First Attempt. Here goes. Not sure if anyone will read this, but it's been a long time since I stretched my creative muscles... and it's about damned time. This story is set at the end of Kenshin's wandering, but before meeting Kaoru and the gang. Everything before that is cannon... everything after is modern. I know, I k now. This could o very wrong, very quickly.

And with that...

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and it's characters are creative property of awesome people that are not me. I'm simply a fan that is playing around a bit. So please don't hurt me.

I hope you find this story at least a little entertaining.

Ever Connected

Time Flows

and flows

and flows

A rushing stream

An ebbing river

steadily drifting ever onward

Ever circular

It is life ever connected

Meaning and purpose

It is pain and sorrow

Happiness and wayward thought

Forever pulling into forever

Circling stillness

Encompassing nothingness

and creating it

Tomorrow is past

The future

the present

The fleeting water receding

for a shifting eternity

Time flows

Chapter One: Wintersong

The streets were empty as her little car sputtered its way down the mostly darkened hill. Semi-lit streetlamps cast a soft orange-yellow glow upon the snow covered ground, leaving a cloud of icy glitter with every gust of snow-laden wind.

From the warmth of the front seat, she had a cozy view of the winter's night and held her breath in anticipation as she rounded the last corner and began her final descent. Her car emerged from the trees and she smiled in awe as the city- her city- rose into full and glorious view.

It probably wasn't much to behold for the average person, but Kaoru Kamiya looked forward to the picturesque view of her sleepy city at night. It was the only thing she really liked about working late, and the reason she often took the long way home. There was something about this view. She liked watching the businesses turn off their lights. She liked seeing all of the little houses and imagining all the people with their families. She liked the warm feeling that spread over her in the perfect moment it all came into panoramic focus. And she was never disappointed.

Nearly every night the lights from the businesses and houses sparkled and shone like little dots in a dark ocean, but tonight they seemed... softer and warmer. Like a thick cozy blanket of white had lulled it all to sleep. After all, it was Christmas eve. She was sure the people below would be at home tucking their loved ones into bed, and dreaming of the delight they would experience tomorrow.

For a brief moment she wished that she were a part of it all.

Tomorrow would mark her first Christmas since her father's death. Her smile faltered a bit as she considered the ramifications. Although it had been nearly a year since his death, she hadn't totally appreciated the little holes that would be left in her life, now that he was no longer in it. She wondered what it would be like for the first time in her life to not wake up to the familiar smell of coffee and the sound of sizzling bacon, her father's favorite holiday-morning routine.

She took a deep breath and shook her head, declaring that thought over and finished. Dead and buried. Christmas was what it was. Whatever it brought, she would survive it. Also, her boss had given her a bottle of wine and she was pretty sure that would help in a pinch.

She parked in the driveway of a small, somewhat rundown brown stone house, turned the ignition off, grabbed he bottle of wine and her bag, and headed up the walkway toward the small front porch.

A figure shifted in one of the chairs beside the door, freezing her in place. It was too dark to make out any features and the figure blended into the chair too easily for her to judge what it was, or even the size it was.

It moved from the chair and headed toward her, causing her to drop her bag and her wine in the snow. Anger surged through her at the thought of someone or something waiting in the dark to scare her, and she raised her hands in a readied position. If this creature, whatever it was, wanted a fight it was going to get one.

"God! Finally! Took you long enough!", the shadow spoke as he stepped forward and into the moonlight.

All apprehension drained out of Kaoru as she marched to the steps of the porch and rapped it on the head.

"Ow! What the hell was that for? You're the one coming in late!" The boy yelled, rubbing the side of his head.

"Yahiko, don't DO that!", Kaoru huffed as she bent down to pick up her discarded things, now wet from the snow.

The unkempt boy grinned. "Ha ha. I scared you!"

"You did not scare me."

"Yes I did! I got you. Admit it!"

"I admit nothing. I was about to beat you up, you little twerp."

"Yeah, whatever. I totally got you."

Kaoru pulled out her keys and unlocked the door. No sooner had the door opened a crack before Yahiko was inside, shivering and rubbing his arms. He must have been waiting a long time, she thought to herself, suddenly feeling guilty for taking the long way home.

Clad in nothing but a snow covered hooded sweatshirt, jeans, and running shoes, he looked bedraggled and pathetic. Far too small for his big personality.

"Are you hungry?" She asked, non-nonchalantly trying to figure out how long he intended on visiting her.

He hesitated, unsure as to how he should answer. He was... but...

"I have some instant noodles in the cupboard and a microwave dinner in the freezer." She sighed, knowing full well why he had hesitated.

At that, his eyes lit up and he trotted into the kitchen, flicking the light on.

Kaoru rolled her eyes as she hung up her coat and bag, and put on her slippers. Granted, she was not the best cook in town, but she didn't think she was as bad as Yahiko would have her believe. That being said, her most successful dinners did come from the microwave...

She shivered as slight draft slipped by her. She walked into the main living room and turned on the portable heater, and took a seat in one of the comfy chairs just beside its glowing warmth. What she wouldn't give for a fireplace!

Her house wasn't a bad house. It had lots of good to it: Strong walls, a sound roof, and many happy memories. It did, however, need a bit of work: The insulation was kind of spotty, leaving random cold spots in the winter, and it was a bit rundown in over all appearance, which often bothered her. It was a simple place, but a welcoming place, and it always made her smile.

Her thoughts turned toward the kitchen and the curse words so easily spouting from the 10 year old's mouth, as several loud bangs pierced her silent musings. He must have dropped something, she thought to herself, shaking her head. She debated about going in and helping him, but she knew that would only upset him. He wanted so desperately to be independent.

That thought made her sigh. She hadn't meant to be some sort of shelter, not that she minded much, but he had always looked angry and a bit lost. He always had far too many bruises to be accidental, and his clothes never seemed to change. One day she found him in her garden. Not bothering anything, just sitting and staring at the weeds, distractedly poking at them with a stick that had fallen from the nearby maple tree. Once she had inquired where he lived, and a neighbor directed her to a foster home a block away. From bits of conversation she learned that his parents had died a few years earlier, leaving him without any family or inheritance to keep him safe.

Sometimes she felt like her father had sent him to her to watch over. He didn't need a mother, as he so often reminded her when she tried to make him wear his sweater or finish his vegetables, but every so often she would catch a small smile as he looked away. Of course he would go right on and do whatever he wished, which frustrated the hell out of her, but he always seemed thankful for what little she could give, and over time he became more and more comfortable with her and their odd arrangement. More recently, she had set up a room for him to sleep in, claiming annoyance that she couldn't use her couch when he slept over. It didn't really annoy her, but it was the best way to prod him into an unfamiliar space and make it his own. Kaoru had a feeling it had been a long time since he had something that was his alone.

He flopped himself onto the couch, bowl of instant noodles in hand, and proceeded to devour it's contents.

"So, should I assume you're staying over tonight?" Kaoru asked, non-nonchalantly.

Yahiko paused, dark eyes darting toward her.

"Yeah. I guess. I mean, if that's ok." He awkwardly looked away from her, then down at his dinner. His shoulders seemed to slump, causing Kaoru a small pang of anxiety.

"Yahiko, you know you are always welcome here. I'm just concerned sometimes that your foster parents don't know that you are safe. I don't want them to worry..."

"Yeah, well, they're the ones that locked me out. They don't seem too worried, so you shouldn't be either." His voice was sharp and angry.

Kaoru felt instantly bad for having brought up the subject. What kind of people would lock a child out of their house on Christmas bloody eve? She closed her eyes for a moment, deciding how to proceed...

"Well then lucky me. I get you for Christmas eve and Christmas morning." She smiled brightly at him, meaning exactly what she said. That being said...

She purposefully walked into the kitchen, straight to the refrigerator, and opened the door, praying.

It appeared, however, that the gods did not hear her prayer. Sadly, there was very little one could make for breakfast with baking soda, an empty pickle jar and an orange. She really needed to go shopping, but it was late.

And snowy.

And cold.

She sighed as she realized that she couldn't possibly use the weather as an excuse to disappoint the dejected boy, currently slumped in front of the heater.

"I'm heading out to get groceries. I'll be back soon", she yelled over her shoulder as she mentally prepared herself to head back to the car and away from the lovely heat of her favorite chair.

"'Kay." He yelled in response, heading back to the kitchen to microwave something else.

-o0-0o-

The wind had picked up in the time it had taken her to leave her warm little home. It whistled and whipped streams of white powder across her snow-covered route. There was only one market she could think of that would still be open, and she slowly made her way in that direction.

By the time she reached the small market, it was difficult to see. Large gusts of snow-filled wind created a nearly impenetrable fog, that swirled between Kaoru and the neon sign that was still lit. She smiled, and ducked out of the car and then ducked into the shop.

Bursting into the shop with the wind on her tail, and leaving a fluttering confetti-cloud of white behind her, she looked around and began her shopping excursion. Grabbing a handful of this and that, she filled up on the kinds of things she thought a 10 year old might like to eat, pausing only briefly before giving in and buying a package of bacon. After all, it wouldn't be Christmas without it.

Some sweet bread, some fresh tea, some snacks...She took stock as she placed her items in front of the clerk, and promptly paid.

Grabbing her bags and heading back out into the snow, she paused. She thought she saw a flash of something from beside a bank of snow on the other side of the parking lot. Looking harder, it was gone. That being said, the wind hadn't let up, and it appeared she was now going to be caught in a blizzard. She packed the groceries away in the car, turned on the ignition and turned the car around slowly to leave the parking lot.

This time she saw something flapping, although she couldn't make out much. It looked like it could be cloth, but she couldn't be sure. She felt bad for anyone who would be walking in this kind of weather, but as she drove nearer she saw no one on the street or sidewalk.

One more quick gust, followed by a moment of visibility revealed a bundle of something wrapped in cloth, partially covered with snow. Kaoru froze when she saw a brief, jerky movement that did not match the wind's fury. This was a person.

There was a person in that snow bank.

She slammed on the brakes, put the car in park and leaving the car door wide open, ran toward the object in question.

As she stumbled toward it, she was able to better identify the shape of a human body. There was a leg, and an arm, but most of the torso was encased in snow. Slipping to a stop beside it, she began to dig through the snow, anxiety increasing as she found one very cold, very pale hand.

Oh Gods. Please be ok.

With a few tugs and more digging, she uncovered a small, cold figure, wet snow caked to its face and clothing, and covered in bruising. She couldn't tell if there were more injuries that she was unable to see, but this person did not seem to be breathing. She reached down and peeled the long and frozen hair away from the figure's face, barely revealing smooth, pale features.

She was sure this was a man, but he looked so very young. Clad in long, flowing material now dirty and stiff with ice, his eyes appeared to be partially open. Half-open violet eyes stared up at her, unmoving.

"Don't be dead. Please don't be dead." She said aloud, lifting his head and neck toward her.

There it was: She could feel him breathing. It was low and erratic, but it was good enough. Relief flooded briefly through her, until she realized that he might not be alright for very long.

She turned back to look at the store she had just left, but she could no longer see the sign.

Is the storm getting that bad?, She thought, pulling herself to a standing position and squinting. No, the light is off. If the store is closed, it must be well past midnight. Crap.

She couldn't call an ambulance. He might die of exposure before the emergency workers ever arrived. If she was going to save him, it would have to be done her way.

She leaned down to him again and reached into the snow, carefully attempting to lift him, but as she did one very cold hand shot forward, grabbing her shoulder, and scaring her half to death.

She let out a yelp and fell over backward, utterly surprised, onto the parking lot. She could hear panicked breathing and see a grasping hand laying in the snow.

Steeling herself, she moved back to the man and spoke, "I'm not going to hurt you, ok? I just need to get you somewhere warm. So don't do anything crazy, alright?"

Looking down at him she could see a wild look in his eyes, like some sort of cornered creature. Utter confusion and anxiety flicked wildly across his face. For a split second she was glad the extreme cold had him somewhat sedated.

Continuing to coax him, she was able to awkwardly pull him out of the snowbank. She took off her jacket and wrapped it around him, rubbing his arms, in an attempt to bring warmth. He leaned into the heat she offered, and began to shiver.

That was a good sign. Shivering meant his body was working to warm him.

"I'm sorry, I can't lift you very well." She apologized, realizing how heavy he was, despite his small stature. "I may need to drag you. Sorry."

Thankfully the car wasn't far and there was very little dragging that needed to be done. As he got nearer to the car, he started to try lifting himself, making it a bit easier to get him inside the door and situated inside the passenger seat.

Once he was safely inside, she rushed to the driver's side, closing the door as she entered, and slammed on the heat.

Shivering, she sat in quiet contemplation.

What the hell do I do now?