Just a oneshot.

Read how Kaoru and Kenshin escape an old enemy of Kenshins, after he had captured Kaoru in the middle of a fight. Something Kaoru has waited for long enough finally happens.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin ;)

"Come in Himura."

Kenshin had waited infront of the door to calm down. He tightened his grip on the doorknob, trying to collect all the strength he had left. He found it wasn't that much. But there was no other way. He had to fight and he would fight. He would fight for her. He would die for her.
Slowly he pushed the heavy door open. There she stood in the middle of a big circular room, nearly thirty men around her, with a very sharp blade at her neck. She was pale and didn't dare to turn around to him to meet his gaze. But her ki was strong. She had not given up yet.

"Daisuke.", he said cooly.
"You are only a shadow of yourself, Hitokiri Battousai...", the man scoffed at him.
"Let her go.", Kenshin demanded.
"I won't do such a thing.", was his answer.
"Then I'll free her.", there was no other way. He had to fight for her. His hand reached for the sakabatou at his side, but he froze when he heard the voice of his enemy again: "If you draw your sword, she will die."
He heard Kaoru wince slightly when the sharp edge of the sword cut little into the sensitive flesh at her throat. "Karou-dono!", he yelled, his arm no hanging loosely at his side, to not provoke anything further.
"She has a few more minutes, Himura... You know I enjoy a good fight from time to time. I am curious what a little girl can do with a sword in her hands...", Daisuke laughed. He laughed and laughed and Kenshin shifted to the side, but immediately stopped when Kaoru winced again.
Kenshin felt how he lost control. He tried to calm himself, but he became angrier and angrier. His dark side pushed him further and further.
"Come over to me, so we can watch together."
Kenshin hissed: "Maybe I will break my vow someday for you, Daisuke...", but made his way over to his enemy. He felt them coming, but stumbled forward when one of the men grabbed his arm from behind, pushing him into the back. He fell on his knees, head forced high with the sword at his throat. Now it was Kaoru who yelled for him, now her voice was fearful as was her ki.
"It's allright, Kaoru-dono.", he said with a low voice that was much deeper than usual. He did not look at her, she knew that the golden specks in his eyes would have frightend her even more. So he threw a hatred glance to Daisuke who chuckled next to him.

"Let her free!", Daisuke yelled suddenly, before he glanced down to Kenshin, answering his gaze: "I'll watch that with you... and I will enjoy every strike I see...", he murmured to him, pulling at the second sword at his hip, threwing it over to the young woman.
Kaoru was surprised, but caught it with her hands, staring at it determined.
"Draw girl and show us what you have learned from your idiotic father. Show us how you protect yourself...".
Kenshin clenched his teeth so loud it echoed through the whole room. But again Kaorus voice was calm when she answered: "I will fight you without drawing this."She took a defensive stance and narrowed her eyes at Daisuke. Kenshins heart hammered in his chest.
"Oh...you will not fight me! Attack her!", Daisuke yelled.
Kaoru registered quickly the meaning of his words and jumped forward, away from her two guards and swung her sword high. With one fluid motion she hit them both, leaving them tumbling down to the ground.
For a short moment Kenshin was excited, but then he saw, how tense her hold on the hilt really was, and his fear for her came back. The unknown weight in her hands would slow her down. Although she sword was a little bit longer then one of her bokken. She would not last long again all these men.

But first of all she fought great.

She dodged attack for attack with such an elegance that he held his breath. She hadn't looked more beautiful...more dangerous ever before. But he saw that she became slower. Her face was pale, her eyes narrowed in concentration, when she struck out big. What the hell was her plan?
He only realized when the sword flew away from her. She looked down onto the iron sheath in her hands, relief in her eyes. Her opponents stopped dead in their tracks, surprised and the clangour echoed through the room when the sword hit the ground.
"Much better...", she murmured to herself and jumped into the air with a fighting yell, turning around in the air, hitting the men left and right from her with her feet directly at the head. She hit a third man with the sheath on the shoulder while landing.
She had gathered some time against all her opponents. And she had injured nearly half of them.
He had to marry that woman.
Then one of the men hit her arm. Blood splashed, but she lunged forward, bouncing the tip of her weapon into his chest. The man tumbled backwards, handicapping the men behind him and Karou won the time she needed to avoid the attack from the other side.
She waited for the sword to come down onto her, she waited so long that Kenshin was nearly screaming at her to move, but she used the technique, she had taught to Yahiko, perfectly. When she jumped forward again, she hit the man with the end of the sheath with the same perfection at his throat. He was fascinated. She excelled herself. But he knew she couldn't win that fight. She had even more than ten men against her and there was Daisuke, too. And that was a fight she couldn't win. He had to do something.
He looked away from her and saw that his guard was fascinated just like him. The blade wasn't directed at his neck anymore, it merely pointed to his chest. A plan formed in his head.
When he decided to move, Daisuke stopped the fight: "STOP NOW! We played enough!"
He let his gaze wander over his beaten men and frowned: "I am impressed what a little girl can do."
"Don't underestimate me.", Kaoru was panting.
"If you are talanted in other things just like this?", Daisuke asked leering, "you're a pretty little thing you know? What do you think of sharing, Himura?"
"Nothing.", Kenshin answered, and let himself fall forward into the sword of his guard. For a short moment the world became black around him, when it cut into his flesh, but he didn't hestitate, hitting the man in the hollow of his knee and throwing him over his shoulder, when he fell onto his back.
Kenshin did not wait for Daisukes reaction, lunging forward hitting the man infront of him with the Kuzu-ryu-sen. The remaining guards had thrown themselfes onto Kaoru, burrying her under their bodies. He ran towards her, jumping over Daisukes head, countering his attack in the air, pushing himself a little bit wider with the force of the blow. He stumbled when he landed and fell more into the fight around Karou like he attacked properly. But it was the sight of her that gave him, or the dark side in him, new strength. Her weapon had been cut in half and she was bleeding from many little and some bigger wounds. Her movement had become slow and weak but she fought grimly.

"Kenshin! Look out!", he saw her horror when the sword hit him in the back. He fell forward, turning around, raising the sakabatou in the last moment, parrying the enormous blow. Daisuke was standing above him, pushing against his sword with his whole might. Kenshin felt the edge of his own sword cutting into his chest, but he held his position.
Daisuke struck out again, leaving time for Kenshin to move. But Kenshin didn't bother to stand up, instead he kicked after the last men who stood against Kaoru. He felt his feet connecting with the legs of the men, then he swung his sword around and managed to parry the attack of Daisuke. The sword hit his shoulder instead of his head.
"Die now, Battousai! For my family!", the man above him yelled and Kenshin struggled to get up, when Daisuke paled and raised his hand to his chest. "What...?", his voice died and he coughed blood onto Kenshin. And Kenshin rolled to the side swiftly, when Daisuke crashed onto the floor.
Panting he looked up, now it was Kaoru who stood infront of him, all bloodied and wet, shaking, with a little knife in her hand.
"Kaoru-dono...", he managed to stutter. Her gaze was empty: "I did not want... I didn't..."
She was shocked.
"It is allright, Kaoru-dono, it is allright.", he murmured fighting himself onto his feet. The knife fell down from her shaking hands onto the floor.
"You saved my life Kaoru-dono.", he whispered reaching out to touch her shoulder.
"I didn't want to kill him. I am so... sorry...", her words were weak, he hoped she would not faint infront of him.
"Daisuke is not dead, Kaoru-dono. You missed his heart. He will regain his strength. But you saved my life. I am glad..."
"I am glad...", she whispered and Kenshin was not quite sure if she talked about Daisuke or that she managed to rescue him in time, but it was of no matter at the moment.
"We should head away from here.", he said and saw relieved how she nodded. He pushed her forward, stumbled through the empty castle next to her. Time seemed to stand still when he laied his arm around her shoulders when they reached the exit, heading north. When they reached the forest he felt, she couldn't go further.
She protested, but he lifted her up, carrying her, step by step moving forward only powered by the thought to keep her safe. He nearly walked past the little cabin.
"We made it Kaoru-dono...", he murmured quietly to the woman in his arms. But she didn't answer anymore. She was unconscious.
He pushed the door open with his feet, laying her down onto the floor in the middle of the room. For a second he wished for nothing more than to lie down next to her, but he had to treat their wounds. He had to. A few of them were quite serious. He couldn't risk to lose his arm because of the one on his shoulder.
He threw some of the wood into the fireplace and lightened it. With shaking hands he filled some water into a jar, hung it above the fire and sank down next to Kaoru.
"Forgive me...", he said more to himself, when he began to untie the bindings of her hakama, to pull out the rests of her ripped gi. Marveling he stripped it from her shoulders and petted over her naked skin.
Slowly it got warmer inside the little cabin, but he was sure that he would have to wait a few more moments for the water to boil. He made his way to the closet in the corner, opening it to find a blanket, fabric and fresh clothes. He grabbed everything he could carry and took the water from the fire. It would be cold tonight.
He began to wash the blood of Kaorus body. Careful he let his finger slide over her soft skin, marveling every inch of the woman infront of him. The kendo training had left marks on her body...she was perfect. How he had wished to touch her like that... but in his mind she had been awake, had savoured his caresses and had returned them. He felt relief that none of her wounds were deep or threatening.
It was more difficult to tend to his own. Normally he would have stitched them, but he was sure he wouldn't find something to do it. He bandadged himself, before he pulled the blanket over Kaoru and collapsed next to her.

Kaoru awoke with burning pain everywhere in her body. She wanted to move, but she couldn't. Something heavy was laying on her chest, but it felt good. It felt wam. Careful she moved her left hand and touched over her face. She stopped at her neck when she felt the tight bandadge. When her fingers reached her naked body under the blanket she froze completely. Why the hell was she naked?! She forced herself to open her eyes and looked directly into a flickering fire. She turned to her left and jerked back, when she saw Kenshins face only inches away from her. It was his arm that was lying on her chest... huh.
She gathered the last things she could remember. He must have carried her to this place, when she had not been able to walk any further, her heart began to beat faster. He must have stripped her and tended her wounds. She felt herself horribly blushing when she registered he had seen her naked, before covering her with the blanket.
Then she scolded herself. Kenshin wasn't a man who would use such a situation. She watched him in the flickering light of the fire and followed the dance of light and shadow on his pale skin. The wish to touch him became overwhelming in her. Slowly she reached out for him, laying her hand tentavely onto his chest. Carefully she draw the lines of his muscles with her fingertips.
"Kaoru...", she heard his vague voice and froze. She had woke him!
She felt herself blush again, when she looked up shyly. But his eyes were closed and his breathing was steady. Was he sleeping?! She felt her heart warming.
His skin was so cold, that she shivered. He had been to modest to get under the blanket with her, she understood and sighed. She threw away the thought that she had nothing on, lifted the blanket and pulled it over his sleeping form. She moved a little bit more in his direction to cover them both properly with the fabric. She was so close at his side, that ther upper bodies touched lightly. A shiver ran down her spine and she was fascinated by the feelings inside her stomach, when his skin contacted hers while breathing. It felt so... right.

"Kaoru-dono?", this time his voice was asking and confused and she knew he was awake. Did she really thought he wouldn't wake up? The most feared killer and fighter in the bakumatsu, trained to jump up at the slightest sound?
"Shhh...", she voiced, pressing her finger to his lips, before he could say anything. The darkness gave her more courage to say her next words: "Hold me...", she whispered into his chest.
First he seemd frozen and Kaoru asked herself if he would reject her and when it became unbearable she felt his hand moving over her hip to the small of her back. She held her breath when she felt his rough hands on her soft skin, his fingers wandering down her spine. Her hand fell from his lips, now resting on his chest. Careful his hands moved back to her hip and he pushed her onto her back. Kaoru saw him leaning into her, before his lips touched hers lightly. But he pulled away directly, gazing down on her, his eyes golden pools: "Tell me to stop..."

But instead she moved her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her and when he kissed her again fireworks started in her body. His kisses wandered down her neck and he planted some more featherlight onto her collarbone. A little growl escaped his chest. Carefully he ended his kiss and looked into her eyes again. Kaorus heart began to beat, like it wanted to dance out of her chest.
"You should be sleeping... you need to rest.", he whispered, but he looked like he had to force himself to say those words, but his movement seemed definite, when he layed down next to her. But he pulled her to him, closing his arms around her protectively.
And Kaoru couldn't resist to press her lips onto his neck. She chuckled when she heard his pleased chuntering. She didn't waste a thought about her doing, when she kissed him again, a little bit deeper onto his chest. It prickled in her, when she heard his little moan. It was a wonderful feeling.
His hand grabbed her leg, pulling her up to him a little bit roughly. And his lips were only inches away from hers when he said: "You should not test my control..."
But she saw the fire in his eyes, heard his hardly controlled voice and felt his hand holding gripping her tigh firmly.
"Who says you should keep control?", her voice was hoarse when she whispered into his ear. A part from her asked herself what the hell she was doing, seducing this man? But to the bigger part logic didn't exist at the moment. She felt his lips moving on her neck til his mouth was directly at her ear: "This would be very improper..."
"What part of this is proper?", she whispered back and her lips touched his earlobe.
She heard him exhaling her name again, sounding desperate, before he kissed her again. The kiss wasn't as careful as the first one. It was harsher and passionate, it was needy. She felt how he turned her around again, laying ontop of her, keeping his weight off her with his arm.
Her hands explored his body, touching the waistband of his hakama, while his free hand carressed her belly. His calloused hands brought sensations to her sensitive skin. It made her insane.
"Kaoru forgive me...", she saw the confusing play of gold and violet in his eyes.
"You don't need to apologise...", she murmured onto his skin and let her lips wander over it, when she pulled herself up to him. His hand supported her in her neck and she felt his hot breath on her face.
"You don't know what you are doing...", he tried to say, but she felt her victory.
"But I want to be near you, Kenshin...", she answered and his barrier fell down.
Suddenly they were both sitting and he pressed his naked chest against hers. Seconds later she felt her hair fall onto her back and she didn't understand what happened to her. The only thing she felt was him, everywhere, his hands at her breasts, at her tighs, in her neck, in her hair... He kissed her with a passion she had not know he held inside of him.
When they were both naked completely he pushed her back onto the floor, hesitating for a last time. His golden eyes looked down on her questioning. She nodded a little bit nervously, bus she knew she could trust him. And now he kissed her, like he wanted to protect her. And his fingers became more gentle on her skin, sliding down between her breasts, down her belly, before they dissappeared between her legs. Kaoru moaned. What was he doing?
It felt so good, how he carressed her. She felt her breathing becoming heavier. Feelings she had not known were possible were rolling over her. But he withdrew his hand and his now wet fingers captured her breast and his lips were again on her neck, his tounge wandering down, encirceling her nipple. And then he bit her...
"Kenshin!", she cried out, before his lips closed hers again and she felt something hard between her legs.
"This could be hurting...", he moaned. She nodded. She knew that much. But she didn't answer, she only moved her hips up a little bit so that his tip touched her. She heard him moaning again. But he was waiting...
"Kenshin...", she winced. She wanted him. Now. Didn't he understand?!
Unbelievably careful he pushed himself into her and she smiled at him, before she moved to press her lips onto his again. When he broke the kiss he began to move.
Slow. Careful. Loving.
She enjoyed it, but she knew he was holding back. She threw her legs around his back and pulled his head down to her and whispered shyly into his ear: "You don't need to hold back... you are not hurting me..."
She didn't knew if he had waited for the words, or if he just lost control in that moment completely. But when he moved again, it was hard, deep and fast.
She bit her lip, but a little scream escaped her mouth, she dugged her nails into his back and then he pulled back. He touched her tighs with his hands, carefully caressing her entrance, before he entered her again...and pulled away again. She nearly lost her mind, when he only moved for inches.
He seemed to wait, to bask in her pleasure, when he pushed inside her the next time it was deep. And she savoured it how he filled her.
Then he quickened his pace and then it hit her. She became hot and cold and hot again and everything in her tightened together. She moaned at his neck when he broke down onto her.

"You are the dangeroust thing I ever met...", his deep voice whispered at her ear.
She chuckled, her heart filled with luck, " Forgive me, Kenshin..."
"Everytime...", he murmured back, turning onto his back, pulling her with him onto his chest. One of his arms was around her shoulders, with the second one he caressed her side.
"I feel so safe at your side...", escaped her.
He squeezed her little: "You are safe."
"You safed me.", she said quietly.
"You safed me...", he answered, "you fought for your life."
"You will help me with everything, won't you?", she asked after some time and closed her eyes, laying down on his chest.
"For the rest of my life, if you want me to.", he answerd. She held her breath. Where his words what she thought? Her heart was beating in her chest heavily. Surprised she sat up, looking down onto him with huge eyes.
"If you want me to.", he repeated, hesitating before he continued, "I want to share more of these nights with you, every night with you. I want to be there for you, when you need me. I want to share all my secrets with you."
"Kenshin...", she was out of words and she said the first stupid thing that came to her mind, "I don't even know how to cook..."
He chuckled: "I love to cook for you. I love to do the laundry for you. I love to go shopping for you. I love to heat your bath. I love to protect you and fight for you. But I love it even more to hold you in my arms and kiss you. I don't have much to give to you other than my protection and my love, but if you want me to, they are yours for the rest of our lifes."
She felt tears forming in her eyes. "Himura, Kenshin...", she murmured, "you silly idiot, you will never get rid of me again!"
She saw his eyes glowing, before everything blurred infront of her. He pulled her towards him, catching her tears with his thump.
"Himura Kaoru...", his voice was soft before he kissed her again. And that kiss surpassed everything Kaoru had ever felt in her entire life. She pulled away from him: "Can I ask you a question?"
"Everything you want...", his voice sounded nearly awestruck.
"When we were at that mansion... you...", she paused.
Carefully he turned her onto her back, lying down next to her, playing with the strands of her hair. "You are fighting like a lion for your life, but now you are afraid?", he asked amused.
She grinned back nervously, when she heard his amusement, but he continued: "You don't have to be afraid...Koishii..."
She was surprised: "Koishii?"
"I thought it was about time.", he grinned again, "don't try to devert me. I wait for your question."
She knew he wouldn't stop asking.
"When we were at that mansion... you said you would break your vow eventually...", she said, not forming her words into a question but she knew he understood.
But he didn't answer her... now it was his turn to feel uncomfortable because of her question. She chuckled: "You are fighting like a lion for your life but now you are afraid?", she felt her heart lighten in her chest, when she heard him chuckle too.
"I would have broken my vow, when something would have happened to you... yes...".
She didn't know what to answer, but he went on: "I covered my feelings for you because of that for such a long time. Not only because I didn't want you to become targeted by my enemies even more then you are now... If something would happen to you, I would lose my nerve..."
His eyes were golden again.
"That's an easy problem to solve.", she told him.
"It is?", he smiled.
"Yes. I will stay alive.", she laughed at his surprised gaze, then he fell in into her laughter. It felt so good to be so near to him.
"I will make that true.", she knew it was a promise.
"You will keep me safe.", she answered, fully trusting him.
"I can't give much to you... I only have a past that will haunt us. You made me believe I deserve at least some happines... but my hands are stained with blood...", his voice sounded a little bit bitter now.
"Kenshin... I know that might sound crazy...", she began, "but sometimes I am thankful for all those enemies. Without Enishi...we won't be so near to each other like we are now. I have learned so much from your strength and look up to you. I learned to trust ou with my life and could see with my own eyes how far you will go to protect me. You were special from the first second to me..."
His eyes were glowing again..." Kaoru-dono...", he murmured, when he leaned in again, but she stopped him with her hands on her chest.
"One more question.", surprised he stopped and she hit his chest playfully: "Will you call me just Kaoru now?"
He grinned again: "That will be very difficult... but I will give it a try."
He reached for her wrists, pushing them upwards above her head onto the floor: "Is there anything more?", he asked, " I would like to kiss myn wonderful fiancé now..."

This time he made love to her so softly it was like a torture.

Just a little imagination of mine, how things could turn out between these two.
I love the idea of letting Kaoru fight for herself and protect herself and Kenshin seeing that she is capable of doing so. I wanted him to realize both, how strong she really is and how much he needs her in his life...

I hope you liked that little story and enjoyed reading it.

Jouchan1706