* ... * = pov of kaoru IN the memory ~ ... ~ = the confused kaoru's pov

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * Previous Chapter -

"Kaoru.koishii." Kenshin runs towards her and hugged her with all the love he had. He then raised her chin and passionately captured her lips in his. Kaoru kissed back because this feeling, it felt right. as right as rain. She suddenly pulled away as she remembered that he was the enemy. "Battousai, I am your opponent.. Fight me."

"WHAT!?! Kaoru u know I cant fight you. I couldn't bare if u were hurt by someone else. much less if I hurt you. My sweet, innocent, loving, Koishii. I refuse to fight you."

"WELL THEN DIE!!!!" Kaoru yelled as she ran toward Kenshin with her sword above her head.

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Kenshin blocked her attack with his sheathed sword. Using his god-like speed, he appeared in the back of her. As swift as lightning, Kaoru turned around and slashed Kenshin on the right arm, making him scream out in sheer agony. "Koishii.. What's wrong? What did Takimoto do to you?" Kenshin asked, his amber slits looking deep into her cerulean ones. Kaoru gasped as she stared into his amber eyes, which lacked the emotion it had when he first arrived. 'What is that strange glint?' There was a mixture of guilt, sadness, and was that.. Affection?.. for her?

Kaoru was beginning to feel queer inside. almost as if. she should be fighting along with him instead of against him. Ignoring this feeling, she yelled, "Stop calling me Koishii! You don't even love me!" as she moved in for another attack. Kenshin froze at her statement. His brain stopped functioning as he stood as still as a statue, allowing her to injure him once again. He didn't feel the pain, for his heart was aching uncontrollably. With tears welling up in his golden eyes, he stammered, "Kaoru.What makes you think I don't love you?" Kaoru looked at him through tears, "You said so yourself.. Don't you remember?" Kenshin's eyes widened in shock, but his mind was completely confused. "Remember? Remember what? Kaoru what are you talking about?" Tears streamed incessantly down her pretty face.

"Don't, act like you don't know Kenshin. Remember the girl who smells like white plum?" "Yes, what about Tomoe-san?" Kenshin asked in a serious tone. "Jou-chan wha-" Sanosuke started but was cut by Kenshin's voice, "Stay out of this one Sanosuke, onegai." Kenshin paused then continued, averting his gaze to Kaoru. "Koishii. Please continue. What does my dead wife have to do with this?" Kaoru's heart wrenched and constricted in pain, 'His wife!?!?'

Kenshin looked closely at Kaoru. Her countenance appeared to be serious but her gorgeous blue eyes betrayed her. They reflected utter hurt and pain, as if she was hearing this for the first time. "How. How did she die?" Kaoru asked softly as she stared at the ground, trying to prevent the tears from cascading fown her face. Kenshin was baffled beyond comprehension. 'Kaoru, what did he do to you? You act as if I'm the enemy. And worst of all. you think I don't love you." Kenshin walked slowly, staring at the grass beneath him. As he arrived in front of Kaoru, he looked up at her face. It was filled with pain. "Kaoru.. Look at me." Battousai asked with the gentleness of the Rurouni. Kaoru just ignored his request and repeated the question. "How did she die?" "I killed her. 12 yrs ago" "YOU WHAT?" Kaoru asked, her head snapping out of her shocked little world and into reality. She stared completely bewildered at the man in front of her. Tears of sorrow strolled unhesitatingly down her flawless skin. Kenshin, noticing the wetness that glittered on his koshii's face, enveloped her in his arms. He stroked her back as she cried her eyes out. "Kaoru, what are you doing? Battousai is the enemy!" Takimoto shouted angrily. ' I cant let her soften to him. The only way to break the spell of my hypnotism is if she and her true love do something together that was done already in the past. I am not going to lose her.'

Kaoru continued to cry as Kenshin tightened the embrace. She returned to her world of shock. She could not hear anything. All she feel was a firm hand around her tiny waist and a gentle hand stroking her back tenderly. 'Kenshin killed his own wife. but why? I thought he loved her? And 12 yrs ago? That couldn't be possible. 12 years ago I didn't even know him. And this position that we're both in, it feels familiar. like we've -" Kaoru's thoughts were cut by a memory surfaving in her head.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * There were fireflies, a gigantic amount of them. She saw herself standing by a pond, waiting for someone.

* Kaoru looked onto the grass giving up hope. Suddenly, she heard a comforting voice. "The fireflies really are beautiful tonight." The figure said as he came into view. *

~ "Kenshin," she heard herself say. Kaoru watched as the scene unfolded before her eyes. She saw her lips, as well as Kenshin's moving, but she couldn't hear a single word. She watched as the Kaoru in the memory, clenched her fists as tears welled up in her eyes. Suddenly Kenshin pulled her into an embrace. The tears broke through the barrier and flowed down her cheeks. "Thank you for everything up until now. Goodbye Kaoru-dono"

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Soon, everything came back to her. All the memories of her past up until the time when Takimoto walked over and knelt beside her, came floating back. As Kaoru got her senses back, she wrapped her arms around Kenshin's neck. "Kenshin, you came to rescue me." She said, trying to figure out what happened after Takimoto knelt next to her. None of the recent events had registered in her mind. She was confused as to how she got from a dining room with richly adorned furniture to the comforting arms of her beloved. "Kaoru?" Takimoto called hopefully. Kaoru just ignored him as Kenshin pulled her closer and said, "Koishii.. I missed you so much." Kaoru wiped her tears away and replied, "so did I. It's only been a day but it seemed like eternity. Oh Kenshin." Fresh new tears rolled down her cheeks. Kenshin pulled away slightly and looked into her eyes. "What happened to you Koishii? You wanted to fight me and you thought I didn't love you because of something with Tomoe-san and." Kenshin once again closed the distance between them by hugging her even more tightly than before. "Oh Kaoru.I'm so glad to have you in my arms again. Aishiteru.. Forever."

Kaoru's eyes widened. Firstly, because of what Kenshin said. Indeed she felt that way but never in a million years did she think that she would hear Kenshin say those words. Secondly, as he looked into her eyes, she noticed that his were amber. "Kenshin?" Kaoru asked as she became aware of his bleeding scar. "Yes Kaoru?" he replied slightly pulling away to look at her. Kaoru removed her right hand from around his neck and brought it down to touch Kenshin's cheek, tracing along the cross scar. She then looked at her fingers which were coated with ruby red blood.

"Kenshin. your scar. it's bleeding. and your eyes. they're amber." Kaoru said in bewilderment. She was perfectly still for a few seconds then she pulled Kenshin to her and pressed his body on hers tightly. "You may have the eyes of the Hitokiri, but you saved me ..both Battousai. and the Rurouni make up Kenshin.and. Aishiteru Kenshin.until the end of time. I want you to hold me like this. forever." Kenshin never thought that Kaoru would have accepted the Hitokiri Battousai.

Battousai: She's full of surprises.

Rurouni: I'll say. That's why we love her

Battousai: Cant argue with that.

Kenshin dipped his head down capturing Kaoru's soft lips in a long, blissful, passionate kiss.

Takimoto was in turmoil. He had lost; his assassins were defeated and most importantly. he lost Kaoru to Battousai. Takimoto unsheathed his sword, the sound echoing throughout the place, making Kaoru and Kenshin pull away from each other. "Battousai! Prepare to Die!!" Takimoto screamed as he launched at Kenshin with his katana.

Kenshin pushed Kaoru away violently as he blocked the attack. It was time to take revenge on Tsukishiro Takimoto for kidnapping his Kaoru. Kenshin's fatigued and exhausted limbs screamed out to him to give them a rest but he didn't listen. His injuries had no effect on him. as yet. It was time to kill that bastard Takimoto and nothing was going to stop him. "Dou Ryu Sen!" he yelled as he sent the earth flying at Takimoto. The man quickly and quite easily evaded the attack by moving out of the way with extreme speed.

Rurouni: Battousai. it didn't work. Battousai: I can see that. but no matter. I'll kill him. Rurouni: no don't.. don't kill him. Battousai: do you not remember what he did to kaoru? I don't c are what you say. he's dead. Rurouni: don- Battousai: Damare! I've had enough of you.

Battousai charged at Takimoto and swung his sword violently towards the man's neck but he blocked with his sheath. Kaoru looked on with a terrified expression in her eyes. ' So this is what Battousai is like when he was fighting.' Takimoto and Kenshin continued to swing their swords at each other, wishing that they would murder the other. Kenshin's injuries on his arms started to pain slightly. He ignored it and kept fighting, each sword stroke more powerful than the other.

Takimoto thought hatefully, 'I'll make you pay. You killed my brother. I'll kill you.' Kenshin and Takimoto swung their swords at each other and steel clashed with steel. Both flew back with the force of their combined attacks. Kenshin sheathed his sword looking seriously at Takimoto. " You want me? Come then." Kenshin growled angrily as he got into the position for Ama Kakeru Ryu no Hirameki.

Takimoto knew that position all too well. he had known about all of himura's past battles. but he had no way to defend against it. the only logical thing was to stay away from Kenshin.. to remain in the very spot that he stood.

' But then what would that accomplish? He's not going to come. You'll just stay in the same position until forever.' a voice said inside him. 'Maybe. I'll just stall til his patience runs thin.' he responded. ' Baka.' 'What?' 'Hypnotize him dammit!!' ' I don't know? his ki is very strong he could use his aura to block off anything external.' 'Oh dammit just try!!' the voice reprimanded.

Takimoto walked slowly and gingerly towards Battousai. He saw an evil grin appear on the red-haired man's face. ' I hope this works.' As Takimoto came walked closer he noticed that Kenshin's hand had tightened on the hilt of his sakaba-tou. Nevertheless, he kept walking until he was in close enough range to emit his hypnotizing powers..

Takimoto stared into Kenshin's golden eyes as his bore into his. Takimoto's eyes let out a flash of light, containing the hypnotizing rays in it, towards Kenshin. Battousai had already used his ki to make a shield around his body to prevent anyone from putting any kind of spell on him. As the rays came in contact with the invisible shield, it bounced off and disappeared into thin air. It was known that once the rays had not hit the person intended. it would simply vanish.

' Shit. now I have to fight him. I've got to somehow get him out of that position.But how?'

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Kenshin just looked at the man in front of him. "Fool. did you really think you could use your silly mind games on me? Now hurry up. I don't have all day."

"If you want to kill me so bad then why don't you just come after me?" he continued.

"I'd say the same to you Hitokiri Battousai."

Takimoto's brain suddenly started to function properly and an idea popped into his head. He carefully thought about it. Each step of his endeavour to counteract Battousai Himura's Ama Kakeru Ryu no Hirameki played slowly and carefully into his mind. He could now see it clearly and it was bound to work. He was read to implement his plan. With a contented grin, he ran towards Kenshin confident that his idea would work.

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TBC.

A|N: So how was it? I don't think it was my best. I was kinda stuck coming down to the ending like after Takimoto made ken and kao move away from each other. you probably thought that the ending was quite strange ne. well tell me what you think. Thanks for the reviews. I really appreciate it.



Gypsy-chan - Thanks for the compliment. but I don't write THAT good a battle scene :: slightly blushes at gypsy-chan's compliment :: So.. tell me.. you like this update?? oh and sorry for the cliffhanger. I'm getting more and more like Kamimura Kaoru nee-san everyday :)

Skipper - haha you really hate Takimoto don't you?? Lol. Here's your update ne. I woke up a little late so I didn't post it earlier :: sigh ::

Chibi-angel - Glad to hear from you. I thought that you lost interest in my story.. Yes I know. school sucks!!! I'm getting better?!?!? really? YAY!!!! Thank you!! Thanks for reviewing! I reeeeeeeallly appreciated it!!

Tan Kimiko - :: sobs :: WHAT!?!? Finish chapter 17 pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. you how much I love your story!!!! Thanks for reviewing.. Hope you like my update.

~Kaoru Himura~ - Hi there. thank you for your review. here's my update. hope you like it!!

Sheens - Hey thank you! Hope you like this Chapter. I wrote most when I was in Tobago while listening to the Incubus CD.lol.. Yea.. my new inspiration is incubus.lol.

Special Thanks to:

Kamimura Kaoru - Hey! Thanks for the encouragement. and here it finally is.. Chapter 10.. still not quite sure if everyone will like it. but I posted it cuz u said to. And once again I will tell you, Chapter 2 in Made for each other WAS NOT CRAPPY!! IT WAS REEEEEEEEEEEEEEALLLLY GOOD!!!! Luv ya onee-san. Bye!

Sabrina-star - Hi Hi! So how was this chap de gozaru ka? Tell me!! Please tell me you finished reading it this time ( * sticks tongue out at brinz * ) lol.. Thanks for the support.. Please update your ficcy soon. Luv ya! Ja!