Ok, this is my first Rurouni Kenshin fic and I'm kinda nervous. I actually got the idea the same time as my friend, Nicigold, got hers, but I've been kinda hesitant to start it. She convinced me, so here it is!

Please tell me what you think, coz I don't think I'll continue if you don't! :p

Standard disclaimer applies.

"It is done." The man's voice was flat and emotionless, and had a tone of finality to it. Tomoe looked up from the mass of papers on her desk and squinted at the messenger. It took her longer than usual to recognize him, and she cursed the dim lighting the Tokugawa Shogunate required each undercover agent have in their offices. A smile spread across her face as she stood up from her desk and approached him.

"Mr. Kiyosato Akira." She said, as she wrapped her arms around the man's waist. "You certainly killed my husband fast enough. Did you have an ulterior motive?"

Akira smiled at the woman he had in his arms. Her long, raven black hair was left free to float down her back, and her dark eyes stared deeply into his. He grinned, and leaned his head to hers, capturing her lips with his. She sighed at his touch and opened her mouth, where their tongues did a fiery dance born of lust and forbidden love.

Tomoe broke the kiss and let her head fall on Akira's chest. Breathing heavily, she listened to his heartbeat and closed her eyes. She was finally free to be with the man she loved, but why did she feel so guilty for killing her husband, her enemy?

XxXxXxX

Kaoru's breathing was ragged, and the burning in her legs could no longer be ignored. Collapsing on the sand, she pulled out her iPod. She pressed the pause button with more force than necessary, and glared out at the expanse of beach she just came from. There was a long line of footprints in the sand, and she could no longer see that stupid rooster-head anymore.

Kaoru, be serious! Why would he follow you when you said you wanted to be alone? Kaoru sighed as she silently berated herself, and wiped her sweating forehead with her arm. She looked out at the sea, and considered her options: go back to the beach house and act like her normal self, or stay out here.

She voted the latter.

Left alone with her thoughts, she considered leaving and never returning. Deep down, though, she knew she could not leave Yahiko, especially after Saitou's death. She also knew she could never bring herself to ever leave the beautiful island of Maui.

After their parent's death, Saitou had moved Kaoru and Yahiko from Japan to Maui to live with his old mentor, Dr. Gensai, and his two grandchildren. At fifteen, Saitou knew he could not support his twelve year old sister and eight year old brother on his own, and the Kamiya's made it very apparent that they did not want to take care of the three orphans.

Kaoru had disliked the move, and openly rebelled against anything Saitou made her do. Ballet lessons? She ditched those in favor of martial arts classes. When Saitou had stopped her from going to her karate classes, she moved onto fencing, but quickly moved onto the Kasshin-ryū style of swords-fighting. It was based on the old samurai style of fighting, and concentrated on protecting the weak from the strong.

Saitou had given up with trying to stop her by then, and allowed Yahiko to start classes with her.

Then he was killed.

Three years after the move, Saitou had finally finished high school and was just enrolled into the local university when he was brutally murdered. The man had never been caught, but there were whispers that the famous assassin, the Battosai, had killed her older brother.

That was two years ago.

As Kaoru sat in contemplative silence, wondering why Saitou may have been killed by the Battosai, she heard an explosion, and the horizon was on fire.

Kaoru ran to the edge of the water and stared at a flaming ball of fire hurtling to exactly where she was standing. Screaming, she scrambled away from the edge and ran back where she came from.

The air screamed around her, and Kaoru was thrown into the air. She landed heavily, and curled into a fetus position as the air burned around her.

After the heat subsided, she looked up at the mass of destruction behind her. It was a small plane, but that was all Kaoru could tell of the wreck. It was still burning, and Kaoru was unwilling to get any closer, but the thought of the pilots and passengers who might have survived propelled her forward.

As she gingerly stepped over burning pieces of the plane that fell off, she heard a small noise. She immediately turned to the noise and saw a pale hand sticking out of a pile of rubble. She clambered over the rubble and tried to lift the burning metal from the person, but to no avail.

"Help!" she shouted. "Someone, help me!"

"Kaoru?" cried Yahiko. Kaoru almost sobbed in relief.

"Yahiko? Help me! This man is stuck under some of the wreckage!" Kaoru saw Yahiko's familiar short cropped black hair appear from behind some debris, rushing to her. He ran a finger down her face, tracing a line of blood. His brown eyes were wide with shock.

"Kaoru, are you ok? I think I should take you to Megumi first!" At the mention of the other woman's name, Kaoru felt a familiar rush of anger and jealousy flood through her body. She shook her head vehemently.

"No, we have to help him now!" she screeched. Yahiko nodded and placed his hands under the piece of metal. It was still hot to the touch, and even with the concentrated efforts of the two siblings the metal refused to move. Kaoru sagged against the nearest support, exhaustion overcoming her. Yahiko looked at his sister, worry etched on his features.

"C'mon Kaoru, let's get you out of here. Sano! Sano, get your worthless butt here right now!" shouted Yahiko. A familiar rooster head appeared, revealing a tall, lean man. He had short brown hair and kind brown eyes, and was dressed in white board shorts and bareback. At the sight of the rooster-head, Kaoru's heart leapt in her chest.

"Oi, Jouchan what did you get yourself into this time?" Sanosuke Sagara asked Kaoru in his deep voice. Kaoru ignored the surge of pleasure she felt at the mention of his ridiculous nickname for her, and simply pointed at the captive man.

"Help him, I'm fine." Her voice came out as a mere whisper, and she collapsed onto the floor. Yahiko gripped her shoulder and shook her. She kept her eyes open long enough to see Sano lift the rubble off the man by himself- he's so strong- and to see a flash of bright red hair.

Then she fell unconscious.

So what do you think of my first Rurouni Kenshin fic? Please tell me! I'm very enthusiastic for the plot, and I really want to continue!

Love it, hate it, or if you simply like it, please tell me!

Comments? Criticisms?

r.e.v.i.e.w.

please?

:]