Disclaimer: Then again… I DON'T OWN THEM OR HIM! T_T Don't remind me of my misery…

ENJOY!

The sun was setting quickly and Kaoru was finishing dinner quickly as well, she was anxious to go out with Kenshin.

"Kenshin, be sure to take a coat it's kind of chilly out side"

"Don't worry Kaoru-dono, I'm taking my cloak…" he appeared in front of the entrance to the kitchen with the cloak on one arm and the other holding a thick cane.

"What's the cane for?"

"If any human sees a blind man walking without one he will wonder how can he walk in so well anyway…"

"I'll be guiding you so you don't have to worry" Kenshin expression did worry so Kaoru gave out a sigh "Alright, I'll let you take the cane"

"Thank you Kaoru-dono"

"You should drop the 'dono' you know… we're not on those terms anymore, we're friends right?"

"Sure Kaoru-dono, but I still think I owe you too much, I like to show my gratitude and respect by treating you the way you deserve"

He was too formal and too straight forward about it, it remainded her of samurais and all that stuff her father used to tell her about, oh… she almost forgot she was on the presence of an actual samurai, one who had been living for centuries already.

She made him talk to her about almost every detail about his life and even thought he would refuse to tell her, she could actually get it out of him the next time she asked, she didn't know why but he would open to her like anyone to their private diary. Maybe that's what she was to him, a private diary where he could on load from his back the past that was stopping him from moving forward, or at list she hoped that.

He had been a samurai, worked for a Shogun and fought in many battles; killed many man. But even thought he was in history books because of his strength as the 'battousai' he was remembered in the hidden world of the vampires as one of the best vampire-hunters, now he was blind and at the mercy of any vampire he might come across, or so Kaoru considered for what she had heard from doctor Gensai. She had to protect him and take care of him… she couldn't help the smile coming and the blush forming on her cheeks as she told herself so; she was just like a wife. But then another thought crossed her mind and made her sad, he had already had a wife… and he loved her dearly, she could tell.

"Kaoru-dono?" his voice broke the spell her bitter thoughts have brought on her and she turned of the stove and walked over to Kenshin guiding him outside along with her.

They walked to the beach and there they took of their shoes and walked a long time around the beach until they reached the limit of her land and Kenshin decided to sit down while Kaoru played with the waves coming to the shore with her feet.

Kenshin smiled warmly hearing her laugh and tried to imagine how she would look like. Doctor Gensai had said she had white skin, black hair and dark bluish eyes, she sounded beautiful to him anyway and she smelled… for a moment he felt the guilt hit him but her laughs made him relax and let his thoughts carry on about her scent of jasmine flowers and rain, it was that scent what took him out of his room and into hers that day.

He knew she was doing the laundry, he could sense her outside washing and his carelessness draw him to her door where the scent was coming from, maybe from her bathroom where she had taken a bath before and he had been able to sense her bathing too, giving specs of gold to his lavender eyes. She smelled of something he wanted and he couldn't have, as if all his life he had been searching for her and now that he had found her he couldn't have her because of his curse.

But he had met her because of his curse… the irony of the situation sucked and he winced at the pain he felt on his not beating heart.

He made a mistake that day when he opened her door; it was obvious she would have left the windows open to freshen up her bedroom from the heat of the day and it was obvious she didn't need it covered, yet he opened the door and in seconds the sun rays hit him, confusion knocking him to the floor, pain making him scream as loud as he could, the only thought in his mind was the girl running quickly to his aid. He lost consciousness for a moment and regained when he felt the cold water running over him, it felt nice but then her voice reached his ears and he sensed the worry and panic in her voice as well as the scent coming out her making him dizzy and hungry.

She tried calling him again and he was already breathing hard to control himself when he opened his eyes and desire took over his motions, she was looking so delicious against the wall, staring at him, her skin flushed and her lips trembling ever so lightly with a desire for him, he moved her head to the side and caressed her hair away as he brought his fangs against her skin but before he could do anything she pushed him away and the sudden change made him react and calm himself.

After such an incident he had promised himself never to lay a finger on Kaoru again; she was too pure and innocent, too sweet and gentle to be taint her, and he would be leaving anyway, he had to leave for her own good. If a vampire find him and he wasn't able to protect her? God… he would never be able to forgive himself, he would continue to send her money so she wouldn't lose the place she loved so much but they would never see each other again.

"Kenshin, I'm thinking maybe we could have a picnic tomorrow"

"A picnic Kaoru-dono?"

"Yeah… wouldn't it be nice to eat outside and enjoy this fresh air and the sound of the ocean? It's really so calm and magical…"

"It sounds perfect for tomorrow"

"Good! Now we should return, food is getting cold and I don't want to go back to late"

"Yes Kaoru-dono"

They walked side by side up the hill while Kaoru was humming a song when Kenshin stopped and before Kaoru knew what was happening he shoved her to the ground and kneeling over her he covered both of them with his cloak. A loud explosion came seconds later and within a few more seconds Kenshin knocked something out of their way, carry her on his arms and took her to the mansion.

He got her on her feet again quickly and with a click of his cane he drove it to his hip and pulled a sword out of it. Kaoru could only stare confused at him as he moved away from the house expecting their attacker to come out, then it struck her; someone had attacked her an she had seen him dressed in black as he carried her, but he was blind, how could he? Then she saw a black shadow attack Kenshin so fast he was only able to protect himself from most of the blows he was sending, his claws scratching and cutting his skin many times.

Kaoru panicked and ran inside the house coming out again a moment later with a bokuto and ran closer to them, later hiding the bokuto behind her and falling to the ground she gave out a loud cry of pain, the vampire hit Kenshin and sent him flying a few meters away and quickly appeared in front of her smiling.

"It seems Battousai had a snack he was trying to hide, to bad you can't stay put" she closed her eyes as he launched against her.

Kenshin felt pain run through him and for a moment considered laying still on the ground and let him finish his curse when he heard a voice screaming and suddenly got up from the ground and tried to ran towards her when he saw the limb body lying almost on top of her. She had killed the vampire.

Back at the house he carried her to her room and to her bathroom, not taking of her clothes he placed her on the bathtub and left the water fill the tub with her inside until it was full, then he took a cloth from a cabinet and cleansed her face from the blood, after that he got up and made to leave but before he could she grabbed his sleeve, so he turned around and kneeled in front of her again.

"Kaoru…?" it took only a moment after he said her name for her to start crying and she cried until she fell asleep.

Kenshin paced for long minutes around her bedroom until he brazed himself and took her out of bathtub, carefully he placed her over a towel he had over the floor. He hesitated for a few seconds and then went to search her wardrobe for some clothes, a couple minutes later he came back with a dress he had seen her using as a pajama. Taking care not to harm her or wake her he undressed her and dressed her to later carry her to her bed, there he murmured his goodbyes and left.

Kaoru woke up filling ill; really dizzy and tired, but still she got up and looked for her shoes, then she saw them across the bedroom apparently wet and remember the events of the past night.

"Kenshin…" his name escaped her lips while she ran out of her bedroom and across the hallway to his just to find it empty, of his things and of him… it was as if he had never been there… not a note or a sign… nothing to assure her he would come back, that he was okay or where he was going.

"Why…" she barely spoke the words and chocked on her own tears trying to stop them. After last night's events there was really no way he would have stayed.

I'm sorry… I don't know how… but I have to see you again… so please forgive me for searching for you… and please, wait for me…