AN: This story start the moment where Kenshin and Tomoe sit together against the wall, wrapped in a sheet. The point where Kenshin asks Tomoe to marry him for real.

Remark: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, it belongs to Nobuhiro Watsuki.


Kenshin and Tomoe: alternate ending to Trust and Betrayal

Kenshin and Tomoe were sitting near the fire in each others' arms. With a sheet around them to protect themselves from the cold winter.

"You told me that I couldn't be happy killing people. You said that I caused the bloody rain to fall," Kenshin suddenly said.

"Yes," Tomoe replied as she nuzzled against him.

"You tried to make me understand that my heart and my hands were living at cross purposes," Kenshin continued.

"Yes."

"I should have listened to you ... before, but I can't stop using my skills just yet. Not until the old order has been totally destroyed. Once these dark days have ended I want to find a way to better humanity without the use of my sword. I will come to terms with my life's purpose and I will atone for all I've done wrong and if you ... if you stay with me ... I will make sure your happiness never ends ... Tomoe?" he ended asking

"What?" she asked softly.

"Will you marry me ... really?" Kenshin asked as he looked her in the eye.

Tomoe was astonished by the question, but a smile crept on her face as she answered him. "Yes."

That night they slept together for the first time. But as the morning appeared Tomoe rose. She wouldn't let them kill him, no she couldn't let them kill him. She dressed and left the house. A little while later Kenshin awoke to find the other side of the futon empty.

"Tomoe?!" he called out. She wasn't there. He stood and looked around. Suddenly Iizuka entered.

"Kenshin, I found out who the spy is, it's her."

"What! No that can't be true! You're lying!"

"Read her first words in her diary, that will explain everything," Iizuka said. "Remember the guy who gave you that scar? He was her fiancé."

Kenshin's eyes widened in shock. A hand went to his scar and brushed it. "I killed her fiancé?" There was a silence. Kenshin started to tremble. "Get out! Get out! I don't want to see you! Get out! Leave me alone!" he yelled while dropping on his knees.

"You have to go up there and kill her!" Iizuka ordered.

'Tomoe, I will...'

Kenshin rose and took his sword.

'...protect ...'

He walked toward the door and stopped beside Iizuka.

'...my wife!'

"You're lying! She can't be the spy! I was betrayed before I even met her! That makes that not she but you are the spy!"

Iizuka's eyes widened in shock and with that expression he left the world. Kenshin dropped his sword and fell on his knees again, sobbing loudly. He crawled on his knees to the little desk and took the diary out of the drawer. He never had read in it, he always had respected her privacy.

It's true he stole my only happiness, but he gave me a new one instead.

I think I've forgiven him a long time ago.

Living here with him has been the most wonderful time of my life.

I don't want it to end, but now I've betrayed him.

I won't let him die!

I'll stop this now.

I love him.

Kenshin felt tears rolling down his cheek. She had betrayed him and now she was trying to help him out.

'I have to save her! They won't let her go if she's trying to stop them. I'm the one they want, I'm the one who can stop them!'

After he had cleaned up the body, which meant burned it, Kenshin quickly dressed and grabbed his sword, then he hurried away.

Kenshin fought and defeated the men easily, because he was focussed on one thing: 'saving Tomoe!'

But then the leader of the gang took Tomoe and held a dagger to her throat. Enishi, who had been hiding in the bushes, appeared.

"Hey that was not our plan!" he yelled.

"Shut up you little prat!" the man yelled and he pointed his dagger at Enishi.

"Leave him alone!" Tomoe begged. The man slapped her against her cheek. Tomoe fell on the ground.

"How dare you!" Enishi yelled enraged and he stormed toward the man.

The man laughed evilly and held his dagger ready to kill the boy.

"No!" Tomoe yelled as she crawled on her feet and jumped in front of her brother. The things that happened next went so quick that both Enishi and Kenshin weren't able to move a single feet. The man had stabbed Tomoe in the area of her collarbone. Tomoe fell on the ground again. Her kimono quickly got drenched in blood. Kenshin lurched forwards with his sword and fought against the man. He was so angry that it didn't take him long to cut the man's head off. Enishi knelled down beside Tomoe and trembled as he thought what he could do to help his older sister. After Kenshin had finished the man he sat down beside Enishi.

"We need to get her back to the house," he immediately said. He took the dagger with his right hand and placed his left gently on Tomoe's shoulder.

"Enishi, take her scarf, the wound needs to be covered once I pull the dagger out," Kenshin commanded. Enishi nodded and took the scarf in his hand. Kenshin pulled the dagger slowly out of Tomoe's shoulder.

"Now Enishi, the scarf!" he said. Enishi gave him the scarf and Kenshin tied the scarf thigh round her shoulder.

"That'll do for now," he said and he picked her up.

Once in the house Kenshin told Enishi to take the futon and to lay it near the fireplace. Enishi took the futon as he noticed that it was for two persons, it was even slept on by two persons. His eyes widened, but he quickly grabbed the futon and carried it to the fireplace. Kenshin laid Tomoe on the futon and made a fire. Then he took a little sewing box from the drawer. He took one needle of it and warmed it in the fire.

"What are you going to do?" Enishi asked shocked.

"Stitch the wound," Kenshin answered calmly.

"You can't do that! You're not a doctor!" Enishi yelled.

"Have you seen where we are? We're in de middle of nowhere, the wound needs to be closed and there is no time to wait for a doctor! You're right I'm not a doctor, but it's not the first time I stitched a wound."

He ripped the kimono shoulder open so the wound wouldn't start bleeding again as it would have if he had taken the kimono off. Tomoe slowly opened her eyes.

"Ken-shin?"

"I'm here. Do you trust me?"

"Yes," Tomoe said firmly.

"I know this might hurt, but try to move as less as possible."

Tomoe nodded. Kenshin carefully started stitching the wound. Tomoe flinched sometimes, silent tears ran over her cheeks, but she didn't scream. Enishi could only stare at the two.

A little while later, Kenshin had finished stitching the wound. He gently took the kimono of with some help of Enishi and helped her in her yukata after he had bandaged the wound. Kenshin gave her some medicine to avoid inflammation.

"Will she be alright?" Enishi asked.

"I think so, she hasn't lost too much blood, as long as the wound doesn't inflame there's no reason to worry," Kenshin said as he took another futon and rolled it out on the other side of the fire. "Here you can sleep on this one," he added, pointing at the futon while giving Enishi a yukata.

'What kind of man is he? He murdered Sis' fiancé without hesitation, but he cares for her. What is he fighting for, why did he kill him?' Enishi thought.

"I can feel your spirit is confused," Kenshin suddenly stated as he put his own yukata on.

"Yes, tell me who are you really?"

Kenshin blinked in surprise, but recovered quickly. "You ask me who I'm and you have a right to know. I'm a assassin of the Ishin Shishi. I fight and kill for a new era, where all people can live peacefully without being suppressed, but unlike many others I don't like what I'm doing. Once this all is over I want to live a peaceful life.

I know you hate me for taking your sister's happiness away, but as much as I want I can't bring him back-"

"I'm not asking you to," a soft voice said. Enishi and Kenshin turned their head to Tomoe. "I've got you now." She grabbed the fabric of Kenshin's yukata with her not wounded arm and sat up. Enishi could only stare as she locked her lips with his.

'Is that what she wants? Does she really love him?'

Kenshin pulled away and pulled Tomoe close to him. "I told you that I'd protect my wife and I will, I promise."

"I know."

Kenshin turned toward Enishi. "Try to catch some sleep, I'll watch over her."

Enishi didn't know why, but suddenly he trusted the word of the assassin. Even he could see there was a bond between his sister and the man. He put the yukata on and crawled under the sheets.

Kenshin laid Tomoe gently down again and laid down next to her.

The next morning Enishi awoke to find Kenshin and Tomoe already awake. Kenshin was bandaging the shoulder again.

"I don't think we have any reason to worry, the wound is healing well and hasn't inflamed." Kenshin rose, he was already dressed. Tomoe put her kimono on and started preparing breakfast.

Enishi stood up. "Sister, how are you feeling?"

"I'm alright, Enishi. Did you sleep well? Are you hungry?" Tomoe asked smiling.

Enishi smiled and nodded.

Suddenly there was a knock on the shoji. Kenshin walked toward it and shoved it open.

"Katsura!"

"Kenshin, we've discovered the spy, it's Iizuka, he has disappeared, I came here to check if you were alright. He is planning a complot against you."

"I know, I killed him yesterday, as for the complot, I took care of it. Would you like to come in."

"Kenshin, I have to ask you to go to Kyoto-"

"That can wait till later, Tomoe got hurt and I'm not planning to leave right now."

"Tomoe got hurt?"

"Yeah, she's alright now, I think," Kenshin said as he stepped aside and let Katsura in.

"Would you like some tea?" Tomoe asked politely.

Katsura smiled and nodded. "Yes, that would be very nice. It's pretty cold outside."

Tomoe nodded and wanted to take the kettle water to put it on the fire, but Kenshin stopped her. "Here let me do that, you might hurt your shoulder," he said gently as he took the kettle and put it on the fire.

It was then that Katsura noticed Enishi. "And who's this young man?" he asked.

"He's my little brother," Tomoe answered as she laid a hand on Enishi's shoulder.

"Yukishiro Enishi then," Katsura said smiling and then he turned to Kenshin. "Kenshin, we really need you in Kyoto! Everything is chaotic, if we lose now, then the new era won't make its appearance in the next 50 years!"

Kenshin looked at his feet. "Alright, I will go, but I still wish to keep my identity secret. Once this is over I'll be gone."

Katsura nodded. "I understand. I'll be going then. Come to the village tomorrow, meet me at the inn. I'll give you further instructions there." With that, Katsura rose and left.

The next morning Tomoe awoke and sat straight to find Kenshin already dressed in his white hakama and blue gi.

"Are you leaving already?" she asked softly.

Kenshin nodded as he sat down at her side. "I have to."

"No, you don't. You don't have to prove yourself. I'm not making the same mistake I made with Kiyosato. I-" Tomoe was interrupted by Kenshin kissing her.

He took her in his arms. "Tomoe, I love you. I promised you that I would stop killing once these dark days are gone. And when I come back, I'll marry you, if you still want."

Silent tears rolled over Tomoe's cheeks. "Those were the same words he used, but he didn't come back!" Tomoe cried, while burying her head in Kenshin's chest.

Kenshin walked through the snow to town. He was in deep thoughts. 'Those were the same words he used, but he didn't come back!' The snow cracked underneath his feet. 'He was killed because I didn't show him enough that I loved him. I'm not making the same mistake again.' The small houses of the town appeared in his sight. 'I love you Kenshin, please don't do this to me, not again!' He entered the inn.

"There you are, you're late-"

"I can't do this." Kenshin said.

"What are you talking about?" Katsura asked surprised.

"I can't do this to Tomoe, she needs me more than they do in Kyoto. I already did my part in the revolution. My ryu is not meant to kill the old order, but to protect the lives of the new one."

Katsura smiled and nodded. "You're right. I shouldn't be asking this of you. Go back home, to the one who loves you. Live happy and grow old together. I'll visit you once this all is over."

Kenshin nodded gratefully and left the inn, running back to the small cottage. He slowly opened the shoji and saw Enishi comforting Tomoe. He stepped inside and both of them turned their head toward him.

"I've made my choice! My days as hitokiri are past, from now on I want to spend the rest of my life at your side."

After he said that, Tomoe crawled on her feet and ran toward him, falling straight into his arms.

"I love you Kenshin!"

"I love you too, Tomoe," Kenshin smiled and he kissed her.

Enishi rolled his eyes. "Hey, it's not because I've accepted that you're my brother-in-law that I like to see you two kissing."

"Hold on for a couple of months, when spring starts, we'll built an extra room for you," Kenshin said.

"What? You mean, you let me stay here?" Enishi asked surprised.

"Of course, Enishi, you're part of the family," Tomoe said.

Kenshin smiled. 'Ah, family.'

The End

AN: Hope you liked it, reviews are welcome, because I might get encouraged to write a sequel.