Been awhile, hasn't it? Haven't had much time to write recently, but I really liked this idea. Go Tae! ^_^ I picked the scene from the Shishio battle where Yumi steps between them. Kenshin has the most stricken look on his face in the anime...here goes nothing :) Um, pardon the title...I suck at titles :P Contains spoilers!

60-second challenge fic: Deja-vu
by Calger459

Time has slowed to nothing. How long has this battle gone on now? In the small part of my mind that still functions through my exhaustion, I recall that we left the Aoyia at dawn. That moment in time, where I said goodbye to Kaoru for the second time, seems so far away, like a dream. It's late afternoon now...isn't it? I've lost all sense of time. Aoshi, Soujirou, and now this monster that calls himself Shishio...I'm amazed I'm still standing at all.

The ougi...it was successful. Shishio is writhing in agony before me, foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog. I suppose I should be pleased, but I'm not. I wish it had never come to this. I wish things had been different all those years ago, so that this twisted hitokiri would never have had to take my place and suffer such tragedy. I wish...huh?

There is someone in front of Shishio, blocking the way. I force my exhausted eyes to focus on the form of Yumi, Shishio's lover, kneeling on her knees with arms spread, begging for me to spare him.

I feel my eyes grow wide as it suddenly grows very cold. Snow...there is snow everywhere.

Am I going mad? I see...Tomoe, in Yumi's place.

It's exactly the same, I realize with numb horror. It is not Yumi that kneels before me, but my wife. The figure behind her is not Shishio, but myself. Oh Kamisama...for the sake of Japan, Shishio must be stopped but...I can't deny her either.

The moment drags on forever, and I find myself fixated on the tears standing unshed in her eyes. She loves him, and is willing to put herself in mortal danger to defend that love. I cannot let history repeat itself; so I lower my sword, ignoring the part of me that is screaming in warning that this is a deadly mistake.

I see the sword come through her chest from behind, feel it bite deep into my stomach. Damn him...he was waiting for me to drop my guard. How does he know me so well when we don't know each other at all? He knew this would happen, he *knew*! He was counting on this all along, and I feel anger burn alongside my grief.

The sword pulls back and Yumi falls into Shishio's arms, blood spreading over her chest. Oh Yumi-dono, I am so sorry.

I scream at him, overwhelmed with remembered grief and the burning pain where he stabbed me. I can hardly understand his words through the ringing in my ears, but I see him lift her face to me, so I look, and the familiarity of the scene is enough to silence any retort I might have made.

She is smiling. Just like Tomoe.

Owari

So how'd I do? Please review!