Memories of the Past, Haunting the Future

Disclaimer: The usual legal mumbo – jumbo. I do not own Ruroni Kenshin. All RK characters are the creation of Nobuhiro Watsuki etc. However, any made up characters are mine.

A/N: What? A new fic? What happened to Just One Wish? Don't worry (be happy) I will finish Just One Wish, I just had the idea for this fic and I had to write it. I also noticed the small number of RK fics and decided to do my part in raising the population. ^.^() Have fun and review it please!!

Chapter One

"Iie…Kaoru…aishiteru…" Kenshin whispered, his voice breaking.

"Kenshin…anata…aishiteru." Kaoru's grip on his hand tightened imperceptibly. "Take care of her please… aishiteru…" Her voice faded away, her once bright eyes closed slowly and her grip on his hand went limp.

"Kaoru?" Kenshin's eyes widened with shock and fear. "Kaoru!!" His cry echoed a broken heart. He thought of Tomoe. 'No…not again. Not again!' He cradled his wife's body in his arms sobbing.

"No. Kaoru…"

******

"Tousan?" Kenshin's violet eyes focused on the little girl in front of him.

"Hai Ayumi-chan?" He smiled, putting aside his thoughts of the past for now.

The little girl scrambled into her father's lap. Her dark hair, so like her mother's swung around her face. She looked very much like her mother had at that age. Excepting her eyes. She had Kenshin's violet eyes.

"Yahiko-san won't teach me." The little girl pouted. Her protruding lower lip trembled as she turned large, pleading eyes on her father.

"Ayumi-chan we've been over this." Kenshin said with a slight sigh. He hated having to say no to his daughter. "You're only six years old and -"

"I can learn to fight too!" She cried, sparks flying from her vibrant eyes.

Kenshin had to smile at that. She was like her mother in many ways. Both of them were fiercely determined, some might call it stubborn, about many things. Impulsive at times too. The red headed warrior thought about the time Kaoru had followed him all the way to Kyoto, just to make sure he was okay. That he would be okay.

"You can teach me!" Ayumi cried triumphantly.

"Oro?!" Kenshin's eyes bugged out of his head in surprise.

Ayumi giggled at her daddy's reaction before nodding. She pointed to the sword at his side. The same sword he had fought Shishio Makato with. She smiled sweetly.

"Sanosuke-san told me you were the best slasher ever! He told me about how you fought all those people and how you almost died when you fought Shishio and how he broke his hand while fighting. And the time Yahiko-san fought that flying bird man and kasan-"

Kenshin held up a hand in an effort to either slow her down or halt the steady stream of words.

"Sano told you all that huh?" Kenshin asked, his voice as calm as ever. Inside he wasn't sure if he liked his daughter knowing about all that. But it was too late now. 'The past catches up with us after all.'

"Tousan, what's a slasher?" Ayumi asked innocently.

Kenshin sweatdropped. "Ahh…" His mind raced, trying to think of a definition for slasher that was suitable for a six year old's tender sensitivities. "Um…well…heh…a slasher…a slasher works for the…ah…government! I…um…worked for the government." Kenshin finished, hoping she wouldn't ask exactly what he did in the government. He wasn't exactly proud of his past.

"Oh."

Kenshin sighed with relief. His bloody past was not something he wanted to share with his daughter just yet. 'Maybe when she's a little older…'

"Tousan? Will you please, please, please teach me how to use a sword?" She looked up at him pleadingly. "Pretty please?"

He smiled, his one weakness. He was sure he'd never be able to say no to the little girl in front of him. His little girl. He knew he spoilt her sometimes. Kaoru wasn't around to reprimand him for spoiling her.

'Kaoru…'

He winced a little remembering her hitting him on the head with her shinai and yelling at him when ever he did something wrong.

"BAKA!"

The shinai whacked him squarely on the head, resulting in a lump the size of a fist.

"Oro!" Kenshin yelped, swirly eyed.

He gave Ayumi a hug. She was his angel. It was Ayumi who had saved him from despair. When Kaoru died he had wanted to leave the dojo, leave the memories behind. To become the ruroni again, the wanderer. That was his way out. Sano, Megumi, Yahiko, even Tae had tried to reason with him. He hadn't listened. Only his daughter had made him stay. The one person who had really needed him. Ayumi. His angel. Kaoru's gift.

"Alright. Let's go find Yahiko. He can help teach you too. We'll need to find a shinai that suits you."

"But tousan, I wanted to use a sword!" The little girl protested.

"Ayumi…" There was a hint of a warning in his voice. She knew when she had taken it too far. With a smile, the girl slipped her hand in his.

Hand in hand the child and the warrior made their way towards the dojo. Smiling, for the future was bright and peace was at hand.

******

"Are you sure this is the right place?"

"Hai." The boy nodded his head in the darkness, forgetting that he couldn't be seen. "This is where Himura Kenshin, also known as the Hikoteri Battousai, lives."

"Very well." The shadowed figure did not move his body, allowing his eyes to take in his surroundings. "Leave boy."

"But you said - " The boy began to protest. The thought of money promised had made him bold.

"Leave!" The man growled threateningly.

The boy fled.

"Now Battousai…" The man drew out the syllables, "Your day has finally come." He chuckled evilly.

******

Kenshin watched his daughter, now fast asleep on the futons. He smiled, the lesson had really worn her out. He reached down and tucked a stray wisp of hair behind her ear and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"She looks like Jou-chan doesn't she?"

Kenshin jumped slightly, startled. Then he laughed softly, turning to face his friend.

"Hai." He admitted. "She does."

"You miss her." The taller man smiled a little sadly at his red headed friend, all traces of cockiness gone.

Kenshin's expression was thoughtful. "Hai."

******

Well what do you think? The truth okay? Review it please!! I'm sorry for the Japanese spelling. I'm not Japanese so I'm not all too sure on the spelling part okay? If anyone wants to help me out with that…email me! Arigato for reading!

Smabbi - san