I wish I owned RK, but, alas, I do not. Welcome to my third Kenshin fic. Please enjoy!
Prologue
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Kaoru dropped the letter. Her hands were shaking and her eyes were clouded with tears. "No. This can't be. No!" She screamed. "This isn't happening!" she collapsed in a heap and cried until she couldn't cry anymore.
Kaoru washed her face and changed her clothes. She felt like calling someone, to tell them what had happened, but Aoshi and Misao were on their honeymoon and she didn't have their number. Even if she did, she wouldn't want to trouble her best friend right after she was married. The only other person she could think of was Saitou and he already knew.
"Tokio!" She whispered. "I can call Tokio." Tokio might already know, but at least she could talk about it. She ran to the kitchen and picked up the phone. Tears streamed down her face as it rang once. Twice.
On the third ring, Saitou's voice hissed a hoarse "Hello?"
"Saitou?" Kaoru whispered shakily. "Hi, it's me. Kaoru. Um, is Tokio there?" She managed to say.
"Oh. Kaoru. I'm very sorry about..." He seemed at loss for words. He sighed. "If there is anything we can do for you, please don't hesitate to call."
"Thank you." She said, fresh tears springing to her eyes.
"One moment, Kaoru." Saitou's voice sounded so strange; Kaoru wasn't used to hearing him sound so kind and gentle.
"Hello?" Came Tokio's voice at the other end.
"Hi. Did Saitou tell you-?"
"Oh God, Kaoru! I'm so sorry! Are you all right? I can be over there in a flash if you need..." She said gently.
"Well, if you aren't to busy, would you?"
"Say no more. Just wait about five minutes and I'll be there!"
"Thank you so much." Kaoru could feel more tears building up and desperately tried to keep her voice under control.
"Alright. Good bye Kaoru, I'll be there before you know it." There was a soft click at the other end.
Kaoru hugged her knees and waited by the door until Tokio's red Subaru pulled up. She flung herself out the door and into Tokio's arms and began to sob wildly. The older woman rubbed her back gently and led her back into the house, sitting her down at the table and making a pot of tea.
"Alright Kaoru. Here you go. It should make you feel better." She handed Kaoru a cup. She took it, but didn't drink until her sobs had subsided. "I'm really sorry Kaoru. Saitou said he had just proposed. I really don't know what else to say." She whispered, hoping not to cause another tsunami of tears.
Kaoru nodded. "But this morning, I wasn't feeling well. I threw up several times before I left the house. I went to the store and went to go get pads and I realized it was...well, late. So I bought a pregnancy testing kit and..." She took a deep, rattling breath. "And it was positive. I wanted to tell him so much! I thought it would be such a wonderful surprise when he got back!" Tears came down her cheeks. "Now...now the baby will never know his father." She covered her face with her hands and shuddered. The tears wet her hands and face as Tokio held her, rocking her gently.
"It will be alright Kaoru. Just you wait and see." She begged softly, tears shinning in her own eyes.
***
Kaoru cried herself to sleep for months. Try as she might to keep all her memories at bay while she was awake, they continually flooded back to her while she slept. She would wake up drenched in a cold sweat, her heart pounding.
The baby grew and grew, apparently healthy. She had seen a doctor, but he had told her it was still too early to tell if it was a boy or a girl. Kaoru wanted to know badly, but Tokio told her it would be all right to wait.
Misao and Aoshi got back from their honeymoon and often joked that the day they returned, Misao had made herself Kaoru's personal servant.
Life was almost back to normal but it lacked something for Kaoru. It wasn't purpose; she had a baby to take care of, or at least she would in few months. It was just that something didn't feel right.
Kaoru sat on the couch, watching a football game with Aoshi. He didn't really like the game, so Kaoru couldn't understand why he watched it.
The phone rang and Misao picked it up. "It's for you, Kaoru." She handed the cordless. It was Saitou.
"Hello Kaoru. I know this is very sudden and I know you are still recovering, but I need you to leave New York. I don't care where you go, but my suggestion would be to go on a road trip, sell the house to Aoshi and Misao and leave. You can come back, but I think you would be safer away from here right now."
"Sell my house and just leave?" Aoshi looked at her. "Saitou, are you mad?"
"No. Please, Kaoru, trust me. I know this is hard, but I need you to trust me. Just do it." He hung up.
Kaoru leaned back on the couch and rubbed her forehead. "Aoshi, would you and Misao buy this house for ten dollars?"
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OK, that was the end of the prologue, however, be sure to read chapter 1 before you go.
Thanks,
~Wolf~
