Hello people,

this is an old idea of mine and I finally decided to publish it, cause it keeps ghosting through my mind. Summary and title are sucking a little bit I know, but just take a look. I hope you like the first chapter of it.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin ;)

Kaoru walked down the road, exhausted from her training session at Maekawa's today. Teaching that class had been difficult. The boys had all been around her age, not accepting her fully. After all she was a girl. She remembered some of the gamey words they had whispered to her, why she tried to correct their stances or their swings. There had been a time she had quite enjoyed it inwardly to be called the princess of kenjutsu or some silly names like that. On the outside she had scolded them and had been furious, but she had been glad that people may consider her tomboyish and sweaty but at the same time saw her beauty when she practiced her art. But whith Kenshin around her things had changed. People weren't no longer that forward with her, fearing the redhead. She was considered his woman in town. She sighed... if she only were in reality.
She wondered what he would have done today, with those spoiled brats whispering to her, making her flush in anger and shame. She sighed again. He would have done nothing of course. Cause it wouldn't have happened. He would have sat on his usual place next to Maekawa-san, watching her every move with his eyes, smiling slightly at her every time their eyes met. Today the seat next to Maekawa-san had been empty and Maekawa-san had only raised his eyebrows in surprise, whenever he had heard such words.
Loud voices ripped her out of her thoughts, when she made her way to the market place of town. „Huh?", she stopped her humming, quickening her pace a little bit, when she made her way through the crowded streets, avoiding all the people with their shopping and dodging all the vendors trying to gather customers.
The voices infront of her became louder and she pushed her way through the people. When she heard a startled scream of a woman, she hurried even more, elbowing herself through the crowd.
When she finally walked into the scene she saw a young women about her age, in between two huge and tall men. Kaoru immediately noticed the swords at their sides. The women had short black hair, just like Tsubame-chan and she seemed so tiny between the two men, who both had a firm grip around her upper arms.
„There is no need to scream, little one", one of the men smirked, showing his lack of teeth, „you'll be coming with us." The girl began to struggle again, but only fell to her knees, causing a cloud of dust to raise around her. The two hoicked her up again with force and the girl winced at the tight grip.
Kaoru took a step forward: „Who are you two to drag a girl away from a marketplace at bright daylight?", she allowed the anger in her voice to steady her words. The shining green eyes of the girl pierced into hers. They were begging her for help, tears rolling down from them over her pale and already bruised cheaks. The men ignored her, so she took another step in their direction, repeating her question, a bit louder this time.
„Who are you girl, to ask such a question? Step aside.", the fat of them answered her finally.
„I am Kamiya Kaoru, from the Kamiya-Kasshin-School. And I won't watch you hurting an innocent girl like that.", Kaoru raised her hand to the bokken at her back, when she felt a hand on her skin. She turned: „Hoji-san...", she said in surprise when she recognized the familiar looking young man behind her.
„Don't do that, Kamiya-san. It's better not to interfere here.", he said nervously, padding her hand. He was one of her more serious students, not always making fun of her for being a woman.
„What do you say?", she asked him in disbelief.
„I said maybe it is better not to interfere. Those two are carrying swords.", he nodded in the direction of the two smirking men. She felt her anger risen up in her. So he had understood nothing. She clasped his hand aside, gripping the hilt of her bokken, drawing it infront of her.
Slowly she walked to the three strangers.
„That boy is right, Kamiya. Those are real swords we carry. Not a wooden toy like you. After all it would be a pitty to harm such a beautiful woman like you."
„This is not a toy. It may be out of wood and not out of steel. But in an era of peace this is enough to protect the people.", she paused, her voice dangerously low now, „and Hoji-san. Don't ever come into my dojo again."
„So protect the people...", the slightly taller of them said and loosened the right arm of the girl, his hand wandering to the sword at his side.
„Show how you can protect yourself first!", he lunged forward, suddenly flying through the air in her direction, his sword drawn. He was fast. Not as fast as Kenshin, but his speed was incredible. She dodged barely, taken aback bis his sudden attack. She parried the second blow, before jumping backwards, to get some space between her and her opponent.
The man laughed. He only laughed at her. „So I knew a little girl with a wooden toy can do nothing by herself." That words were enough for Kaoru. She saw red. She was no little girl. And her bokken was no toy. Now she was the one who jumped forward, attacking him with a series of strikes. She managed to hit him twice at the shoulder, before the second one entered the fight. She didn't saw him coming, thinking he would hold his grip on the girl, and he cut deep into both of her thighes. Kaoru winced slightly at the pain, parrying the blows of the first men and soon felt her wrist sore from all the impacts with her sword, the three lessons of training taking their toll now.
She stabbed for the first man, pulling her arm back in one fluid motion and felt the hilt of her bokken making contact with the stomach of the second. Good. Finally a hit. He winced behind her and she raised her bokken again, but she was to slow, to avoid the next blow. She felt a throbbing pain in her left shoulder. Luckily it had been the left. Slowly she realized the bad situation she was in, already injured on both legs and one of her arms. She had to finish that quickly.
She heard the man behind her stand up again, and she took a firm grip on her bokken with both hands and hissed in pain when she swung her bokken around behind her head, hitting him, before he could attack her. She heard him grunt in pain, but the man infront of her got her attention again. She wasn't fast enough to dodge the blow and managed to put up her bokken, to find it neatly cut in half. She stared in surprise stumbling backwards, glad the other one had not stood up again yet.
„Now... what do you do now... Youre quite a feisty one, I have to admit."
„I am not finished yet.", she yelled, took the remaining hilt into both of her hands, dodged his blow and hammered the wood against his patella. It was the same move she had used against Kamatari, but the result was even greater. She stumbled again, now weaponless, watching the first man lying on the floor wincing in pain, before she turned to the second one who had come to his feet. She panted for air, holding herself barely upright. Her gi was soaking wet with her blood.
„Huh. So that was a bitchy trick of yours. You did well..."
„Well enough for you two.", she heard a male voice next to her and sighed in relief when she recognized the so familiar small stature and the flaming red hair. He let down the rice and miso he was carrying, before he stepped infront of her, his small hand on the hilt of his sakabatou. „This one expects you take your leave now.", He watched, how the man walked over to his partner, dragging him along with him, before he said lowly, „All of you." And his gaze wandered over the townspeople, glowing with a sparkling fire. Disgust? She didn't know. The crowd parted around them when everyone went back to what they were doing before the incident.
When he turned to her, his face showed nothing more than concern for her. He walked up to her, holding up a hand like he wanted to touch her, before he scratched his head instead. „Are you allright, Kaoru-dono?", his voice sounded a little bit husky.
She nodded merely. „This one is sorry.", he continued, „I should have picked you up at Maekawa's."
„That isn't your fault, Kenshin!", she blurted out, when she saw the guilt in his eyes, when he looked onto her red gi.
„I only wanted to protect that woman...", she began, looking around for her, but didn't found her.
„What woman?", Kenshin asked in surprise, forgetting once about his humble speech.
„There was a woman... she's gone...", Kaoru murmured silently.

„There was a woman...she's gone...", he heard Kaorus whisper and watched her looking around frantically. He decided to ask later about that, seeing her slightly trembling form.
„Let this one take you to Megumi-dono.", he said instead, picking up the groceries and shifted the weight on his shoulders. It would be a bit difficult to carry her like that, but he would manage.
She shook her head: „I just want to go home, if it is allright with you."
„Maybe it would be better...", he began but Kaoru interrupted him: „Gensai-sensei will be there with Ayame-chan und Suzume-chan. He can look after me."
There was an awkward moment, he did not know what to do. He couldn't just scoop her up into his arms at the marketplace but refused to let her walk either. But she turned away from him, sighing heavily and walked away from him. He was to surprised to follow immediately, but then hurried to follow her.
„You can walk, Kaoru-dono?"
She stopped: „Only scratches Kenshin. You were walking with much worse injuries."
He wanted to answer that that had been him and not her, and that he deserved not better, but he swallowed the words, offering her his arm instead: „Then at least let this one support you on our way home.", he said quietly. She took his arm with graze, leaning heavily onto it.
„Thank you.", she murmured. And he understood. The people were still watching them from afar and she didn't want to show her weakness infront of them. Whatever had happened there, she wanted to keep her reputation clean. He frowned. He didn't ask any questions. That could wait until they were at home and Kaorus wounds had been tended. Guilt nibbled at him. Normally he would have accompanied her to Maekawa-san, watching her teaching the classes and walking home with her, enjoying her company. But today she had left without him, seeing the mountains of laundry in the yard and the empty shelves in the kitchen, saying he had enough to do. He knew inside she didn't want to bother him with another burden, and he had wanted to scream at her that he quite enjoyed it to accompany her wherever she went to. But he found he couldn't.
When they passed the bridge over the little river to the outskirts of town and Kaoru stumbled a little bit, wincing in pain, he had enough. He tugged at her arm, causing her to stop. She watched him with wide eyes, when he quickly slipped one arm around her shoulders and the other under her legs and lifted her up. The groceries at his back scooted dangerously, but he balanced for a moment, before he walked up the path to the dojo. She struggled in his arms: „Kenshin. No... let me... I can walk." He did not dare to look at her, already imagining her scolding face and the pout of his lips.
„The streets are empty now. Noone is here to see."
He felt her finally realxing against his chest and cradled her a bit closer, until they reached the gate of the dojo.
„We're home.", he muttered softly and felt her nodding.
„Hey, Kenshin!", Sano yelled, „What took you so damn...?", Sano didn't finish his question, standing shocked in the dart when he saw the two enter.
„Jou-chan?", he asked instead, paling. Yahiko slittered over the porch behind him and Kenshin sat down Kaoru gently. „Kaoru!", Yahiko cried out, when he saw the blood on her gi.
„I am just fine, Yahiko.", she answered, but her voice trembled.
„What happened?", he asked, furious to know why his sensei was bleeding.
„Naaa... Yahiko, later will be time for a proper explanation. Please, where is Dr. Gensai? Would you please just take him to Kaoru-donos room?"
The boy nodded and he pushed Kaoru forward to her room with his hand on the small of her back and helped her laying down.
„Thank you Kenshin.", she stuttered and he offered her a small smile: „There is nothing to thank this one for."
When Dr Gensai entered the room, he excused himself politely and was immediately attacked by the two girls: „Kenn-iii!", they jumped up and down infront of him and he smiled, gathering them both in his arms: „Now, would you like to help me put the groceries away?"
„Yeaaaah... Kenniiiii!", they screamed and he chuckled.
Yahiko and Sanosuke joined them in the kitchen: „Oi Kenshin! Now say! What happened?"
He shrugged his shoulders: „This one doesn't know exactly.", he calmed his nerves by putting the things away neatly.
„This one heard a fight at the marketplace today, so he did hurry to help. Only to see Kaoru-dono fighting with two men. I don't know what happened, but she mentioned a woman was there before..."
„A woman? Where is this woman?", Sanosuke asked and Kenshin found himself shrugging his shoulders again: „We don't know. When this one stopped the fight she was gone."
He worked some time in silence, until Gensai entered the room: „I am walking home now with the two girls. Kaoru-chan is quite fine. She needs to rest today and tomorrow.", he bowed, grabbing the girls by their hands and left.

„Come in.", she had waited for them after Gensai had left and immediately recognized Kenshins gentle knocking on her door. She already lay on her futon, changed into her yukata and smiled when her three men walked in.
„Busu, always getting into truble, aren't you?", Yahiko bickered. Kaoru ignored him, her gaze rested on Kenshin, who slowly approached her futon, kneeling down next to her a tray with tea in his hands.
„Are you ready to tell us what happened today, Kaoru-dono?"
„Yeah, what was that crazy woman doing?", Sano asked.
„Uh.. I was just on my home from Maekawa-sensei. I decided to walk through the market, because I wanted...", she blushed and didn't finish her sentence, „I heard screaming, so I hurried to the scene and there was a woman, who looked a little bit like Tsubame-chan..."
„Tsubame?", Yahiko interrupted her, eyes wide.
Kaoru was annoyed instantly: „Who looked a little bit like Tsubame-chan.", she repeated.
„Yeah Yahiko-chan...listen closely.", Sano mocked him.
„Ah I just thought...", Yahiko was so emberrassed he did not even began a bickering about the chan. Kaoru supressed her giggle.
„What happened then?", Kenshin asked, he seemed determined to find out.
„Ah.", Kaoru tried to concentrate again, „Those two men were trying to drag her away. She struggled and clearly didn't want to. She was already bruised...", she immediately noticed Kenshin tensing next to her.
„So I decided to stop them.", he finished somewhat lamely.
„So you did.", Kenshin repeated.
„And that woman was simply away after that?", Yahiko asked again.
Kaoru rolled her eyes: „I already told you she wasn't there.", she paused, „I can't remember seeing her during the fight..."
„Somewhat rude of her to dissappear like that.", Sano mentioned, scratching his head.
Kenshin nodded: „It is."
„However... I am glad those men didn't get her. It must be horrible to get dragged away like that...", she murmured.
„Oh don't worry about that, busu. Nobody would drag away someone as ugly as you.", Yahiko scoffed at her, before exciting the room with rapid pace, Sano followed directly after him: „Ah, Jou-chan, see you tomorrow...", he winked good-bye.
Kenshin stayed by her side and patted her hand: „Don't be angry with him, Kaoru-dono. He is only glad you are well."
„He'll pay for that. Tomorrow in training he'll get it."
"This one is afraid there will be no training for you tomorrow Kaoru-dono."
Her eyes widened and he hurried to go on, knowing her temper to well: „ said you should take your rest for two days."
She only nodded. She hated it to have to stay in bed.
„How was it with Maekawa-sensei today?", he asked in an attempt to cheer her up, but she felt how her face fell even more, when she thought about Hoji-san.
„It was okay, I think. Some of them are doing quite well."
He felt his eyes on her and tried desperately not to look into them. She knew he would tell him immediately when she met his gaze. When he took her hand and gave it a light squeeze she was so surprised she looked up. Directly into his violet eyes.
„What happened?", she knew he wouldn't get her away with a lame excuse.
She sighed: „Hoji-san was on his way home, too, when I interrupted that fight. He tried to stop me and told me not to interfere in their fight."
Kenshin said nothing, squeezing her hand again, encouraging her to go on: „How can he study here at my fathers dojo and watch how this woman got hurt?"
„Not anybody has been through things like you, Kaoru-dono, or even Yahiko. They don't understand what it means to be protected."
„I told him not to come back.", she didn't reply exactly to his words. She didn't know a tear had escaped her eyes, til she felt Kenshins thumb on her cheek slowly wiping it away.
„You fought very well today. You can be proud. And I am sure your father would have been proud, too.", he paused a moment, „Even if this one was afraid for a moment."
He stood up slowly: „Now rest, Kaoru-dono. I will bring you something for dinner later."

XOXOXOXOXO

Maki had been running after that incident in the marketplace. She found herself running and running directly to the inn she stayed at. She panted for air, when she stormed through the door.
„Hirashi-san!", the maid cried out to her, but Maki ignored her, running up the stairs to her room. She had to wash herself and change, before she faced someone in this city.
Her thoughts wandered back to those two men who had threatened to take her with them. She knew he had sent them to get her back. And she knew they weren't the only ones.
She remembered the face of that girl who had interrupted them, stopped them, even fought them to help her. How silly. There was no way to fight them as a woman. She had been hurt directly by them and Maki knew it would have been a mistake to stay there. Nobody hat stopped her when she had stormed through the crowd.
There was only one person who could help her now... she had to find him. Rumours said he was living in Tokio actually.
She sighed when someone knocked at her door: „Yes?"
„Is everything allright with you Hirashi-san?"
„Yes, yes, of course.", she hurried up and opened her door to be face to face with the maid, who jumped back slightly. „Sure?", she managed to say and Maki knew what she must look like. She was all covered in dirt.
„Oh yeah... I just was upset, cause... cause I fell at the market today.", she said, giggling. „I didn't want to upset you. I just wanted to clean myself as soon as possible."
The maid fell in. „Of course. I understand. I have a friend that is just as clumsy as you."
Maki smiled at her: „I am sorry. I will be down in a few minutes to help you with the guests."
„You don't have to hurry. Just take your time."

XOXOXOXOXO

„Kaoru-dono, would you like to visit the Akabeko tonight for dinner?", Kenshin asked her with his low and gentle voice. Kaoru knew that he noticed her bad mood about her injuries and her lack of use the two days. She saw Yahiko already jumping in glee behind him, sending him a gaze she turned back to Kenshin: „Aaah, Kenshin we already lost money by the two days of me being hurt..."
She knew he wanted to cheer her up and was very glad about that.
„Ah no, no, no Kaoru-dono. It is this ones treat today."
Kaoru was surprised. She knew he earned some money by helping the police with different cases, had even got some for the case with Enishi. But it was the first time for him to come up with something like this. She did not wanted him to use it for the usual outgoings, but she had wondered what he had done with it.
„Ah Kenshin, no, you don't have to...", she tried to stop him and yelled after Yahiko who was already at the way to find Sanosuke.
„But this one wants to.", Kenshin stated simply and walked away. Kaoru watched after his retreating form and felt her heart beating in her chest. It was the first time he had insisted on doing something for her.
So later she walked out of her room in one of her most beautiful kimonos, to be greeted with Kenshins generous smile. „You look pretty this evening, Kaoru-dono.", he said lowly and Kaoru felt herself blushing and muttered a thank you under her breath.
He walked close to her until they reached the restaurant and Tae nearly ran into her.
„Kaoru-chan! I heard you were in a fight yesterday! Are you allright?", Tae ushered them into a booth and Kenshin excused himself for a moment, after he helped Kaoru to sit down.
„Shhht. Tae-san. Of course I am allright.", Kaoru waved her to be quiet.
„Kenshin helped you to sit down and all, are you sure...", Tae began again and Kaoru interrupted her and smiled: „Kenshin is being just the gentleman he is."
Tae, now a bit calmer, smiled back. „But truly Kaoru, you have to be more careful. I heard it was quite dangerous to fight those men and everybody told that you were hit. And you know, after Enishi..."
Kaoru did not want to hear it. She watched the room for an excuse and found one, when she saw Tsubames back at the table next to them. „Tsubame-chan!", She interrupted and reached out to tug at the sleeve of her uniform, but was taken aback, when the woman turned.
„This is... you...", she lost her voice.
It was the girl from the day before, standing infront of her, watching Kaoru with wide green eyes, her bangs falling into them just like Tsubames did. It really was not difficult to mistake them.
„Ah you know Hirashi-san already?", Tae asked, „She is staying at town at the moment and I could use some help after Yahiko-chan isn't coming anymore..."
Kaoru ignored her: „It is you.", she said again to the woman from the market.
Sano leaned forward next to her, watching her face closely: „You really look like little Tsubame."
Only Yahiko crincled his nose: „She's not!"
„Ah...young love...", Sano grinned and immediately there was a fight behind her, but Kaoru ignored them just like she had ignored Tae.
„Why did you ran away?", she stuttered and felt Kenshins reassuring ki brush against hers, checking if she was ok. He must had felt her distress and hurried back to look what was going on.
She continued a little bit more self-confident now: „After all I couln't even look if you were hurt by those men!"
„Hirashi-san, I thought you fell yesterday...?", Tae seemed surprised, too.
„I was attacked yesterday.", the woman said cooly, „But that is nothing you have to worry about at all."
„Hirashi-san...", Tae gasped, but now the woman turned to Kaoru: „And I left cause I knew you could only lose that fight. When I ran away you were already injured like me. After all you are only a weak girl like me, what can we do..."
„It is not very nice to insult someone, who protected you and risked his life for you in a fight, that it is most certainly not.", Kaoru looked up into Kenshins angry eyes and felt better in an instant.
„Kenshin...", she whispered, touched by his action and the face infront of her became even paler. „Kenshin...", the woman repeated and spun around.
„Kenshin!", she heard her gasp again and watched how that woman threw her arms around Kenshins neck and pressed herself against him. First she saw his surprise, but then he raised his arms and hugged her back. His eyes closed and he smiled. A true smile. One of his few true smiles. One of the rare smiles, that had been only reserved for Kaoru.
And now he stood in the middle of the restaurant hugging that woman in public?!
Even the bickering of Sano and Yahiko stopped at the sight and Kaoru heard Sanos whispered: „What the hell..."
„Maki...", he murmured into the hair of that woman, before he pushed her away lightly. But he didn't let go of her arms when he looked into her eyes now, confusion on his face.
„Maki, what...?", he began.
„Oh I am so glad I finally found you Kenshin!", Maki cried out and Kaoru was sure for a moment she would hug Kenshin again.
„Me...?", he seemed to be surprised, „Why don't you have dinner with this one and his friends tonight? If it is ok with you Tae-dono, of course?"
Tae only nodded and the two of them sat down. Kenshin introduced Sanosuke and Yahiko and then turned his gaze to Kaoru, „And apparently you already know my landlady Kamiya Kaoru."
Landlady? Kaoru managed a nod.
„This is Maki. We kind of travelled togehter a few years ago."
Kaoru noticed the lack of the honorific immediately.
„Kenshin...silly. Travelled together. We lived together!", Maki blurted out, ruffling his hair. Kaoru was glad the food arrived at that moment.
Dinner was a quiet affair. Even Sano and Yahiko didn't know what to say. When Kaoru was finished she couldn't stand it anymore. She got up and excused herself: „I will go and search for Tae-san. After it is such a quiet night at the restaurant it would be great to catch up on some things."
Kenshin only nodded and smiled and she stood up, almost throwing over the table and made her way out of the booth. She nearly ran to Taes office, only to be greeted with a big hug from the older woman.
„Oh Kaoru-chan...", she murmured, „Come in, come in..."
Kaoru wasn't sure how long they had talked, when there was a knock at the door and Sano peeked in: „Hey Jou-chan. We'll be going home. Coming with us?"
She nodded: „Yes. Of course. Thank you Tae-san. It was nice to talk to you again.", she managed a smile and followed Sanosuke who padded her shoulder. Outside Yahiko was waiting for them.
„Isn't Kenshin coming with us?", she asked confused and regretted it immediately.
Sano shook his head: „No. He is talking with that rude woman about something she didn't want to tell with us around."
Karou knew he wanted to show her his empathy with his comment and nodded.
„He said he would be home soon. Come now busu, I don't want to freeze in that place."