he left.

End Of Flashback

Sano couldn't do anything as he watched her absorbed into her on little world. She shook her head to clear the memories from her mind and turned to look at Sano with glazed eyes before she spoke.

"Sano...make sure that Kenshin doesn't get hurt. I'll be fine." She whispered to him.

A little uncomfortable with her gaze, he agreed anyways, and left to go outside. Despite all the noise, Yahiko and Megumi were still sleeping peacefully.

Kenshin had a cut on his left arm and was panting heavily. The other guy wasn't doing as well, he was bleeding heavily from his leg and arm. He finally fell after a blow to the back and was taken to Saitoh's curtsey of Sano. He would be treated there and put into jail. Kenshin went inside and wrapped his arm up. He went back to Kaoru's room and found her sitting against the wall crying as great sobs racked her body.

"What's wrong Kaoru?" Kenshin asked worriedly as he sat next to her.

"Kenshin...that man...he killed my family." She sobbed helplessly. He pulled her into his arms and she cried into his gi. He stroked her hair and whispered nonsense to her. She finally calmed down enough to fall asleep in his arms. He kissed the top of her head and rested his head against the wall. Soon he was asleep as well.

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A/N: I do not own RK i wish i did. Please read and review. If you do I will love you forever and call you Friend.