A/N: This new format is so confusing...I made one mistake so I had to delete chapters 5-7 and reupload them...It was fairly weird. So I'm sorry if all of you on story alert or author alert or anything just got, like, 4 different emails when I was just uploading one chapter...

DISCLAIMER: Never owned Rurouni Kenshin, even in my dreams, still don't own it now.


"I'd suggest you not move around so much," Soujiro called out from shore, the smile ever present on his face as he watched an agitated Kaoru pull herself up and back onto her feet. She took in a deep breath and positioned herself again, legs spread out-wide in the water and her one free hand out as if ready to tackle an incoming attacker. Her eyes searched the passing stream water as she cautiously waded forward; the water sloshing around her feet with each step. Soujiro leaned back and turned his eyes up the sky, gazing at the clouds drifting sluggishly through the clear sky. Yawning, he stretched out his legs and dipped his feet in the water, enjoying the cool and refreshing rush of water around his feet. His eyes slowly began to slide shut as the tranquility of his surroundings lulled him to a gentle slumber. He hadn't been able to feel this kind of peace in such a long time, especially since he was travelling by himself, but having a companion around for the first time seemed to put his heart at ease.

As he began to lean back onto the cool ground to enjoy a short nap, he was abruptly awakened by a shrill shriek followed by the sound of splashing water and a frustrated moan.

"I'd be glad to take your place, you know," he opened his eyes only to find Kaoru once again drenched from top-to-bottom and crouched down on her hand and knees. He watched amusedly as she lifted her hand out of the water, brushed back the wet mass of hair that hung over her face and struggled back to her feet.

"No," she finally answered, her eyes still zeroed in on the water as if this were truly a matter of life and death, "I can't let you do all the work after the number of times you've-HELPED ME!"

The last few words came out with more emphasis than she had intended as dove forward once again but suddenly she lost her balance and fell forward into the water.

"You're injured," Soujiro reasoned, but gave up as Kaoru shook her head stubbornly and pulled herself back up.

"I'm also better," he added softly, still smiling as he scanned her.

She may have been sopping wet and injured in one arm, but her resilience seemed to add a special quality to her. He couldn't explain it, but to see her sapphire eyes blazing with determination, her lips pursed in concentration and body tensed as if ready to pounce; he suddenly found this strange girl to be…

"Beautiful," he finished softly before he stopped as if realizing what he had just said but before he could think any further his attention was drawn to the forest behind them. A shadowy figure suddenly tensed, realizing that they had been caught and suddenly rushed back to the shadows of the forest and disappearing from sight. Soujiro quietly drew his feet out of the water, leaving Kaoru to her antics as he stalked over to where he had seen the figure. Pushing back thorny branches and leaves, he surveyed the surrounding trees for the intruder.

"GOT IT!" Kaoru cried out, and he quickly turned to look over his shoulder to a triumphant Kaoru holding a squirming fish in her good hand. She was beaming, like a child excited to show a parent their latest drawing, her eyes sparkling with genuine pride.

He had never met anyone like her, and as he walked back over to the bank the smile on his face seemed to grow wider.

"That's great," he said as she waded over, still holding her trophy high in the air, "now you just need to get one more."

She screeched to a halt, her smile falling into a frown as the reality of his words suddenly hit her.

Damn.


"AH-CHOO!"

Soujiro looked up from his cooked fish and turned to look at Kaoru, an apologetic smile on his face as she wiped her watery eyes and sniffed.

"I think," he started, his voice pleasant as he took a bite of his fish, "you're the unluckiest woman I've ever met."

Kaoru managed a bitter chuckle as she took a bite from her own fish and shook her head.

"You don't even know," she mumbled with a full mouth before she swallowed, "you don't even know the half of it."

He nodded quietly as he swallowed his last bite and tossed the stick away. It was hard to believe that somebody as pure as Kaoru had secrets but he wasn't one to really judge.

"AH!" Kaoru suddenly exclaimed as she finished her fish and threw away her stick, "I'm so stupid, I've been with you all this time and I still don't even know your name."

Soujiro fell silent as they continued walking, his smile falling into a grim line.

"I'm just a wanderer," he answered softly, his gaze travelling to the side.

Realizing something was wrong, Kaoru frowned. It was much too uncanny, the similarities between him and Kenshin…maybe…

A whirlwind of question and doubts suddenly took up her mind as she scanned her nameless companion. There had to be a reason he was hiding his own name, perhaps the very reason that he was wandering.

"But your name?" She probed further, her voice gentle as she realized she was treading on a touchy subject, "what about your name?"

He tensed and almost instinctively drew away. Would she realize who he was just from his name? Perhaps she hadn't even heard of him…but what if she had? He didn't want her to…

His thoughts trailed off as his eyes widened in surprise.

To what…to do what…to…leave him…?

Kaoru shifted awkwardly at the enduring silence as Soujiro delved deeper into his thoughts. Since when did he long for company? Since when did it matter to him, whether she left or not? He paused to imagine parting ways with Kaoru and he was a struck with a sudden wave…of loneliness. He didn't want to be alone, not anymore. He wanted somebody, anybody, to be with him…and he hated it. It sickened to suddenly feel so dependent on something—somebody else.

"My name," he started to explain, his smile back on his face as he tried to reform the façade, the wall that separated him from her, "is tied to a past I'd rather not remember."

He and Kenshin were so similar Kaoru was almost beginning to wonder if she was actually dreaming.

"I don't care about your past," she retorted confidently, a smile on her face as she was taken back to the first day she had met Kenshin, "I only care about the present you, the you right here in front of me."

He suddenly stopped, his eyes wide as her words pounded in his head. A sudden rush of emotion travelled all through his body, filled up his heart and he took a deep breath as if trying to control this new feeling.

"My name," he murmured breathlessly as his hand travelled to his chest and he felt his heart fluttering against his fingertips. Quietly he turned around to face her and all of a sudden she seemed so different to him, like an angel, something so ethereal that he'd be damned to hell by even looking in her direction.

"My name is," he whispered, his voice strained and soft as he fully turned to face her, "my name is…"

"SOUJIRO SETA!"

The two whirled around as a sudden gang of man prowled from behind and the owner of the voice suddenly stepped forward. His hand rested on the sword attached to his hip and he shifted into an attacking stance, his eyes dancing with rage and desperation.

"GIVE ME BACK REI," he roared, his face blazing red he glared at Soujiro with all the killing intent within him, "OR I TAKE YOUR LIFE RIGHT HERE!"

"Soujiro," Kaoru repeated softly, the gears in her mind churning as she turned to look at her companion. He stood silently, the smile on his face now sad as he watched realization dawn on Kaoru's face.

"Juppongatana," the whisper fell from her lips as she drew back, "you…you were part of the Juppongatana."

You tried to kill Kenshin…

"ANSWER ME, SETA!" The man spat again, a vein practically popping on his forehard as his muscles bulged and rippled with anger, "OR I KILL YOU NOW!"

Kaoru looked from the raging man and back to Soujiro, her eyes widening.

"I told you," he murmured sadly, "that there are things about my past I'd rather forget about."