Author's Notes: I just finished writing a really difficult later chapter so I thought in celebration I would post the next one for everyone. Thanks for all the feedback so far. This is the last of the "intro" chapters. When setting this up I knew I had a lot of characters , relationships and situations to introduce and I wanted to break it up, so that might seem why it is a bit slow. Don't worry, the pace picks up after this, and Kenshin will be in the next chapter, in a really big way.

Beta: Sumiregusa (thanks for being amazingly supportive and listening to my "omg I just got an evil idea" rants)
Rating: T
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki. Persuasion is in the public domain, but was written by Jane Austen.

Chapter 4

"A few months more, and he, perhaps,
may be walking here." - Persuasion, Jane Austen

Tokyo, 1872

Kaoru headed over to the main house. Despite her protests and desire to not be a burden, Maekawa had insisted that her and Yahiko take their meals with the family. Maekawa wanted her to feel welcome here and she had stopped arguing with him after Yahiko had made a very loud and very rude comment about her lack of skills in the kitchen. She had relented much to Maekawa and Yahiko's delights.

"Hello?" Kaoru called as she entered the hall.

"In here!" Sayuri yelled through the shoji. Kaoru pulled it open and entered the dining room. Several dishes of food were set out on a low square table along with large pots of rice and soup. Sayuri was kneeling by the rice, while Akiko was passing bowls of soup around.

"There you are!" exclaimed Sayuri. "I told that girl to go find you a half hour ago. Honestly how hard is it to walk across the courtyard. Come sit. Where is Yahiko? Does he have to work tonight? Do I need to save him some food for later? How much does that boy eat?"

Kaoru grinned and held up her hands, willing her friend to calm down. "Easy Sayuri, I'm sure Yahiko won't be long. That walking stomach won't miss any meals." Kaoru sat down next to Sayuri, helping her to serve the bowls of rice to the rest of the family.

Next to Sayuri sat her husband Hiroki. He was tall like his father, and was considered quite handsome in the neighbourhood. As his businesses had succeeded he had adopted a more western style of dress. Today he sat in a stiff jacket and tie. Hiroki greeted Kaoru with a polite nod.

"I trust you have settled in?" he asked, as he reached for a piece of fish.

"Yes, and thank you again for letting Yahiko and I stay here and teach," Kaoru stated. She didn't know if she would ever stop thanking Maekawa and Hiroki for their generosity.

"Kaoru," laughed Maekawa. "You are like family to us! Right, Hiroki? This is the least we could do."

"Yes, Father," said Hiroki, a little more solemnly. "Just like family." Kaoru avoided his gaze. No one else noticed the bitter flash in his eyes.

"So Kaoru," asked Akiko, "are you just teaching here or will you be back at other schools?"

"Well," started Kaoru, but before she could answer the question, Sayuri jumped in.

"Kaoru isn't going to have time to teach," Sayuri declared. "I am going to find her a husband. Then she can give up this silly teaching and raise a family like she should be doing."

Kaoru tried not to let any offence be shown on her face. It had been years since anyone had been interested in making her an offer of marriage. She still had a dowry and it had remained untouched, even though the dojo was in debt. Dr. Genzai was adamant that that money not be used as Kaoru's father had made him promise that Kaoru would be provided for. Kaoru was long past the typical age people got married, and knew that her prospects were very slim now. She was resigned to the fact that she may never be married or have a family of her own. The dojo was her priority and Yahiko was both her surrogate brother and son. She didn't have time to focus on a husband or even finding one, despite the financial stability marriage would bring.

"Now, now, dear daughter," Maekawa assured Sayuri, noticing the look on Kaoru's face. "Kaoru only just got here. And she's been through some rather trying times. Let her adjust to these changes before we force more on her."

Sayuri glared at her father-in-law but spoke no more. She picked up her rice bowl and started eating, and Kaoru knew she would get an earful later about how no one else had her best interests at heart besides her friend.

Hiroki changed the subject and the men spoke about the latest shipments coming in to the warehouses and how they might expand some of the business to the port city of Yokohama. The women sat in silence and ate, not being able to contribute much to the conversation.

As the meal was finished and the dishes taken away, Sayuri and Akiko brought out some tea for the family to share. Despite being slightly uncomfortable earlier, Kaoru was starting to relax and knew that this would become more familiar and normal as time passed. She was eager for tomorrow, as she wanted to get back to teaching so she could focus on getting the dojo out of debt.

Kaoru was interrupted by these thoughts by the arrival of Yahiko. It was getting late and she was starting to wonder where he was.

"Ah, young Yahiko!" exclaimed Maekawa. "Welcome. Please join us! Do you need to eat?"

"Thank you Maekawa-sensei," said Yahiko, bowing deeply. He sat down next to Kaoru, and declined the food saying that he had already ate. Kaoru was instantly on alert that something was wrong, since Yahiko never declined a meal.

"Did you drop off the key at Dr. Genzai's," Kaoru asked cautiously.

"Yea," Yahiko hesitated. He looked at Kaoru and she could see it in his face. "They were there."

"They?" asked Sayuri butting in to the conversation. "Who are you talking about?" Hiroki hushed his wife, gesturing for Yahiko to continue.

"The new tenants of Kamiya-dojo," Yahiko continued. "They were at Dr. Genzai's."

A collective gasp broke out among everyone. Even the Maekawa's had gleefully guessed who the new tenants would be. Speculation had run wild, with rumours of everyone from a crippled veteran to a former warlord spreading through out the town.

"Well boy, don't keep us in suspense," said Maekawa. "Who were they?"

Yahiko glanced at Kaoru, before continuing. She gave him a slight nod, trying to show that she was okay.

"When I got to Dr. Genzai's, Saitou-san and his wife were there. He's some sort of special police officer and just got transferred here from Kyoto."

"Just a police officer?" exclaimed Sayuri, "That's not interesting at all."

"Saitou," said Maekawa thoughtfully, "was he a rather tall man?"

"Yea," said Yahiko. "I guess so."

"During the Bakumatsu, the third captain of the Shinsengumi was a man named Saitou," Maekawa mused. "Fierce warrior. Few could match him. I wonder if it is the same man?"

"An actual member of the Shinsengumi now a police officer?" said Hiroki doubtfully.

"I doubt he is just a police officer," Maekawa tapped the table in thought. "This is very interesting! He must have deep connections to the government to be a surviving member of the Shinsengumi and now employed by them. We will have to go introduce ourselves as soon as they are moved in."

"What was his wife like?" asked Akiko.

"Tokio-san seemed nice," Yahiko shrugged, not really knowing what to say as Akiko pressed him for more. "She asked about the dojo, once she found out who I was."

The family tried to get more information out of Yahiko, but he didn't have much more to say about the new neighbours. Saitou was tall and smoked cigarettes. His wife Tokio was friendly and had a nice smile. Anything else they would have to find out for themselves.

"See Kaoru," said Maekawa. "This is all going to work out for the best. I'm sure Saitou and his wife will take great care of the dojo."

"That's a relief. I'm glad to know that the house is in good hands," Kaoru tried to be cheerful but found that she had finally run out of the ability to cope with everything. She stood and excused herself saying that she was tired after the long day. Yahiko also joined her and they wished the Maekawa family goodnight.

Back in their rooms, Kaoru helped Yahiko get settled, and then went to her own room. It had been a long exhausting day and all she wanted was to sleep to try and escape everything, if only for a moment. Sleep came eventually, but all Kaoru could dream about was walking through her house, seeing ghosts of the past in halls.

The next few days passed in a blur for Kaoru, which she was grateful. She had scheduled a lot of classes, to both meet her students at the Maekawa-dojo and to keep herself busy. It seemed every day someone would stop by with news of the new tenants at the Kamiya-dojo. Tokio had quickly set up her household and as was polite, people had began to visit them to meet the new neighbours. Kaoru had declined going with Maekawa when he stated that he was going to visit them one morning with Hiroki, knowing that it would be too uncomfortable to show up at her former house uninvited.

It was late in the afternoon when Maekawa and Hiroki returned. Both Akiko and Sayuri were sitting on the engawa working on some kimono's that needed mending. Kaoru and Yahiko were finishing cleaning the dojo. The doors were open and Kaoru could hear Sayuri greet her husband and father-in-law when they returned.

"About time you got back!" Sayuri called to her husband. "Well? Tell me everything!"

"Yes, yes," said Hiroki, trying to placate his wife.

"They will be fine neighbours," Maekawa offered. "And you will get your chance to meet them. We have been invited to join them and their friends for dinner later this week."

Sayuri squealed with excitement and even Akiko cheered at the idea of meeting these new and important additions to the neighbourhood.

"You're invited too, Kaoru," Maekawa called to where Kaoru was standing at the dojo entrance. "Tokio-san is very eager to meet you!"

Kaoru tried to smile slightly. She knew that she would eventually meet Saitou and Tokio, and she couldn't avoid them forever. But it was still too soon for her. She needed more time. The days had passed by, while she stayed busy, but during the nights she couldn't help and feel like a failure but knowing that she was fortunate to have such giving friends.

"But that isn't our only news," said Maekawa, breaking out in to a grin. "Tokio said she was expecting a visitor in a few days, who would be staying with them for the summer."

"Oh, who is that?" asked Sayuri. "Yamagata-san himself isn't coming is he?"

"No, my dear daughter," said Maekawa. "But Yahiko will be excited to know who it is!"

"Oi?" said Yahiko, stepping over to where Maekawa was. Kaoru followed him down, curious to know who else would be there.

"Yes, the true hero of Kyoto!" Maekawa clapped his hands in glee. "We will soon have the greatest swordsman of our time here!"

Kaoru froze. No, she thought. Not him. Not in the dojo. Not walking those halls. Please don't let it be him. Kaoru willed Maekawa not to say his name, knowing that now, after so much time and after her fortunes had fallen so far past his, she could not handle knowing that he would be staying in the place where she had broken his heart.

"Himura Battousai!"

Glossary

Engawa - refers to the typically wooden strip of flooring immediately before windows and storm shutters inside traditional Japanese rooms

Shoji - a door, window or room divider consisting of translucent paper over a frame of wood which holds together a lattice of wood or bamboo