Well I'm back! I'm very sorry for the delay, life got in the way and I spent a crucial amount of time editing the most recent chapter of my other story. I didn't mean to neglect you guys! So, please read on!

Chapter 10

Insight

Sano sat against the wall in Kaoru's bedroom, his unwavering gazed trained on her alone. The only light to illuminate the room came from the glow of the moon just outside the window. He could see the steady rise and fall of her chest, every now and then a small sob would escape her slightly parted lips… or that guy'sname. Each time that occurred he had to try very hard not to leave and run down the rurouni and beat him within an inch of his life.

That had been his intention after all, he would deposit Kaoru at home, then go after him. Kenshin didn't have the right to leave things the way that they were, shattered and in disarray. Besides, all the smaller man was accomplishing was running away from the person who cared about him the most. He had also accomplished destroying her happiness as well. Since Sano had met Kenshin he had always looked up to the older man but this current development was starting to quash those feelings of admiration. Now he just felt angry and empty. His emotions were completely frazzled at this point and he wasn't sure what to think. Real men didn't just run away from their problems.

Kenshin loved Kaoru. Sanosuke knew that, hell, everyone knew that. It didn't make sense that Kenshin had told her he would not return. Where the hell else could he go? There had to be something more to the story than what met the eye. Kenshin wouldn't just abandon all of them, least of all Kaoru.

He felt like he should be happy, with Kenshin gone he had more of a chance to garner Kaoru's affections and hopefully, create a relationship with her. But, the other man's absence only upset the woman he loved and he could not stand to see her so damaged. Though he desired her, what he truly wanted was her happiness, with or without him.

Upon arriving at the dojo he had stood outside the door as Kaoru dressed for bed, mechanically. Unconsciously going through the motions of any other normal evening, even though this one was so different. He wasn't really worried about Kaoru hurting herself or anything but he sure as hell didn't need her running after the dead-brained rurouni. That would just cause more headaches for everyone, himself being at the top of that list. Besides, once Kaoru fell asleep he would look for the red head himself and try to convince him, at the very least, to return here once he was finished with whatever nonsense the government had him doing. He would do it for Kaoru because he knew that was what she wanted.

When she spoke to let him know she was decent he had to struggle to actually hear her, her voice seemed so meek, a far cry from the usually loud tomboy she was. He pushed aside the shoji to her room, the smell of jasmine that he had become accustomed to assaulted his senses. It smelled stronger here, in her own quarters, than anywhere else. His eyes swept over the room, silently appraising its interior. Now that he thought about it this was the first time he could ever remember stepping foot inside of it. He had never been interested in any rooms of the dojo really outside of the kitchen and his own though. Her futon was already laid out, ready and waiting for its mistress to tuck herself in, allowing it to become the vessel for her to travel into the world of dreams.

She had a small vanity with a mirror against the left side of the wall, small trinkets littered the table along with her hairbrush. She had a few things adorning the walls, a large decorative fan, a scroll here and there. The room was not grand or extravagant by any means but it was very Kaoru. He noticed the small vase of flowers on the low table next to her futon, the flowers she had gathered earlier in the evening when he had been with her. But there was one piece of furniture that caught and kept his attention. It stood out above all the other possessions in her room. Against the right side of the wall, closest to the shoji was a large, beautifully crafted wooden trunk. The entire structure was made from what he assumed was cherry wood, it had been stained a deep brown, almost black. The lid was adorned with a sakura tree, its blossoms a beautiful pink that stood in stark contrast of the stain, swirling around the trunk of the tree and off into the distance. What was extraordinary about it though was the image had not been painted on, no, it had been carved into the surface and then painted with the most exact colors he had ever seen. There were artists whose work didn't even compare the splendor of this piece of furniture. The craftsmanship was absolutely extraordinary.

Without thinking he reached out to touch it, sweeping his fingertips along the carving, it was completely smooth.

"It's lovely, isn't it?" Kaoru said, now standing at his side.

He didn't respond to her declaration, instead he turned his gaze to hers. Her custom braid was already in place, she wore a pink yukata, the light fabric hung on her frame loosely. Her eyes were red rimmed and a little puffy. He could tell she was tired, fighting off sleep. She had been through so much in the past year, she must be feeling worn down, everything finally coming to a head.

His silence seemed to unnerve her so she continued without a verbal prompt on his end.

Her eyes settled on the furniture in question. "My father built this for my mother as a wedding gift. She adored it, she always told me it was her second greatest treasure, the first being myself." she told him, her features growing soft as she recalled her mother.

"When she died, father locked away all of my mother's belongings. Her kimono's, her hair combs, her favorite perfume, everything in this trunk. I thought at the time, how can he be so callous? Didn't he love her at all? But after losing both of my parents I understand the pain he must have felt. The memories that her personal affects must have stirred within him, they were too much for him to bear. In order to function day to day and raise me he had to lock away the intense love he had for her. When he went off to fight in the war, he gave me the trunk along with all of her possessions and the key. It was the last time I ever saw him…"

Sano hung on her every word. These were things she had never revealed to him. Sure, he had known she was an orphan of war, but to see the person behind that was something new. She had never really spoken in depth about her life before Kenshin and the rest of their little family had arrived. He knew this was the explanation for why she had such abandonment issues.

"What did you do after that, Jou-chan? How did you find the strength to keep going, knowing it was you against the world?" He wanted to know, because he too had been in that position. He had run from his home to join the Sekihoutai, Captain Sagara had become his adopted father and mentor. His idol. Then the deplorable Meiji government had sold them down the river, used the noble men as pawns because they couldn't take responsibility for their own devious actions. Finding no justice he had begun his life as a street fighter and a gangster. Sanosuke had been sure that virtue and honor were all just ridiculous ideals that no one actually dictated their life by. Until… he met Kenshin. That was when Sano's world view had begun to change and with the help of Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko and even the fox doctor he found the strength to press on.

But Kaoru had not had that. She had been alone. There was no Captain Sagara to care for her, to protect her. He needed to know why she had been able to go on.

"I'm not sure… I think… I think it was because I wanted to show my parents that I could be okay on my own. That they had done a good job in raising me and I could fend for myself. Although I was frightened and alone, I didn't want them to have to be worried about me from the next world. I wanted them to be able to rest in peace, together." She responded, her voice completely level as she spoke of one of the darkest times in her life.

"Of course I cried and worried but there were people around me, like Dr. Gensai, who cared enough to keep their eye on me. Eventually, one day, I ran into Kenshin and the rest is history really. I gained a family when I met him. He has this incredible ability to bring peace to those around him, I think that's why so many people are drawn towards him. That's why I asked him to stay. Then Yahiko came and then you, rooster-head and my life was so full of excitement, adventure and happiness everyday that I forgot about those things that used to make me sad."

"I can't believe he isn't coming back, Sano…" she said, her bottom lip beginning to quiver as the dismal thoughts began to swirl in her head.

Sanosuke was still shocked into silence. He was literally standing here, in awe of this woman. She had found the strength to survive because she didn't want her dead parents to worry about her. Did her selflessness know no bounds? She had accepted them all into her home, knowing their sordid, checkered pasts and cared for them all. He would get Kenshin to return, he had to.

"He'll come back, Jou-chan. I'll make sure of it. He just has some issues to work out right now, that's all. He cares about you…" He told her, though he couldn't command the proper amount of certainty to his tone. He wasn't sure if he would be able to get Kenshin to come back or not but he would damn sure try!

"Try to get some sleep, okay?" he ruffled her hair lightly with his hand. If he was going to catch up with Kenshin he would have to leave as soon as possible. The little guy had god-like speed after all.

Sanosuke turned to leave her, allowing her to get the rest he knew she desperately needed. He halted in his departure as he felt a sharp tug on the fabric of his jacket. He looked behind him to see Kaoru staring at him, her eyes wide and pleading.

"Whoa, whoa! What's the matter?" He turned completely so that he was facing her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and gave a reassuring squeeze.

"You're going to leave me." She said and it wasn't a question.

The lanky youth's mouth dropped open and stayed that way for a moment making him resemble a fish out of water.

'How the hell did she know that?'

"I am not! I'm just gonna go to my room now, geez. Calm down, Jou-chan." He lied, she didn't need to know that he was going after her wayward rurouni.

"Sagara Sanosuke, you are one bad liar. I know what you're going to do and I'm begging you not to! If he wants to come back one day, he will. Don't force him."

"Besides… Sano… will you stay with me tonight? I don't think I will be able to stay here all alone…"

Sanosuke blushed furiously at her request. Did she really understand what she was asking him to do?

Kaoru, however, seemed oblivious to the implications of her request until she noted the flushed look on her friends face. Suddenly it clicked in her head that what she asked could be construed in a very different way and her face began to burn crimson in a mixture of embarrassment and anger.

"I didn't mean it like that you perverted rooster!" she screamed at him, her hands clenching into fists at her sides.

"I… I… know that! Geez! Who would want to spend the night with an ugly raccoon girl like you anyway!" He screamed back at her and instantly regretted his words. He had gotten too caught up in his emotions and now he had hurt her.

"Ugh! Dammit, Jou-chan! I didn't mean that. You aren't ugly I just don't like that you thought of me that way. Now shut up in get in bed, I'll stay if you really want me to…"

Kaoru seemed to mull the idea over for a few minutes before she responded that she would, indeed, like him to stay.

"But stay on the other side of the room! I don't want you trying anything funny while I try to sleep." She said as she climbed into her futon.

"Yeah, right. Just go to sleep, you've been noisy enough today." Was his retort and in one stride he walked across the room and blew out the lamp. The room was instantly enveloped in darkness, save for the light of the moon.

He took a seat against the far wall and that was where he had been the entire night. More than anything he wanted to find that damn rurouni but he knew if he left, she would follow. He figured in the morning he could go down to the police station and see if he could get some information out of the old wolf. He was bound to know somethingabout this whole situation. He would at least know where Kenshin would be stationed first.

The entire dojo was dead quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Yahiko, he noticed, had not returned home yet. He assumed the boy had worked late at the Akabeko and had probably stayed over there. They had a loft in the back of the restaurant that he used some nights when it was too late or he was too tired to walk home. It was just as well. The boy would certainly notice that Kenshin was missing, then he would come barging in here and wake her up which would probably send her into hysterics. He cringed as that thought crossed his mind. He really, really, really didn't want to deal with a crying girl anymore. He'd had enough of that lately.

As he continued to sit he let his mind wander over this and that. He wondered how his gambling buddies were doing these days, he had not been by to see them lately since he had started his new job. He actually thoroughly enjoyed working which was surprising considering the vast amount of free loading he had done in the past. The work was hard but it gave him a sense of accomplishment he only used to get when he would fight. The guys at work liked him well enough but his boss, Shouta, seemed to take a real shine to him, which was nice. He hoped it would give him a little leverage to ask for some time off to tend to Kaoru.

Soon he felt his eyes begin to drift closed as they became heavy with his exhaustion and he knew he couldn't fight sleep any longer. Sano knew he needed to get some rest before the sun rose because he knew the real fight, for all of them, would begin tomorrow.

I apologize that this chapter isn't very eventful but I wanted to give Sanosuke just a tiny peak into Kaoru's painful background. I will have the next chapter up by the end of the month and I have to say it's adorable. Some serious Sano/Kaoru fluff in the next edition as the two grow closer together in the wake of Kenshin's absence! Please leave me a review to let me know what you think and hopefully it will kick my butt into gear and get the next chapter up sooner. Thank you for reading!