Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin
This chapter will be written in Kenshins point of view.
"Kaoru" I breathed as I sat in the spare room of Megumi and Sanos house. It was freezing outside and just as bloody cold inside an all, it felt as though the icy winds were billowing around the room. I leant against the frame of the fireplace and stared into roaring flames.
"Kenshin" I turned to see Sano entering the room with Aoshi following behind.
"Thank you for all of this Sano" I sighed as I turned to face them, but I couldn't look them in the face, I wasn't man enough.
"It's no problem at all Kenshin, what concerns me most is how you're going to deal with all of this, how Kaoru will deal with it all" Sano spoke and I sighed turning back around.
"Of all nights it could have happened, why tonight?" I asked myself and I could hear glasses clanking.
"Drink" I was ordered and turned just as Aoshi thrust a brandy glass into my hand. I looked at it for a moment before downing it in one and coughing out the strong aroma that swam with it. It was quickly refilled.
"Why did you ask her Kenshin?" I suddenly looked up and frowned unsure of what the question meant.
"What?" I asked and this time I sipped the brandy and felt it slowly ooze inside of me, it was incredibly soothing.
"Why did you ask Kaoru to marry you when you're still married to Tomoe?" Sano asked and Aoshi looked on obviously thinking the same thing.
"I don't love her, its been a while since I've felt anything for her other than feeling like a brother to her" I replied and clenched my fist at the thought of Enishi, Tomoes true brother.
"You swore an oath the day you both married that you would see it through till death do you part, in sickness and in health. Or did I miss hear the part where you agreed on those terms with an 'I do'" Sano seemed to hiss at me and I winced and turned my back on him remembering the pained memories of the day of my wedding, the day Tomoe signed her name away and I gave her mine. The day we gave ourselves to each other and made love. It hurt to think of those memories, they were such happy memories and slowly they had been taken from me. Not by the accident, but of months of hurtful and stressful arguments that grew more aggressive each time. Tomoe began to rely on drinking to calm herself, but even though it numbed the pain, she would lash out in her drunken state and become violent. I never did find out why she would create meaningless arguments over nothing and then drink herself stupid. And I never would find out because before I could even ask of why she was doing this I didn't even realise how much hatred I held towards her. Because of all the sleepless nights and screaming rows that we had during our marriage I slowly began to detest the woman I called my wife, and I only realised I had fallen out of love with her was when the accident occurred. But what killed me the most, and I still feel guilt over, is the thought of my innocent baby having to suffer because of what she put it through.
"You know you can't marry Kaoru" This made me swing around and stare Sano dead in the eye; I glared at him, daring him to say it again.
"You know your beginning to look more like your brother with every passing day" Sano smirked at me and I must have flared because Aoshi stood from where he was sat in the corner.
"Stop this now, its not helping anyone" Aoshi spoke calmly as he looked at both of us.
"Ill go check on Tomoe" Sano seemed to have trouble keeping the harsh tone out of his voice as he left the room giving Kenshin a hard look before he left.
Once he was gone Kenshin found the nearest chair and collapsed onto it with an agonizing sigh holding his face with one hand and his brandy with the other. He assumed he would be left alone to delve in the silence and think for himself, the last thing he expected was to be questioned by Aoshi, who hardly ever spoke to anyone other than Misao.
"Im sorry Kenshin, but he is right" Aoshi pulled a chair near Kenshin and leaned back staring into the fire.
"I don't know what to do" I all but sobbed and bit back the tears that were screaming to be freed.
"I think it would be best if you first explained everything to Kaoru if you are still wanting to marry her" Aoshi advised and I downed the rest of my brandy quickly standing up and refilling it.
"How can I explain something I don't fully understand myself" I choked out as I downed another brandy loving the feeling it gave as it ran down my body.
"Kaoru doesn't know anything, your wife turns up at her home right after you propose to her, can you possibly understand how she is feeling at this moment in time?" Aoshi spoke and I looked at him feeling my heart ache at the thought of my darling Kaoru.
"I have to go" The sudden determination in my voice made Aoshi quickly look up at me.
"To Kaoru?" he asked and I nodded placing the brandy glass on a random table in the room and headed towards the door.
"And Tomoe?" he asked and I stopped in my tracks for a moment before turning to him with a serious look.
"Call my brother" I hissed out at the thought of him.
"Battousai?" Aoshis eyes widened and I left the house without another word.
Please Review. Sorry it's taken so long but I will continue with this story as I have a lot of ideas for it. Let me know what you think.