That's A Promise

Rating: G

A different ending to the Kyoto Arc. It's bittersweet. What if Kenshin HAD died by the hand of Shishio Makoto? What then?

Kaoru sat, numbed with grief, next to his broken body, which had been covered with a blanket. People around her were weeping and attempting to console her, but she heard not a word. All she heard was her own voice, " Kenshin! We will go back to Tokyo together."

¡§Then she heard his voice, his beloved, sweet, gentle voice, "That's a promise." the words playing in an endless loop in her mind.

Silently, a silver diamond of a tear slid down her face, then another followed, until there was a torrent of them...Why? Why had she been stupid enough to believe that he would survive? But she had, and now, now she would never be with Kenshin, she would never be able to tell him how much she loved him, how much she cared...

It was too late now. Nothing seemed to matter anymore, not the injured Sano, not herself, the petty rivalry with Megumi, it all didn¡¦t matter anymore. Megumi! How would she feel? How would she react? Well, Kaoru thought disconsolately, why should I care?

It was all her fault! If she had only been able to keep him at home, safe and warm with her¡Kif only she had told him, if only she had been pretty enough, charming enough¡Kif if if.

But she hadn¡¦t done any of that stuff and because of it, Kenshin was gone, Japan will once again be thrown into the terror of war and then be ruled by Shishio...mine as well lose her life willingly, rather than being taken from her violently...

They were walking home now, to Tokyo, and she sat under the shade of a tree. She had asked to be alone.

Oh how she wished she could see her dear Kenshin again, to hear his voice and his adorably confused ¡¥ Oro?¡¦ These thoughts that ran through her head was what made what she was to do crystal clear. Her mind was made up now; she would go home, comfort Megumi, then go down to the lake and then and then she would...what would she do?

She didn't know, she didn't know anything. Her mind was all scrambled up. Her head started to spin, she felt faint, and then she felt a touch on her shoulder. A gentle touch, one that always drove all her pains away. She looked up, trying to stifle the rising hope with in her, Kenshin was there, smiling gently at her.

¡§Kenshin? Is that really you? But...how can that be? You're dead, under that blanket.¡¨ Kenshin smiled more gently still and spoke," Yes, I am, but I promised I would go with you to Tokyo, and I would never break my word..."

"Oh Kenshin!" Kaoru was about to fling her arms around his neck, but she stopped, " Are you...solid? Can I hug you? Maybe...kiss you?"

There was that Oro face again and he said, " I-I guess you can..." Then Kaoru flung her arms around him and kissed him.

For a moment, they stood there, kissing, the beautiful moment hanging in eternity.

But even eternity had to end, he lifted his head and said," The only reason why They let me walk with you to Tokyo was because it was my reprieve for all the things I've done for Japan and because you must not commit suicide. If you did, you wouldn¡¦t be able to meet me, you would be sent to Hell, not Heaven, where I currently reside, but where I don¡¦t deserve to go. You have important things to do, so just, don't do It okay?"

Kaoru asked him but one question, her eyes luminous with unshed tears, " Do you have to leave?"

" Yes I do, but I will stay by your side, for this journey. Now go back to the people who care about you." She went, and throughout the journey, she felt his gentle presence behind her and her terrible grief was soothed.

When they arrived at Tokyo, she felt a feather light pressure against her lips, and then it was gone. On the wind, she heard," Ai shitteru, Kaoru." and a smile touched her lips.

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