NOTE: RK isn't mine, but I do wish to have a Kenshin in my life :(

It was a stormy night like this that her mother died, and amazingly it was also on a stormy night like this a few years later that her father died. Now Kaoru was a strong woman but storms and thunders weren't really her thing. After all the happenings with the Jinchuu, she was a still restless and jumpy from her surrounding and now she felt scared of the storm and thunders again. She knew deep inside what could calm her down, but she doesn't think it is right to use the ordeal she'd been through do it. It feels as though she's cheating and Kaoru Kamiya doesn't cheat! So Kaoru just settled on sobbing silently, keeping to herself and making sure not to wake anyone up.

Kenshin was still awake aware that Kaoru was also wide awake trying to calm herself down with the storm. He had heard about it with Dr. Gensai how Kaoru was afraid of storms and thunders because it reminds her of her parents' death but that was a long time ago, she seemed to have overcome her fears by now. But now, she's scared again, Kenshin felt that it must have something to do with the whole Enishi kidnapping her thing. Kenshin sighed and slowly rose to his feet, in reality he doesn't know what to do nor what to say, but he know that he has to do something. Yahiko and Sano aren't here right now and he's the only one that can calm her down.

To say Kaoru was shocked when Kenshin suddenly entered her room was an understatement. She tried to be as quiet as she can with her crying but it seemed that she was still heard.

"Kenshin, what are you doing here?"

"I just came up to check on you Kaoru-dono, that I did."

"I'm sorry if I kept you up, I'm alright now, and you can go back to your room." Kaoru forced herself to smile to show Kenshin that she really was okay.

But instead of going back to his room, Kenshin went inside, closed the door, knelt beside her and just like the night he left for Kyoto, hugged Kaoru tightly in his arms.

"You don't need to be afraid anymore Kaoru, I'm here. I'll always be here"

Kaoru was shocked not just about the hug, but the way Kenshin spoke. But before he can pull of the hug, she returned the gesture.

"Oro?"

"Thank you Kenshin."

"You're welcome Kaoru"

And just like that, they both slept together in each others' arm, forgetting everything and just enjoying each other's warmth and presence.