As Kaoru Himura tucked her son Kenji tightly into bed, she smiled and thought of how wonderful a little boy he was, so young and yet still so much like his father. Even though he was only a child of eleven, Kenji had begun learning the Kamiya-Kasshin Ryu years earlier and had recently taken an interest in the more violent ways of his father's style. He'd even suggested to her seeking out Master Hiko to learn the techniques for himself. She was understandably reluctant.
After kissing his forehead gently and telling him how much she loved him, Kaoru quietly slipped out of the room and sat on the front porch of the dojo, staring up at the moon as usual. This had become a nightly routine ever since Kenshin left. She would just gaze up at the stars and wonder if perhaps he was looking at those exact same stars right at that moment.
Gods, she missed him so much. It seemed that their married life had only just begun when he had been taken away from her to go fight on the continent. And poor little Kenji had only been a baby, so he had never really known his father. She could only speculate as to what their life would be like if Kenshin were still there, if he had never left. Of course, there were always the little uprisings in town of which her husband was usually part, but other than that, she imagined that their days together would have been those of quiet contentedness and joy.
Each day she would walk to the docks when it was time for the ships to come in, praying that the next one to port would be the one carrying her love back to her, and each day her hopes were dashed into pieces once again. Thus, she was left only to hope from a letter or a note, something that would let her know that he was all right and doing everything he could to get back to her and their son.
She worried even more because of the terrible disease that Kenshin had been stricken with years before. She knew that by now it must have taken quite the toll on his body, and it troubled her to think that he was in a strange land, unable to find anyone to care for him and his wounds that would never heal.
"Kenshin," she whispered gently as she continued to stare at the sky, hoping that the wind would carry her words to him. "Kenshin, my love, where are you?"
All I have is a picture in my mind
How it would be
If we were together
Let's pretend that you're far away
Let's say that you'll write to me
And you promise in your letter
Even after all this time, Kaoru could still remember the first time she had brought Kenshin back to the dojo with her. He had seemed like such a strange man, a wanderer obviously and not really one to make friends easily, but behind that whimsical and almost innocent smile, she could see the traces of a man with a broken heart. It had taken her years to learn everything about him, and she remembered the astonishment she felt upon realizing that he was, in fact, the Hitokiri Battousai of legend.
It had also taken her a while to accept the fact that this man, whom she had already fallen madly in love with, had slaughtered countless numbers of innocent people during the war several years previous. Kenshin certainly didn't seem like a murderer…at least not at first. It wasn't until his battle with a rather daunting man named Jinei that she saw his true nature, the nature of the killer.
More and more she had begun to see it as their years together wore on. After his battle with Makoto Shisho, he had stayed secluded and angry at the world, and she realized once again that he had had this entire life before her that she knew almost nothing about. Of course, none of this effected her love for him, and each time he returned, she would welcome him back with open arms.
After returning to the dojo when Kenshin's wounds were sufficiently healed, she had held her hand out to him and said, "Welcome home, Kenshin." He told her later that nothing in the world had ever meant more to him than to hear her, such a kind and good woman, welcoming him home despite his obvious flaws. She had to sigh deeply as she remembered that first embrace he afforded her directly after telling her this. What a sweet embrace it had been!
That you'll come home
Come home to my heart
When you come home
We'll never be apart
Later that night, Kaoru finally retired to bed, hoping that sleep would ease her restless mind. She should have known that her heart had different plans, and she was kept awake all night, tossing and turning on dreams of her lost love. The first couple of dreams she had that night were sweet memories, letting her sense all that love and deep emotion that she hadn't felt since before Kenshin left. However, the next couple of dreams were all terrifying nightmares.
She dreamt of his ship crashing, a sword slashing, Kenshin's cries for help as no one could get to him. She awoke with a start after one such dream and realized that it was even still dark outside. Gods, when would these horrible nights of torture end? Every night it seemed as though the sun would never rise, as if she would be stuck in this world of eternally nightmarish thoughts forever.
Running a hand through her long hair, she took a deep breath and built up within herself a new resolve. She couldn't start having these thoughts now, not after such a long time of believing in him. Kenshin had always been a strong man, and she knew without a doubt that he would someday return to her. She just had to keep trusting that the gods would keep him safe. Yes, Kenshin would come back someday, and like the patient and dedicated wife that she was, she would wait for him as long as it took.
If I keep dreaming of you
Start believing it's true
Soon you'll come home
Soon you'll come home
Soon you'll come home to my heart
The years passed in slow succession, and what seemed like an eternity later, Kaoru was several years older and her son was a grown man. Kenji had been gone for several months now, training with Master Hiko in the forests outside of the city, and he had absolutely no idea that his mother was now deathly ill, dying not only from the disease she willingly took on from Kenshin, but also from a broken heart at not seeing him for so long.
Yahiko and Miss Megumi had been looking after her attentively, and they had been a big help around the dojo ever since Kaoru had taken ill. She was so proud of the way Yahiko had grown up to be such a mature, responsible man. Even though she wouldn't have admitted it several years ago, she had always worried about him as a boy. He had always been so impulsive and careless. She had been almost sure that he wouldn't live to see twenty, but again she was glad that he had proven her wrong.
One bright spring day, Yahiko had gone into town to see his wife Tsubame and Megumi had taken her temporary leave to go check on things at the hospital, leaving Kaoru alone for just a little while and trusting that she would stay in bed like she was supposed to. Kaoru, however, had never been so obedient, especially not to Megumi.
She forced herself up and put on a long robe, and she began to walk down the long dirt road that led from the dojo into town. She couldn't have said what it was that was leading her that way, but she felt as though some unknown force was pulling her in that direction, calling her toward it.
It was only a few minutes later that she noticed someone on the path ahead, a man who was walking with great difficulty and supporting himself with a katana. Looking closer, she saw a flash of bright red hair, and she smiled weakly as she called out, "Kenshin! Shinta!"
The man ahead looked up and smiled just a little before falling to the ground from weakness. Kaoru went as fast as she could under the conditions and knelt beside him, letting him rest his head in her lap. She gently stroked his hair, keeping the tears at bay, as she said, "My Shinta, I knew you would come home."
He sighed deeply and whispered, "I'm sorry, Kaoru, that it took me so long. I am home now, and we can finally be together again…that we can."
She smiled and couldn't help but let a little tear fall. Hearing him say those words again was enough to break her down completely. She nodded gently and continued to hold him close to her. Her Kenshin, her Shinta was finally home.
Soon you'll come home
Home to my heart
Soon you'll come home
Home to my heart
If I believe