Author's Notes: Well, hello! And welcome to this pitiful excuse of a rewritten story! Okay, so to all who have read my note on the old version, here's the promised revamp, and I just wanna thank you for being SOOOO patient with me on this, and I really do hope you'll bear with me on this one, coz this time, for sure, I'm not letting you down! :D And for those who have just discovered this, I really hope you enjoy reading and I won't let you down either!

This is a story I so BADLY want to tell, but I'll just apologize in advance if my vocabulary or grammar is kinda off. It's pretty good in my head, and I'm just giving y'all a heads-up if I don't do it any justice. :(

As with the original, this is set around the Meiji Era. I'm not really good with Japanese History, but I've always imagined it during Kenshin's own time.

This is just the prologue and I already have the first chapter almost up and ready for uploading but I'd like to know what you think so far, so please leave a REVIEW! :D I'm really interested in knowing your opinions on this. :))

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

PROLOGUE

Happiness. There was no other word for it. There were the perks of security, fun, comfort, the feeling of finally being noted as existent, not to mention being wanted and loved. But it all totaled to this very simple, and now she realized, also very underrated word.

Happiness.

He gave her that.

And so much more. She synchronized a sharp exhalation with a smile at the thought of all the firsts she experienced because of him that she never would have dreamed of happening to her. She smiled even bigger at the memory of silly things they would argue so pettily about, the remembrance of his shortcomings, and even bigger at the thought of her own. It was like a film, perfectly directed in her mind, of all the incidents that never would have happened if she had not made the decision to trust this man with her heart, and his decision to offer his to her.

She sniveled the wetness that dripped through her nose, all the while wiping the unwanted tears that tainted her smile. Her hands shivered at the cold touch, and the snowflakes that seemed magnetically attracted to the wetness didn't help in the idea of establishing warmth before they reached out to his face.

"Kaoru.." His voice was small, losing all formality. "Please.." He begged, looking at her with the opposing expression that she wore. His face was plastered with desperation, as if there was anything to stop this from happening now. He looked into her eyes and saw that they sparkled with joy, if not for the tears. He could tell she was genuinely content, and he knew exactly why. Maybe that was the most painful fact, he thought. She wanted him to know she was happy. She wanted him to know he was the reason for this and that he isn't to blame for everything coming down to this. And maybe with that knowledge, it would be easier for him to let go.

He shut his eyes from her gaze, thinking that he had so much to offer her, that he could brighten those eyes even more, and that no matter what, he will do anything and everything to make her happy. He knew she knew this. But this was Kaoru, already giving up. And saying that it was difficult for him, was a severe understatement.

The tears he held back finally broke loose when her fingers made contact with his face and slowly her thumbs wiped them away. He wriggled his hands violently, franticly wanting to return the gesture, but his bonds wouldn't let him. She whispered a soft hush before he surrendered and wept quietly into her hands. She cradled his head tenderly and wept with him, leaning in for their foreheads to touch. He struggled to speak straight but his voice wouldn't let him. He managed to whimper softly so only she would hear. The only words she could make out were 'don't' and 'please', but that said more than enough. She inhaled deeply to keep herself from sobbing more and straightened his head so she met his gaze.

His once strong and assuring lilac orbs were now replaced with desperation and plea. Her hands slid up and down his neck as if to soothe him, as if apologizing for reducing him to this. The guilty thought now forced her to smile instead of the more natural one she wore earlier. She was not straying from her original plan. He looked up at her and searched her eyes, but all he could see was hope's wildfire completely doused, and with that, he silenced in surrender. They remained in that position for several minutes, each conversing to the other mentally.

She decided against kissing him for the last time as, she thought, would only make things even more difficult as it is. She instead trailed her thumbs over his lips and he kissed them back, as if finally saying goodbye. She then felt her heart fall rock-bottom at the gesture.

Happiness.

He gave her that.

And this was how he would be repaid. She sobbed again, bowing her head in guilt but readied herself for the procedure anyway. She sat up straight, cupped his face between her palms, and met their foreheads again. She felt the trickling of his tears on her hands, and knew he was anticipating it now too.

"Goodbye.." She whimpered, not anymore bothering to open her eyes.

And in that final flash of a moment, he was no longer a part of her, and neither was she to him. When she finally opened her eyes, she cried her hardest at the sight of Himura Kenshin.. her happiness.. Reduced to nothing but a frail body.

And now, she wasn't ever allowed to touch him.