AN: I really should not put angst in my drabbles if I'm trying to cheer people up, especially on Christmas Eve, but I can't help it. It sneaks up on you. Any way, it's just a little, so don't pull out the tissue or anything.

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters. I also don't own Christmas, but I'm so going to enjoy it any way! =3

Christmas Wishes

The weather outside was frightful that night. It was freezing and the snow was falling hard. The park was completely covered in layers of white and all the paths were completely hidden. The snow kept the park empty of anyone, except for two children making their way slowly but steadily to the centre.

One was a little girl, who even though the snow was almost up to her knees, marched forward, her blue eyes straight forward and determined. The other child was trailing behind her; his red head was bowed miserably and his mitten covered hands were wrapped around him against the cold. He was slightly shorter than his companion so the snow actually did reach his knees, and he found himself wishing for the millionth time that he had worn his snow pants instead of his jeans.

"I'm cold Kaoru-chan," he called to her.

The girl made an irritated huff and stopped her trek to turn around to him. She frowned at him. "You know Kenshin, you didn't have to come."

"Yes I did." His lavender eyes narrowed at her indignantly. "I couldn't let you sneak out here in the middle of the night all by yourself."

"Well then be quiet and try to keep up." Kaoru turned back around and began walking again.

Kenshin stuck his tongue out at her back. Boy, was she bossy, he thought. She was always telling him what to do.

A gust of wind suddenly blew, and the cold nipped almost painfully at his nose. He shivered. He must have been crazy to agree to sneak out on Christmas Eve night to go to the park with Kaoru. Hiko-san was going to kill him when he found out he was gone.

Kenshin looked up and saw that Kaoru had gone a good way ahead of him, so with a weary sigh he reluctantly started following after her again.

Finally they came to the middle of the park where a life size display was set up beautifully. It showed a scene at the North Pole with Santa's Workshop, that when one looked in the windows there were happy little elves and Santa himself was in the front being pulled in a bright red sleigh by reindeer. In the background was a huge magnificent tree that was covered in twinkling lights, bright decorations and had a crystal star that sparkled on top.

Kenshin sighed in relief. He did not think he could have taken another step. It had seemed to take them forever to reach the centre of the park, but when he gazed up at the clock tower he saw that it was only a ten minutes to midnight, so they had only left their homes twenty minutes ago.

"Isn't it wonderful Ken-kun?" Kaoru said in a hushed tone when he came to stand next to her. She gazed up at the Christmas tree, her cerulean eyes bright and wide. Kenshin gazed at her face, thinking, not for the first time, how pretty she was.

"Come on!" Kaoru grabbed his hand and hurriedly pulled him behind her as she ran toward the display. Kenshin fought to stay on his feet as he stumbled behind her.

As soon as they reached the tree, Kaoru dropped to her knees in front of it, closed her eyes and clasped her mittened hands together. Kenshin stood silently by her side, his hands in his pocket, waiting. After a moment she peeped at him out of one eye. "You have to kneel too Kenshin."

He frowned. "Why? I'm not making a wish. Why should I have to kneel in the freezing snow?"

Kaoru opened both her eyes to glare at him. "It's more effective if we both wish. So kneel."

Rolling his eyes, Kenshin grudgingly got down on his knees and after Kaoru glared at him some more he closed his eyes and put his hands together. "I don't see why you could not have wished on the star you have on your tree at home," he murmured sourly.

"Because this one is bigger. Now shut up, we need to be quiet." Kaoru then held her head up toward the shining star on the tree and closed her eyes tightly.

After awhile the snow started melting through the knees of his pants and he began shifting uncomfortably, but Kaoru remained perfectly still, her little face hopeful.

Finally when Kenshin felt like he was going to lose his knees, Kaoru opened her eyes and grinned at him. "Done," she chirped.

"What do we do now?" Kenshin asked, immediately getting up and began jumping from foot to foot to work the feeling back in his legs.

She got up too. "Well Kamatari said, as soon as it's Christmas Day my wish will come true. So we wait."

Kenshin looked up at the clock and saw it was only a minute to midnight, so he silently waited by Kaoru's side. Their breaths ghosted out of their mouths as their eyes stared fixedly at the giant clock face.

Soon chimes began ringing into the night, and as they got closer to twelve strikes Kenshin could see the excitement growing in Kaoru beautiful blue eyes.

The last strike seemed to resound in the air longer than the rest. Kaoru looked around eagerly, her head swivelling from side to side, as her neck tried to crane in every direction. "Tou-san?" she called.

She left his side to go look around. Kenshin did not even bother to look around. His eyes remained lowered, staring intently at his feet. He gritted his teeth together hard when he heard Kaoru's cries for her father grow more urgent. This was the main reason he had decided to go with Kaoru tonight, and he made a mental note to slug Kamatari first thing, when they went back to school after winter break.

The night air was soon filled with sobs. They were barely audible, but each one tore at Kenshin's' heart painfully. He slowly turned and made his way to the girl who was standing with her feet buried in the snow and her shoulders shaking jerkily.

"It'll be okay Kaoru-chan," Kenshin whispered tenderly and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. She immediately rested her head on his shoulder and began crying harder.

"He's not here Kenshin," she sobbed. "Why isn't he here?"

Kenshin held her closer and stroked her ebony hair. At that moment he would have done anything to bring Kaoru's father back to her, if she would just smile again. "You know, when Hiko-san adopted me he told me that my parents were never coming for me, because he said once someone dies they're not coming back." Kaoru sobs grew louder.

"But," Kenshin continued quickly. "Even though you don't have a dad, you still have your mother. And me, and Hiko-san, and your cousin Megumi, and even though he's a big jerk sometimes, Sano. We all care about you a whole lot and we want to be part of your family."

After a few moments, Kaoru's crying stopped and she pulled her head from his shoulder to gaze into his face. Her eyes were watery and puffy, but her face was considering. Kenshin smiled at her and in return a tiny smile formed on her lips.

"Arigatou Ken-kun." And she rested against his shoulder once more. "I'm cold," she whispered. She then yawned loudly. "And tired."

Kenshin hugged her tightly in an attempt to block out the chilly wind around them. His eyes suddenly fell on the Santa Claus in the sleigh, sitting warm and cozy with a thick blanket covering his knees. "Over here," he told Kaoru and led her to the sleigh by the hand.

He helped her climb into the sleigh next to fake Santa Claus and when she was in he squeezed in beside her. He wrapped his arms around her once more and pulled the blanket off the Santa so he could arrange the blanket around them snugly.

"We'll just stay here for a little while," Kenshin said, and Kaoru snuggled up to him. He sighed contently at the warmth of her and the blanket.

Minutes went by, and soon Kaoru's eyelids began to droop. "Kenshin?" Kaoru said around a yawn.

"Mmm?" he asked, his voice also heavy with fatigue.

"Do you think Hiko-san might be wrong? Maybe when I go home Tou-san will be there."

Kenshin felt his heart throb painfully in his chest. "No Kaoru," he told her sadly and squeezed her shoulders. "He won't be there." It killed him to say it, but she had to accept the truth.

She sighed wistfully. "I didn't think so," she murmured and her eyes closed. "But like you said; I have Okaa-san, and Hiko-san, and you..." A stray tear rolled down her cheek as her voice began to trail off and soon she was fast asleep.

Kenshin wiped the tear away and then rested his head on Kaoru's. He gazed up at the star on the Christmas tree, and even though he did not really believe in such things, he made a wish.

"I wish Kaoru-chan could be happy," he whispered into the night. Soon after, his own eyes closed and he fell asleep.

About fifteen minutes later, unknown to the children, a spiky headed shadow fell over them.

"Hey Hiko!" Sanosuke, Kenshin's older brother called. "I found them."

"Thank Kami," Hiko said in relief, as he ran up to his tall son. "Call Kaoru's mother and tell her." Sanosuke instantly pulled out his cell phone and walked away dialling the number. Kaoru's mother had almost been in tears when they had left her to look for the two children.

Hiko sighed wearily and looked down at the two sleeping children huddled close in the sleigh. He did not know why they had decided to sneak out in the middle of the night to come here, and it was only by coincidence he had decided to search here, but for the whole time he was searching he had been reassuring himself that where ever the children were, they would be there together. Kenshin and Kaoru had become inseparable over the past few years.

He grimaced at his little son. "Wait till that little baka wakes up," he mumbled threateningly, but his hand caressed Kenshin's red bangs tenderly. He would never admit it, but when he had discovered that the boy was not in his bed, he had been the most frightened that he had ever been in his life.

Both children looked so peaceful sleeping together. It was a shame he would have to soon wake them up and disturb their slumber. He gazed at their peaceful faces and he felt his heart soften. Maybe he would leave them just a little while longer.

He sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time that night, and he took in both children. They both hd been through a lot for ones so young. It was heartbreaking, but at the same time he knew that their tragedies had been what caused them to be so closely intertwined and in the future they would depend on each others' strength to overcome their hardship.

Yes, he thought decidedly, Kenshin and Kaoru were destined to be together.

And even though Seijiro Hiko did not believe in such things, he looked up to the star on the tall Christmas tree and wished that the two souls, Kenshin and Kaoru, would be forever joined.

Owari

Same to all of you! May all your Christmas wishes come true!