From The Bottom of the Heart
Quietly, the dearest hopes are met, the most distant goals achieved.
It came unexpectedly. She had almost forgotten that she was waiting for it, her own personal grail. Not the "welcome home" from Kyoto; not the joining of their futures along the same path; not even the birth of their hopes, their son.
No.
Just a quiet winter's evening, late in life, adventures long finished, she at her needle and he hunkered over a haiku, closer to the fire and so lit more brightly by the red flame, dying now, almost time for bed.
With no fanfare, no gong, no fireworks, he looked over, his gaze pulling hers up.
And smiled.
A/N: The writers of the blighted "Seisouhen" show us a moment when Kaoru promises herself that "one day", Kenshin will show her his "true smile", the one "from the bottom of his heart", but they see fit to deny that to her—to her!—she who rescued and healed Our Boy. I fixed that.
