Chosen

By: Hitokiri Musei

Rated: T

Summary: Kaoru is out late one night, and she discovers a secret that Kenshin had kept for the past years, even through their marriage and the birth of Kenji. But when Kenji becomes the target for a kidnapping she must learn to trust her husband in order to save her son.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. If I did, you'd probably be seeing this in the manga or anime. Enjoy!

Part 1

(Kaoru)

I was worried. Kenshin had been brooding all day, and this meant to me that something was wrong. My thoughts were interrupted by my four-year-old son clambering onto my back.

"Okaasan!" he cried, tangling his hands in my hair. "Play with me!"

I smiled and gently removed his tiny hands from my raven hair. "Alright Kenji. What do you want to play?"

His face became thoughtful. "Um, play with the ball!"

I grinned and stood, settling him on my hip. "Do you know where the ball is Kenji?" He nodded and pointed towards his room. I walked into the dojo, carefully balancing my son.

Kenji looked so much like Kenshin that sometimes I had to blink. His hair was red, but it was darker than my husband's. His eyes were violet, but they had more of a blue tinge to them than lavender. He had Kenshin's energy and joy, he was always laughing. And he just loved his father, to the point that Kenshin had trouble finding time to himself. Kenji would climb all over him, and he had a fascination with Kenshin's long crimson hair. He would play with it contentedly for hours at a time, mostly while Kenshin was doing the laundry. Of course Kenshin would tolerate this with a smile, though I had many a time when I would hear a laugh from Kenji and an "oro" from Kenshin as my son gave his hair a particularly hard yank.

Kenji giggling happily as I handed him the small paper ball, wrapping his fingers around it. "Can we play with tousan? Please?"

I looked thoughtful. "I don't know Kenji. We could go find him and see what he says."

He giggled. "Yay!"

I walked back outside to see Kenshin still sitting silently on the front porch. His eyes were closed, and I could tell he was thinking deeply. I set Kenji down, and with a happy little yell he rushed and jumped into Kenshin's lap. The redhead's eyes snapped open and he let lose an 'oro.'

"Tousan, tousan!" Kenji cried, pulling on Kenshin's blue gi. He had finally given up wearing that pink gi, and had taken to wearing a blue one.

"What is it Kenji?" Kenshin said patiently, picking up the boy from the uncomfortable position he had landed in, half on his lap and half off.

"Play with us tousan!" Kenji responded, reaching up to tangle his fingers in Kenshin's red bangs.

Kenshin seemed reluctant. "I don't know Kenji, maybe later…." He was cut off as Kenji tugged on his bangs, his face growing sad. "Oro! Don't pull Kenji!"

Kenji's eyes grew bigger. "Play with me tousan!" He gave a few more hard tugs on Kenshin's crimson bangs, bringing tears to my husband's violet eyes.

"Maa maa Kenji! I'll play with you, just please don't pull!" Kenshin said, trying to untangle Kenji's fingers from his hair.

Kenji released his hair, clapping his hands instead. "Hooray! Tousan's going to play with us!"

I frowned, lifting my son from Kenshin's lap. "Now Kenji, if you can't learn to stop pulling on tousan's hair then you won't be able to play with the ball. You need to do what your tousan tells you."

He pouted and crossed his arms. "But okaasan….."

I shook my head, frowning. "No buts Kenji. You need to listen or you're going sit in your room."

He looked wide-eyed at me. Kenji hated to be alone, and I knew that this would work on him. He nodded frantically. "Okay okaasan."

I handed him to Kenshin as my husband stood. "Say sorry Kenji."

My son wrapped his arms around Kenshin's neck, putting his face in his father's shoulder. "Gomen tousan!"

Kenshin smiled and hugged Kenji back. "It's alright Kenji. You can play with my hair, but no tugging. Alright?"

Kenji smiled and nodded. "Okay!" He looked at me. "Can we play now okaasan?"

I laughed lightly. One-track mind….. "Of course we can Kenji." As we went out further into the yard I glanced sideways at Kenshin. "You need to discipline him Kenshin…."

He grinned weakly. "Gomen Kaoru. It's just hard…."

I chuckled. "I know Kenshin, I know. It's hard to say no to his little face." I elbowed him. "You're too soft."

He pushed out his lower lip, putting on a look I got many a time from Kenji. "But koishii….."

I shook my head. "Oh no anata, that look won't work on me anymore. I get that enough from your son. Now I know where he learned it."

Kenshin's face broke into a grin, and then his attention was turned to Kenji as the boy struggled to get down. He set the small boy down and Kenji tugged on my kimono. "Let's play okaasan!"

I tossed the paper ball lightly, watching as Kenji ran after it laughing. He picked it up and ran back over to us, this time handing the ball to Kenshin. Kenshin threw it gently, and Kenji ran after it again. Though this was a simple game Kenji loved it, and it would tire him out for sleep in only an hour.

This continued for about a half an hour, then Kenji grew tired of it. I picked him up, looking to Kenshin. "I'll go ahead and take him inside. Are you going to be alright Kenshin? You've been awfully quiet all day."

He smiled gently at me, removing a lock of his hair from Kenji's fingers. "I'm fine koishii, don't worry. Go ahead, I'll be in soon."

I still didn't like what was going on, but I nodded, kissing his scarred cheek lightly and taking Kenji inside. Kenji waved over my shoulder at his father and Kenshin waved back, smiling at the boy.

I sat with Kenji, playing with his hair in the dimming light. He loved to have me brush his hair. I brushed the red strands every night before I put him down, and it was excellent to put him to sleep. I heard a yawn from him and I lifted him into my arms, cradling him in the crook of my elbow. He looked up at me sleepily and I carried him to his room.

He had finally gotten out of sleeping in his futon in my and Kenshin's room, but he still liked to be able to come crawl in with us if he had a bad dream. He slept in the room next to us, the door between them open a little so he could come in if he wanted to. I tucked him in, kissing his forehead lightly.

"I love you Kenji." I murmured, rising to my feet. He was already dead to the world, sleeping contentedly on his futon. I left the room, going outside to where Kenshin was still sitting. "Are you alright Kenshin?"

He blinked and looked at me, then smiled reassuringly. "I'm fine koishii, you don't need to worry."

I smiled back at him, and then turned towards the dojo. "Are you coming to bed then?"

I heard him stand and his arms slid around my waist from behind, his face resting in my neck. I felt the whisper of his breath over my skin as he spoke. "Of course Kaoru."

I smiled and we went to our bedroom. I changed out of my kimono into my yukata as he did, then settled myself next to him, my head on his chest. He put an arm around my shoulders, burying his nose in my hair.

I soon found my eyes growing heavy, and I fell asleep comforted by the strong beats of his heart in my ear.

I woke up sometime later to find myself along on the futon. There was still a warm spot, so I figured he must not have left long ago. I sat up; tightening the sash of my yukata and sliding open the door to the yard. What I saw I would never forget. Kenshin was standing silently in the center of the yard, eyes closed and yukata blowing the breeze. As I watched he took on a strange red glow, and then his hair burst from its tie, covering him in crimson fur. The red strands flowed down his neck, which had grown long and slender, muscular and powerful. The yukata fell away from his changing form to settle on the ground. His limbs shifted, growing into four strong legs. His face elongated into a muzzle, and before me stood a mighty crimson stallion. A spiraled horn burst from its thick forelock, made of some red gem that I could not identify. At the base of his horn was a violet stone, sparkling lightly.

His eyes opened, still the gentle violet color I loved. He saw me and those eyes widened. "Kaoru…."

I was surprised to hear his voice from this great creature and I simply stared. "K-Kenshin?"

Translations:

Okaasan – mother

Tousan – father

Maa maa – now now

Gomen – sorry

Anata – dear

Koishii – beloved

Yukata – sleeping wear