Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

AN: This is the same story. I just decided to take flitter-flutter's advice about text formatting and I added a bit of dialogue and a little detail so it would make sense.

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A Moment

Kaoru rolled around restlessly in her futon, sighing quietly in frustration. She had been lying there for an hour and sleep just wouldn't claim her. She rested the back of her left hand over her eyes, hoping that it would help somewhat. It didn't.

"Sssshhaaaa." She exhaled and moved to stand up, then she opened the shoji leading outside. A light breeze greeted her and her hair moved slightly so it was tickling her face. She brushed her hair out of her face and closed her eyes. She sighed in contentment this time. It was such a nice night.

As Kaoru opened her eyes a red blur flew by her. She blinked. "Kenshin?" She thought to herself. What was he doing awake at this hour?

She walked out into the yard when she saw the red blur again. She called out to him hesitantly, worry evident on her face. No sound came back to her. She frowned and walked around the yard.

"Kenshin?" She called again.

When she got to the right side of the dojo she heard a quiet sob. "Ken-" She gasped when she saw him. He was hunched over on the ground like he was in pain. "Kenshin!" She ran over to him as fast as she could in a sleeping yukata.

"Kenshin, are you alright?" She kneeled down on the ground and put a hand on his shoulder. He sobbed a little louder in response and his right hand moved to clutch the loose fabric of her yukata like it would disappear if he didn't hold on.

Kaoru could here him muttering to himself; although she could decipher some of the words he was saying most of it was incoherent. "This one… katana… why? She died. This one should have… Hakubaiko… the ninja... katana cut through… Nooooooo… Tomoe."

It was painful to see him like this. Kaoru could have sworn that she could feel her heart break in two. This was so different from the Kenshin she knew. He never showed the need for comfort, although Kaoru could easily see through the fake smile he always had plastered on his face; she hated admit it but whatever happened was able to draw a genuine emotion out of him.

She whispered soothingly to him, trying to calm him down. Kenshin turned towards her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He buried his face in her shoulder.

Kaoru still couldn't see his face but she returned his embrace hoping it would help. Her eyes widened when she felt the muscles in his back clench and unclench; a sign that whatever had spooked him was in a nightmare and wouldn't be back soon.

Just a moment; that was all he needed.

-Owari-

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R&R Please!