See! A month isn't so long, is it? I know I said that this would be the last chapter, but I got a little crazy in writing and when I looked up, this was nearly 22 pages long. So the next chapter will be the last, but you shouldn't have to wait long for that either, since 12 pages are already written. I've also written a fun RK two-shot fic that I will be posting sometime soon, so keep an eye out for that. :)

Several of you were curious about my book, and I wanted to thank you for showing interest! For those who want to read a summary, there's a link to the website in my profile.

Alright. Happy reading!

Kaoru walked out to the edge of her garden, feeling more alive than ever before. She stopped just before the small pond and absently made sure the fish were still alive and well. Her thoughts drifted to what had happened earlier that day, and she wondered if her parents would be proud. Would they be pleased with how she'd handled everything?

The fifty or so people who had gathered around the orphanage had witnessed Kenshin defend innocent kids and heard his proclamation that he'd ensure their safety. Strong statements such as that were just begging to be tested if heard by the wrong people, so Kaoru had known there was only one thing to do. She'd strode forward and introduced herself to the kids, explaining that she was the assistant master of the Kamiya Kassin Ryu. With a tender smile on her face, she'd promised that she would take care of them, so long as they wanted her help.

And without hesitation, she'd told them that they'd be staying in her home until the dilapidated orphanage could be repaired properly. "None of you are sleeping under a broken roof if I have anything to say about it," she had told them firmly, causing the nine children to break into excited grins that were only disrupted by each of them bowing deeply.

That was how the Kamiya household acquired nine new boarders, and after they'd all bathed and shared a warm meal, Kaoru led them into three previously unoccupied rooms. They'd been rendered speechless at the sight of fresh futons spread out for them, each with its own headrest and soft blanket.

Tears shone in their eyes, still not fully able to comprehend why these two people would just storm into their lives, all full of fierce protection and determination and affection. They'd gotten used to being looked over and ignored by others. Only when someone needed cheap labor did they pay any heed to the older kids in the group. Aside from those times, they'd had to resort to begging for food or work, but even then, people just kept on walking by them.

The only way they'd been able to feed themselves, they'd told Kaoru in a hurry as they inhaled the soup and vegetables she'd cooked for them, was by waiting until the end of each day and trying to haggle with certain vendors who knew their food would spoil the next day. Nearly spoiled and otherwise unsalvageable food was all they'd been able to get their hands on, and that to them was a special treat.

They were all so astonished that anyone would pay them any mind at all, let alone offer to let them stay in a rodent-free house with clean beds and fresh food, that they didn't know what to do with themselves. The excitement mounted until all of them were babbling at once, trying to explain what was on their minds at that moment, too thrilled by the knowledge that someone was listening to them, to realize that none of their words could be deciphered through the chaos.

So, with full bellies they'd thrown themselves at Kaoru and Kenshin, enveloping them both in tight hugs- social convention be damned- as they thanked the couple profusely for being so kind. Then, they'd obediently climbed into bed and whispered to each other about how wonderful life was going to be from that moment forward. After a few moments, the whispers quieted into a chorus of light snoring.

Kaoru smiled up at the stars, locking her gaze on her family's constellation, wondering what they were thinking about that day's events as they looked back down on her. Surely, they'd be pleased with her. Not only was she living her family's teachings about spreading life and protecting it, she was also going to pass on her family's legacy by teaching those kids. She'd give her most passionate lessons yet- lessons worth good money to anyone else- but she wouldn't think twice about being paid for it.

Yes, it would be exhausting to teach nine kids all at the same time. It would take every bit of her patience and love, but she knew that she'd be able to do it, and she'd do it well, damn it, because for the first time in her life, she'd be teaching people who needed to learn how to protect themselves.

All of her other students could be protected by their family names, if nothing else. In an age where family ties meant more than anything else, messing with one person meant messing with an entire family. Her previous students were not completely safe from harm that may have found them in the city, of course, but at least they had the shield of their family name to hide behind, if their bokkens and blades failed them.

These kids had nothing but the clothing on their backs. There was no protection to be offered by mentioning their names, and they had no family, aside maybe from each other, to protect them if it came down to a brawl.

Kaoru would equip them with the discipline of the Kamiya Kassin Ryu, and she'd ensure that they'd each know how to properly swing a bokken in defense before allowing them to move back into the orphanage.

"I must admit that I did not expect any of this to happen today," a masculine voice said from behind Kaoru.

She turned and locked eyes with Kenshin, who was standing beside her and staring up at the sky, just like she had been. "I don't think you could have anticipated strolling across the Yakuza's beating grounds."

His eyes dropped to meet hers. "You're right," he said, and then snorted at a sudden thought. "I knew that you weren't fond of the silence since your friends left, and I was trying to devise ways to make it less uncomfortable for you. Still- even when I was throwing those scum to the ground, I had no idea the kids would end up staying here. Even though this really is the only way that makes sense." His fingers found her right hand, and he held her securely. "You have a big heart to welcome them here so unwaveringly."

"This coming from the man who fought a gang alone and with nothing but your bare hands? And then yelled at an entire crowd of flustered people?"

"I suppose there will be repercussions for that decision, as well," he sighed.

"It was perfect. Every word was exactly what you should have said. They needed to hear the truth. And besides- maybe this will clear up some of the rumors about you still being a hitokiri. They won't really be able to say anything bad about you once they see you helping an orphanage." She smiled softly, cautiously allowing optimism to nestle within her heart.

"My honor is not something you should worry about, dragonfly. Cleaning your family name will always come first."

"They're both equally important," she corrected lightly. "My name cannot be cleansed without yours being cleansed as well."

"Mmmm…" He looked thoughtful as he reached out to grasp her hand. His fingers laced comfortably in hers, and he could just barely see her smile before she lowered her head and her silky hair rushed down to shield her face. "Well, regardless of how the community may perceive us from now on, I'm happy that we're able to help them," he said, nodding back toward the sleeping children. "This is very important to me."

His softly spoken admission surprised Kaoru, and she turned to gaze at him curiously. "You really do love helping others, don't you?"

"Yes," he said, reaching out with strong hands to wrap around her shoulders. He dragged her backward into his chest and held her closely, his nose nuzzling in her hair just above her ear. She felt him smile against her skin as she sighed contentedly. "I've always wanted to help, but I haven't exactly gotten a chance to do so until now. I think everything happens for a reason, so I believe that we were meant to find and help those kids."

Kaoru nodded in agreement. She believed that, as well.

They were quiet for a while, but Kenshin finally broke the silence. "By noon tomorrow, half of this side of the city will know what happened at the orphanage. By the end of the week, anyone who's ever heard your name will have also heard what you did. I expect you'll have a lot of people snooping around here and the orphanage, trying to see for themselves."

"Let them see," Kaoru said quickly, knowing that he was right. City folk were nothing if not eager for fresh rumors. Her words quickly died, though, and she turned to face Kenshin, her eyes concerned. "The Yakuza will attack. They'll have to do something to reestablish everyone's fear of them. We can't let our guards down."

He snorted lightly at the notion. "The day they try to come anywhere near you or the kids will be very painful for them."

"There are a lot of them, Kenshin," she said, forcing herself out of his grasp so that he could understand the weight of her words. He gazed at her serious expression and the wild sapphire eyes that shone out from underneath her bangs. "Dozens and dozens. And now with the end of the war, a lot of samurai and soldiers can't find work. I've heard that the Yakuza are absorbing all of them, building a small army of their own so that no one can touch them. I don't doubt your skill for a second, but there's only so much you can do when you're so outnumbered."

He met her fiery gaze, showing that he heard and understood her. "Let me worry about the Yakuza." His tone was firm and had a note of finality. He then offered her a light smile. "I do have something to tell you, though."

"What?"

"I was waiting for the right time to bring it up, but with all of this happening, I'm not sure there will be an opportune moment. I was contacted two days ago by my former superiors." Her eyes widened, clearly surprised but also quietly preparing for bad news. "I went to meet with them when I was in the market, and we had a long discussion."

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes," he assured her, reaching out to stroke her cheek soothingly. "It took them a while to get everything sorted out, but they wanted to let me know that my wages are ready to collect."

"Wages? For serving them?" She couldn't hide the shock in her tone, and though she fought to tame her expression, she knew by his reaction that he'd seen her hesitance.

"It's not blood money," he clarified quickly, easily guessing what she was thinking. "Of course, they wanted to pay me for the assassinations I carried out, but I refused. We had it all set up in the beginning before I ever wielded my blade for them. I told them to hold the money and use it to pay for my living expenses, and if I survived the war, they could pay me the remainder after it was all over. They only accounted for the nights I was patrolling and spying for them; any night I killed was recorded and not counted toward my compensation. I checked the ledgers myself."

"Oh," Kaoru murmured lamely, not knowing what else to say. She'd gone through a whole circuit of emotions in the span of a minute, and she was left feeling drained and relieved. She was almost curious enough to ask how much money he'd collected over the years, but then realized it didn't really matter to her. As long as it was not gained at the cost of a life, she could sleep in peace at night.

"I have a small portion of it hidden here already, and they will hold onto the rest until I'm ready to retrieve it. I know now isn't the best time to mention this all, but I figured it would ease a bit of your stress; there's plenty here to feed everyone and to pay for the repairs on your family's home and the orphanage."

"Thank you, Kenshin," she said, cozying back into his embrace, feeling truly relieved. The expenses of taking in nine extra people had been extremely intimidating, and she'd been avoiding thinking about it altogether. "You always seem to have some kind of solution up your sleeve."

Her gaze trained on the block of tofu sitting on the wooden block before her, Kaoru carefully moved the string situated between her fingers. It was easier, most argued, to cut the tofu into edible pieces with a knife, but Kaoru always found that to be more frustrating. A blade had a tendency to either get too sticky and start pulling the tofu apart awkwardly, or it could be too slick and slick through too quickly, resulting in the same, uneven pieces. Yes, sliding a string along the squishy material was tricky in its own respect, but Kaoru felt that the sting provided just enough friction to allow her more control.

Footfalls echoing down the halls broke through her concentration, and Kaoru pulled the string away. Separating the smaller, square-shaped pieces from the large block, she mentally calculated if it would be enough for everyone. "Not even half," she commented to herself. She wiped her hands on a small towel and made her way to the doorway, peeking her head out.

Shyly shuffling down the hall were five of the orphans, and as they caught sight of Kaoru, their apprehension curved into relief. "Good morning," they all said politely. Their postures were relaxed, and for a brief moment, and Kaoru knew that they hadn't been as peaceful in a long time- some of them years, perhaps. They looked slightly anxious, but they were also cheerful now that they saw her, and they beamed at her.

"Good morning," she said happily. It was hard to resist the motherly need to wrap them all up in her arms, but she figured that such an intimate motion might have frightened a few of them away. It was still too soon, having only met them the evening before, but Kaoru suspected that at the rate they were warming up to her, the children soon would not mind being coddled. "Did you all sleep well? Did everyone have enough blankets?"

"Yes!" they all assured eagerly, their smiles breaking into grins. "The bedding was very soft!"

"And warm!"

"And clean!"

Kaoru matched their grins. "Wonderful," she said, clapping her hands together. The motion was borne partially out of genuine happiness that they had been comfortable, though it was also a subconscious action to hide the sudden streaks of melancholy that snapped across her chest. She knew there were less fortunate people in the world, but for children to be so thrilled about clean bedding was too painful to bear.

Tatami mats, fresh sleeping yukata, and properly shaken out bed rolls had been a given in her own childhood. Slipping in underneath warm covers was something she had never thought twice about when she was their age, and yet here were a group of kids who were so thoroughly excited about them that it made them beam at her ecstatically.

"Who's hungry?" Kaoru asked them, desperately needing to distract herself. That was something she could think about later when she was alone. They didn't need to see her tears. They needed food. Proper, cooked food.

"I am!"

"Me!"

"Me, too!"

"I was just cooking breakfast," Kaoru smiled. "It shouldn't take too much longer. You can go play outside until it's ready, if you'd like. I'm not sure where Yahiko is, but if you find him I'm sure he'd be willing to go through the storage house. I know I saw a ball in there at some point."

The kids nodded and Kaoru turned back into the kitchen, gently shutting the door behind herself. She waited until she heard their footsteps carry them away and once she was sure they were gone, she leaned heavily against the frame.

Deep breath in.

Deep breath out.

You can do this, Kaoru. You will not cry in front of them.

Deep breath in.

Deep breath out.

Right… back to slicing tofu.

A few minutes later, all the ingredients were merrily cooking in the large pot, and rice was steaming in a separate pot beside it. It smelled fantastic, and she was excited to share her cooking with everyone. She'd never cooked for so many people before.

A knock at the door startled her out of her musings, and she instinctively bade the person to enter. She hadn't been focusing on the ki that projected itself from the other side of the door, but she'd been so sure that Kenshin would be the one to slide the shoji open. To her surprise, it was Mei, the eldest female at fourteen years old, and the second eldest of the group.

She hadn't been with the others earlier, and Kaoru had assumed that she had been brushing her long hair or washing up. Kaoru had been very deliberate in leaving a brush for them and showing them exactly where she was putting it.

But Kaoru quickly realized that her assumptions had been incorrect, because the girl's hair was just as matted as the night before. She had patted the nest down as best she could, and had simply tied the strands together at the nape of her neck. Perhaps she knew that she needed help with it? Kaoru certainly wouldn't have been able to attack the job by herself, had it been her own hair. Was that why she was here, looking so timid? Was she nervous in asking for help?

"Good morning," she said softly.

"Good morning. Were you comfortable during the night? The others said they slept well, but if there's anything else you need, please don't be afraid to ask me."

"Oh, no, Miss Kaoru," she said, wide-eyed in alarm that she'd caused Kaoru to worry. She put up an assuring hand, and then let it fall against her heart. "We couldn't have asked for a better night," she said, and Kaoru knew she was being genuine.

Miss Kaoru?" she repeated, slightly incredulous. "Please… there's no need to be formal. Just call me 'Kaoru'."

Mei shifted slightly but nodded politely. "Kaoru."

"Great. I sent the others off to find Yahiko so he could help them find some things to play with. I haven't seen Shingo or Yasuo yet, though. Have you spoken with them yet?"

"Yes. They're both in the yard with Sir Kenshin."

"Sir Kenshin?" A small smile pulled at her lips. "As much as I'd like to see his expression if he heard you say that, I assure you that 'Kenshin' is just fine. Same with Yahiko. We'd all like to be your friends, if that's alright with you."

Mei's demure expression lightened considerably, and the shadows a smile even formed on her lips. She bowed at the hip, and when she righted herself, her eyes met Kaoru's again. "Thank you, Kaoru."

"You're very welcome. If you want to join the others, I think Yahiko took everyone else to the storage house. It's over on the other side of the house."

"Actually, I was hoping that you would let me help you," Mei clarified. "It can be very exhausting to cook for so many people."

"Oh," Kaoru breathed. She knew Mei was the most reserved of the group, and she wondered if she had always been so reticent or if it was a result of being orphaned. As the eldest female of the group, Kaoru could very easily see her assuming the role of mother or caretaker- especially with the younger kids.

Was that why she had been thinking of Kaoru and concerned with the amount of work it was to cook for people?

"Well, there's not much more to do with the food. The soup and rice just have to cook for a few more minutes. If you'd like you can help me set the table, though."

The ghost of a smile remained, but Mei's eyes glazed over slightly in memory. The expression was so haunted… so familiar, that Kaoru was somehow certain that she knew exactly what the girl was thinking of at that moment.

It was the same pained look Kaoru knew she had gotten, back when the wounds from Takeshi's death had whipped through her blood. It was the same look she got when she had heard small rustling around the house and her imagination screamed that it was her brother milling about in his room or in the dojo. It was the same look she got when she could swear she heard his laughter from beside her, and when she saw someone on the street with similar features.

It was hard. It was agonizing to think that someone you love has left the world and you will never be able to hug them again.

Kaoru somehow knew, perhaps by instinct, that what she had just said- you can help me set the table- was something Mei's mother had suggested countless times in the past. It was entirely possible that this was the first time Mei had heard such words since her mother had died.

"Of course," Mei said quietly.

Kaoru wanted to ask. Wanted desperately to ask if she was alright, how to help, what she had recalled, how her parents had died, when they had died. Kaoru wanted to throw her arms around the girl and cradle her tightly and promise that everything would be okay. Her fingers twitched at her sides, and it took an astounding amount of willpower not to reach out, but she knew that any sudden actions, especially anything so intimate and caring, may have caused Mei to further isolate herself.

The girl looked strong and determined the day before. Yes, she'd been frightened by the Yakuza, but after they were taken care of, and before the reality of staying in the Kamiya residence had sunk in, Mei looked resolute and certain of herself. As the eldest female, she had to be.

But Kaoru could only imagine how the emotionally exhausting it was to experience the transition from being entirely self-reliant to staying in a different home and allowing others to take the reins. Yes, Mei was a strong young woman, but being welcomed into a loving home looked like it had torn open wounds of losing her own home; wounds that quite possibly had never fully healed.

She hid it well, but Kaoru could still see the vulnerability in her eyes, possibly because Kaoru remembered feeling similarly helplessness. And thinking back to what she'd felt all those years ago, Kaoru knew that coddling her would have only helped to push Mei further away. This was something that Mei had to attempt to consolidate by herself for now. Kaoru would keep an eye on Mei and perhaps in a day or two, or whenever she looked less haunted, Kaoru could be more affectionate.

For now, a few words of assurance would be best, she reasoned.

"The bowls are over here," Kaoru said, leading her over to the shelf, "and the tea cups are here."

Mei nodded in understanding and reached for a few bowls with delicate fingers.

"Mei?" Kaoru waited until the girl looked back up at her. "I don't know you or the others well enough yet, but I can see how much you've helped them. You're their anchor, and though that role can be exhausting, you still hold onto it tightly. I really respect you for everything you've done."

Startled by Kaoru's heartfelt words, Mei bowed her head, since the bowls in her hands prohibited her from bowing fully. "Th-thank you, Kaoru," she said, and then turned to navigate her way to the long table down the hall. As she veered around the corner, Kaoru caught a brief glimpse of a warm smile on her lips.

Kaoru, Sanosuke, and the three youngest children waved at Kenshin, Yahiko, and the older kids as they left through the outer gate. With one last glance back at Kaoru and a warm smile that she was beginning to realize was reserved for her alone, Kenshin pulled the door shut and the sounds of eager voices faded away in the adjacent street.

It had been agreed that Kenshin and Yahiko would take command over the reparation of the orphanage. Kenshin and Kaoru hadn't been able to see too much of the building the previous day because the sunlight was already fading by the time the crowds had thinned out enough and allowed them to venture inside.

Shingo, the eldest boy, had explained that they had run out of candles the week before, but they could open all the shoji doors to allow moonlight to stream through the house. Kenshin had politely declined, not wanting them to go through so much trouble, especially when he had plans to return in the morning.

The subject of the orphanage's physical condition had been neatly avoided, in favor of allowing the kids to relax. But as they all finished their breakfasts and the sun was beginning to rise into the large, blue sky, Kenshin had asked who among them wanted to help patch things up. Every one of them volunteered eagerly, some of them going so far as to leaping off of their cushions. This caused Kenshin's lilac eyes to widen almost comically, and Kaoru grinned at him.

It was agreed that Fuu, Etsuo, and Kazuko would remain at the dojo with Kaoru and Sanosuke, and they would all take care of things such as laundry (since heavens knew when they had last washed their clothing) and restocking the sad pantry.

Kaoru was marginally surprised by how quickly the kids had warmed up to the tall man. She and Kenshin had proven themselves trustworthy already, but she was concerned with how they would get along with the other two tenants of the Kamiya residence.

Yahiko was younger, and therefore closer to their age which, coupled with his expressive eyes and playful grins, helped him gain the kids' affection. Kaoru had casually pulled him aside when they'd first strolled in with nine orphans, quietly explained the situation, and within moments he was running around with them and chasing them throughout the yard as they screeched in glee.

Sanosuke, however, was the type of man many people found to be rather intimidating. He was tall to an adult of average height, so to kids he may as well have been a giant. And Kaoru wasn't sure how well they could read, but she thought it perfectly reasonable that they would be frightened by the blatant kanji symbol of evil boldly displayed across his back.

Her concerns had been unwarranted, however. Apparently the younger kids felt truly safe in Kaoru's home, because the moment the tall man strolled into the room and saw nearly a dozen kids for the first time, his eyes had widened and he had backed away slowly. The motion was extremely amusing to the younger kids, and in no time, four of them had begun chasing after him, giggling and squealing about capturing the Rooster Head.

Kaoru waited until there was no longer any trace of sound coming from the direction Kenshin had just led the kids, before turning to the three children who had stayed behind. "Alright, everyone, are you ready? We're going to have a good, old-fashioned competition."

"YEAH!" they shouted, and Sanosuke just stared at her. She understood his look clearly enough- how could she have made chores sound exciting at all, let alone send three kids into an excited frenzy?

Grinning deviously at him, she explained the terms. "Right, so here's how this will work. Kazuko, you're with me and Fuu and Etsuo, you will be with Sanosuke." She very nearly snorted at his fiery glare. "Oh come now, it's only fair. You have two teammates while I only have one."

His cheeks visibly moved, and Kaoru knew he was wisely biting his tongue. The fact that he was stuck with two four-year-olds was terrifying to him. They'd be loud and chatty and giggly, and he wasn't sure if he'd be able to last even a few minutes, let alone the whole day. Still, he only crossed his arms and shifted his weight.

"You two will be in charge of cleaning the floors and washing the dishes, while Kazuko and I do the laundry. Deal?"

Sanosuke groaned loudly and the kids verbalized their agreement.

"We'll be going to the market after everything is finished, and the winning team won't have to carry back the groceries."

Hearing what the reward was suddenly made Sanosuke's slumped form bolt upright, and before Kaoru knew what was happening, he'd begun running toward the house. Fuu and Etsuo giggled as they trailed after him, and they all disappeared inside the building.

Kaoru laughed at them, then turned to Kazuko. "What do you say? You want to kick their butts?"

"We'll win this for sure!"

"Right! You know where the well is, right?" The seven-year-old nodded. "Good. I'll leave you in charge of drawing up enough water to fill that basin over there," she pointed across the yard. "I'll go inside and bring out all the clothing that has to be washed."

Plan set, she ran inside the house, stopping only to grab a basket, and then wove her way into one of the rooms the orphans had slept in. To her great surprise, the room was nearly spotless. All the bed rolls were tidied up, the blankets were carefully folded, and the laundry was not haphazardly strewn about as she'd been expecting. Instead, it was piled neatly in the far corner, looking as innocent as ever.

Mei.

The one who had cleaned everything up had been Mei. That was why she hadn't come sauntering down the hall with the others before breakfast. Instead of attending to her hair, she'd assumed her motherly role and cleaned up after everyone else as they went on to explore the house.

Kaoru shook her head, though a broken smile touched her lips. It was unfortunate that any of their parents had died, but the past could not be changed. All of them were orphans, after all, weren't they? Kenshin. Yahiko. Sanosuke. Herself. They'd all lost their parents. Their lives were all different but they'd all endured that same experience of losing the two people who were supposed to raise them into adulthood.

Their pasts could not be unwritten. All they could do now was learn how to live and keep moving forward. And though growing up in a loving home would have given them better childhoods, the nine orphaned kids had banded together and made the best of what they had. Mei had become their anchor, and that not only fastened everyone together- it also gave her purpose and a reason to remain strong in the face of all the darkness of the world. She was confident that the others would similarly find meaningful roles to play, and that would help them overcome the devastation of their youth. They had each other, and Kaoru somehow knew that they would stick together and they'd all be alright.

Kaoru put the soiled clothing in the basket and went into the second room, which Kaoru not as shocked to find in the same condition. Again grabbing the dirty clothing, she made her way into the third room and smiled. Mei was going to be a fantastic mother, if she ever decided to have her own children.

Trying not to let herself feel upset, Kaoru hurried over to the men's rooms and gathered their things, as well. Quickening her pace, she made her way outside to Kazuko, who was toting the last water bucket over to the wash bin.

They both set to work, Kaoru dragging the clothing across the board and handing Kazuko the cleaned cloth, who set about wringing out the sopping material before hanging it out to dry.

As they hung the final, freshly-cleaned kimono, they headed back to the house. There was a loud shriek, then, and Kaoru pinned the voice as belonging to Sanosuke. Kaoru started running, but the subsequent stream of giggles calmed her racing heart.

She and Kazuko made it to engawa just in time to witness Fuu chasing after a disgusted Sanosuke with a wet rag. "Hey! Knock it off, will ya! We're gonna lose the bet and-"

His words were effectively cut off as the rag sailed through the air and hit him squarely in the seat of the pants. The squelching sound of sopping cloth falling to the ground had Kaoru snorting in amusement, but it was Sanosuke's shocked expression that had her gripping her sides and she was unable to contain her laughter.

Kaoru could barely hear the others chiming in, she was laughing so hysterically, and she heard Sanosuke grumble something before heading off toward his room.

Wiping her eyes, she turned to the instigator. "Now, Fuu," she said, pushing a bit of authority into her tone. "That wasn't very nice."

"He started it! He kept calling me little! He said my legs were too short to keep up with him!"

"Ah. Well, then he did bring that upon himself, then, huh?" Fuu nodded firmly. "Still, I think it would be nice of you to apologize."

"Okay!" the child said, and then sauntered off into the house after him.

Sometime around noon, Kaoru, Sanosuke, and the three children arrived at the orphanage. The kids ran inside, thrilled to see the commotion around their home, and they talked loudly as they investigated all the active projects.

Sanosuke was not nearly as excited, and instead complained about there being too much damn soup in the damn pot he was carrying. Kaoru had cooked fresh stew before they'd left, and she had been ready to divide into a few separate containers so that they could be transported more easily, but Sanosuke was having none of it. He was hungry now, and he was not about to wait around longer than he had to.

He'd merely heaved the full pot up and started walking toward the outer gate, intentionally blocking out Kaoru's protests. He was normally still sleeping at noon, so being awake AND doing manual labor had worked up an appetite that only made him grouchier than normal.

The way over to the orphanage had been grueling work, and though he made a genuine effort to keep his cursing to a minimum, he could not mask the beads of sweat that rolled down his face. Spotting a remarkably flat rock in the middle of the yard, he waddled over to it, placed the pot on it, and promptly fell over onto his back, panting and groaning.

"Oh, don't be such a baby," Yahiko called over to him from where he was perched on the engawa.

"Shut it, you runt! That was heavy!"

"Waaaa waaaa… all I hear is crying. I can't believe the great Sanosuke was defeated by a pot of soup!"

"Listen here, you little snot!" Sanosuke shouted back indignantly. Kaoru was half convinced by the conviction in his tone that he was about to leap up and start fighting with Yahiko, but the spiky-haired man remained on the ground. "When I get up, you better be clear on the other side of town, or so help you, I will pummel you into the dirt right here!"

Kaoru rolled her eyes and placed the bowls on a nearby rock. Their bickering meant that everything was right in the world, and even though they often spewed horrible threats at each other, they rarely got more physical than Sanosuke rubbing the top of Yahiko's head obnoxiously or Yahiko punching his arm in retaliation.

As Kaoru surveyed the house, it was easy to determine what needed to be fixed. Progress had very clearly been made in the five or so hours they'd been there, but there was still a lot to be done.

Kenshin and Shingo were on the roof patching holes, and Yasuo was standing on the ground, staring up at them, waiting for instructions. As they called out the supplies they needed, he ran over to the stockpile of newly purchased items, retrieved whatever was requested, and then tossed the materials up to the awaiting men.

Teru and Aya were inside mending various holes in the walls and support beams. Kaoru could see where they had been working, and aside from their coverings being slightly different in color, it would have been difficult to determine if there had been any damages at all.

Mei could be found in the backyard with a brush and a jar of adhesive. She delicately smeared a bit of glue onto the frames of each torn shoji, and Tadao helped her by handing her replacement rice paper. Together they lowered it into place and smoothed their fingers over the edges.

Kaoru informed everyone that she had brought lunch, and they all raced to the front of the house in a famished frenzy, calling out their gratitude as they passed her by. Kaoru walked back more slowly, though, and she surveyed the house quietly.

The floorboards creaked underneath her feet as she walked, the ceiling beams sagged visibly, the supportive wall posts looked as if they were slanted, and one of the rooms was partially charred, clearly having survived a fire sometime in the past. The dining table was lopsided, having lost a leg at some point, and the missing appendage was replaced by a small log, in an effort to keep the table upright. The kitchen itself was in poor shape, as well, and Kaoru had no idea where to begin assessing the damages there.

All in all, there were various odds and ends that needed to be attended to, but most of the rooms seemed to be in decent shape. Kaoru easily attributed this to Mei's diligent efforts, and smiled at the lack of dust. The walls inside were not grimy, as Kaoru had expected them to be, the wooden floors were generally well-kept, and even the dishes in the kitchen seemed to be spotless. She had done whatever she could to keep the house habitable.

The eldest girl reminded Kaoru a lot of herself, and she smiled softly, making her way back to the front of the house. She'd serve everyone a fresh lunch and then-

Kaoru stopped in her tracks, just before the outer doorway of the house. Still draped in the shadows, she watched in awe as Kenshin happily ladled soup into each of the bowls and handed them to the waiting kids with a smile.

The last two kids who had scrambled outside were still washing their hands in a small basin that hadn't been there when Kaoru had arrived. A hand absently rose to her chest- he'd even made them wash their hands.

Kenshin must have felt her eyes on him, because he suddenly looked up and met her tender gaze with his. He paused briefly, surprised by the raw emotion he saw in her expression, but he didn't call out to her. Instead, he ladled the soup as quickly, yet kindly, as he could to the last three kids before setting the ladle down. Wiping his hands on his hakama, he hurried over to Kaoru, trying to appear normal to everyone else.

"Is everything alri-"

Before he could finish his concerned question, her arms were wrapped tightly around his torso and she was nuzzling her face into his chest affectionately. His left arm instinctively curled around her waist while the other rested against the base of her scalp.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Her reaction was far too extreme to merely be thanking him for attending to the kids, and his lips curved upward as he planted a kiss atop her head. He had a fairly good idea of why she was suddenly so emotional, but he knew that this wasn't the place to address the matter. She felt warm and pliant and relaxed in his grasp, and he let out a light sigh as he gently held her close to him.

She started to retreat a few heartbeats later, and he reluctantly allowed her to take a step backward. Her eyes were shining and the smile she bestowed upon him was enough to melt his heart into a helpless puddle at his feet.

The shadows that had been hovering in her eyes were beginning to retreat with every day that passed, and some new emotion that had previously been shrouded was now beginning to peak out from the depths, hesitant and uncertain, but absolutely there. The shadows were almost entirely gone now, leaving that emotion nowhere else to hide, and he could see it shyly situating itself within her orbs, as if settling into a new home that it was trying desperately to acclimate itself to.

Kenshin knew what that emotion was. He'd begun to suspect the first time he saw it peering back at him, trembling and terrified, but he refused to comment on it until he was certain.

But with the way she was looking at him now, nervous, excited, and accepting, he knew without doubt that she finally felt it. Her tender expression betrayed her, whether she knew it or not. He could feel the slight change within her; that last bit within that had been trying so hard to keep itself tethered to solid ground had finally given in, and she was freefalling over the edge of everything she'd ever known. Freefalling happily, and both of them knew at that moment that he'd catch her at the bottom and he'd never, ever let go.

No, now was not the time to address this, but he decided that the second they were truly alone that night, he would trap her in his arms and this time, she wouldn't fight her way out.