Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin

Tears freely flowed down my cold cheeks as I sat there on the porch right outside my bedroom. I looked up at the full moon as it smiled down on me, it was truly beautiful as illuminated the dark endless night. I choked back a sob and placed my hand over my mouth so I didn't wake anyone with my cries. It was cold out tonight and my tears warmed my cheeks lightly, but they didn't stay warm for long.

I struggled in catching my breath as I wiped away the tears and tried to take a deep breath to calm my shuddering body down. The night was icy cold and it hurt to breathe so deeply that I covered my face with my kimono sleeves and cried hard into the warm material. It muffled my deep agonised sobs, but the more I cried, the more I thought about why I was crying in the first place.

Flashback

"Miss Megumi, Sanosuke, Yahiko, I'm so happy you could make it" I beamed the biggest smile I could as I saw my friends step into the room.

"We wouldn't miss this for the world" Megumi smiled back and we enveloped into a hug.

"Kaoru where's Kenshin?" Yahiko asked me and I pointed to the kitchen.

"Creating the most delicious looking buffet, please come, everybody else is in the main hall" I giggled as I lead them to were I knew the rest of our friends where happily drinking and chatting the night away.

"There are drinks on the table over to the left, please help yourself" I grinned and watched Yahiko run over to where Tsubame was giggling to Misao.

"Sano, please excuse me, id like to have a word with Kaoru" Megumi smiled up at her husband of one year.

"Megumi?" I asked as Sano left and Megumi shut the shutter and turned to me with a serious look.

"Kaoru, you missed your last appointment, is everything alright?" I sighed, I already knew this, I had purposely missed it.

"I'm sorry, I totally forgot all about it, I'll be sure to carry on with it next month" I lied and blushed as she raised an eyebrow.

"Are you and Kenshin sleeping with each other?" she blatantly asked.

"Err…no no, of course not, were taking things slow" my face must have been beetroot red.

"Slow? Kaoru you have been a couple now for 5 months, I was sure you only agreed to have the injections because you were sleeping together" Megumi crossed her arms over her chest as though we were both back in her clinic.

"Well, yes I did but it hasn't happened yet, we still sleep in separate bedrooms, I don't want to rush him, not after what he went through with his past wife" I sighed feeling the familiar pain in my chest I got when I thought of Kenshin and his wife he never divorced.

"I'm glad your being wise about it and taking precautions, but if you ever need someone to talk to, you know I'm here, I'm not only your doctor, I'm your friend" Megumi pressed a comforting hand on my shoulder and I fought the sob that was dying to escape.

"Thank you, how are you and Sano?" I asked quickly changing the subject and she shook her head as she giggled.

"Managing" she placed two fingers to her temple and sighed.

"But he's maturing, I can assure you by the end of the year he will be a new man" and we both laughed walking into the main hall were everyone was tucking into the food Kenshin had only moments ago set out. I smiled shyly at him and he walked over as soon as he spotted me.

"Kaoru is everything alright?" he asked as he took my hand discreetly.

"Everything is fine Kenshin" I felt him tug me closer and a blush crept across my cheeks at the thought of him kissing me in front of all these people.

"Follow me" he whispered to me and I glanced to where Megumi was smiling at me, she got the message and tootled off to Sano.

"Kenshin?" I asked nervously as he tugged me out of the main hall and into the kitchen.

"I wanted us to have a moment alone before the party starts, please, share a drink with me" I noticed his hands shake as he handed me a glass of sake. He raised his sake in a sign for me to tap mine against his in celebration of the upcoming New Year.

"Ken-"the words died on my lips as I stared into the sake glass he gave me, but my eyes seemed to have frozen over as I stared. Kenshin didn't speak; I guess he was waiting for my reaction.

"Kenshin" I breathed pulling the small ring that he had placed inside the sake.

"Marry me Kaoru" was all he said and I jumped in shock, I hadn't fully understood what the ring meant, but he had confirmed it with what he last said.

"But Kens-"my eyes wide from shock I stared at the ring.

"Kaoru, marry me" he prevented me from saying the obvious.

"I will" I felt as though with just one look from him I was being hypnotized. And as soon as I uttered them few words his lips crashed against mine and I felt his desperate need for love cover me like a blanket. But even as I closed my eyes and leaned further into his soft kisses, I couldn't help but think of what had tormented my mind right from the start of this relationship…… 'He's already married'.

Flashback to be continued

Please Review!

P.S. Kenshin and Kaoru are throwing a New Years Eve party. Any more questions I will try my best to answer. Thank you.