Chapter Twenty-Four

Acceptance

Kaoru's POV

Slim, nimble fingers grazed against the darkened flesh of a bruised abdomen. Deep shades of purples faded into a black ring that resembled the outline of a fist. Gently those fingers prodded around the bruising, expertly feeling for any indications of internal damage "What do you think doc?" Sanosuke Sagara asked after an extended period of silence. He was leaned against the nearest wall to Kaoru and her patient, stubbornly refusing to leave due to the concern of the boy waking up. Kaoru ignored him as she moved from the child's abdomen to his left shoulder. As she pressed the tips of her fingers into his shoulder, the boy's body reacted by jerking away from her in response. Wanting to check the pain stimulant once more for good measure, Kaoru repeated the action and was given the same reaction.

"Sano." Kaoru murmured her eyes steadily focused on the huge bruise spread across the boy's upper left abdomen "I need you to find Megumi for me."

"No way-"

She glanced up at him sternly, cutting his protest short "Go find her now Sanosuke." She repeated his name leaving her lips as a dangerous growl "This is a serious injury."

"Fine." Sano replied reluctantly before leaving the room.

"Too young." Kaoru mumbled quietly to herself as she looked down at the boy. His eyebrows had knitted together as the pain of his injury spread across his body. Kaoru dipped a clean rag into a wooden bowl filled with fresh, cold water. She let the water soak into the cloth before ringing it out. Kaoru folded the rag in have and draped the damp cloth over the boy's bruise. The cold rag would help with the swelling that came equipped with the dark bruising. She smoothed the edges of the cloth flat against his skin, mindful of the amount of pressure she was applying. As she was positioning the cloth, suddenly the boy's hand shot up and his finger wrapped tightly around her wrist. Kaoru froze. She was surprised by his strength.

The boy lifted his head. Cold, dead black eyes peered up at her. Those eyes had seen things that a young boy should have never saw. They were aged well beyond his years. Scorned and untrusting. Then, for a moment, those eyes softened "T-Tomoe?" He seemed confused. Taking advantage of his confused state and loosened grip Kaoru broke away from his grasp. Quickly moving to her feet, Kaoru put a few feet of distance between her and the boy "Wait Tomoe…" The boy began to sit up but quickly doubled over in intense pain. It was in that moment that Sano and Megumi burst through the shoji screen.

"Megumi, we need to cut him open." Kaoru quickly began to explain what she believed to be symptoms of a ruptured spleen "The bruising across his left abdomen is extensive and he is having shoulder pain. He also seems to be suffering from confusion." Kaoru looked at Megumi solemnly "We need to remove his spleen, but I have never performed this procedure. Megumi, have you?" She had never removed a spleen; however, Kaoru had heard that there was an experimental procedure that had so far been proven effective with good results. Kaoru had read about the surgery, but didn't feel confident enough to do it on her own. Megumi had been studying medicine for far longer than Kaoru, and she had hoped that maybe Megumi might have experience with the procedure.

"Yes, I have. It was only once. I believe I can remember the steps though." Megumi replied. Kaoru was relieved to know that her instinct was right.

"What do we need?" Kaoru asked.

Megumi glanced at the boy who had folded himself into a fetal position with his arms wound around his waist "Get some clean cloths, fresh water, and a surgical kit from the storage room next door." Megumi ordered "Sanosuke, come and restrain him." She pointed to the withering boy on the floor. As Sano knelt down beside the boy, Kaoru ran to the storage room. She quickly grabbed two new bowls, fresh cloths, and an old, chipped wooden surgical box. Running back into the make-shift clinic Kaoru sat the supplies down and sprinted to the well in the small court yard beyond the porch, to the left of the clinical room. Moving at a lightening speed she fished a bucket of cold, clean water from the well. Returning to the clinic, Kaoru sat opposite of Megumi and carefully poured the water into a bowl "Are you ready?" Megumi asked raising a scalpel in her hand.

Kaoru nodded "Yes." With that confirmation Megumi sliced a line across the boy's abdomen, ignoring the ear-splitting cry that emitted from him at the pain of being sliced into. As Megumi slipped a hand into his stomach the boy lost consciousness. She worked quickly and flawlessly as she cut the lacerated spleen from his body. Her hands moving steadily and gracefully as she lifted the organ out of his abdomen. Sano had long since looked away from the surgery, not really having the stomach for watching such a procedure. Kaoru, on the other hand, couldn't possibly look away. She had never seen the surgery before, and was thoroughly busy memorizing every detail and step that Megumi took. At last the ruptured spleen was placed into the empty bowl at the surgeon's side.

"Now we just have to stitch him up." Megumi informed her "While I am closing him, perhaps you should find the Battousai." She suggested with a quick, concerned glance "I noticed that he had a laceration on his cheek." It seemed as though Megumi had stepped down gracefully. Acknowledging that Kaoru was the woman that the Battousai cared for. She must have known that he would only allow Kaoru to attend to him.

Kaoru nodded thankfully.

Kenshin's POV

Kenshin regarded the sprawling mountain range before him coldly. His body was numb and his mind disengaged from the rest of the world as he stood beneath an ancient Japanese maple tree. The tree was large and magnificently twisted and coiled around the rocks at the edge of a steep cliff. Flowering pink blossoms bloomed beautifully at the ends of its crooked branches. A cool spring breeze swept beneath the tree, bringing with it the scent of rain. The sky overhead was cast in a warm grey. Pink flowers drifted from the tree carried away with the path of the wind. Kenshin felt something warm and sticky slid down the curve of his jaw and drip from his chin. He touched his cheek with calloused fingertips, drawing back to see crimson red blood bright and thick on his fingers. Tortured golden eyes widening, Kenshin replayed once more what that boy had said to him. That boy… Enishi. Tomoe's little brother. That traitorous woman, but still a woman. The only woman that he had ever slain. First, he had encountered her fiancée. A man grieving the lost of his love, a man that was also slain by the Battousai's. Now he chose to spare her brother. Her brother who had come to seek justice for his sister's death… No, for her murder. A brother who had failed, who would have rather died than failed to obtain the justice he righteously sought. Kenshin was unsure which fate was crueler; to die at the blade of your sister's murderer, or to live with the guilt of not being able to bring honor her death.

Those hands, now covered in blood, will always be stained with the destruction they have brought to so many countless lives. He had killed all of them so easily, so thoughtlessly, and for what? What were they truly fighting for? War and politics had muddled their once worthy cause. The notion to better Japan. To build an uncorrupted government from scratch. It was a fool's dream. Men were corrupted by nature. It wouldn't matter how many times the government would be rebuilt; it would always remain corrupted as long as it was ruled by men. In the meantime, unfathomable death is brought into the country. Brothers, husbands, sons, lovers… sisters. All of them risking and losing their lives for a fairytale. Where was the justice in any of that? What would justify the ocean of blood left behind for something that was unattainable?

That fictious cause had drew him into this war, and it had also scarred his soul. Darkened it to such a deep black that Kenshin feared he may never find the light again. His humanity was quickly dissipating. If this war didn't come to an end soon, he wouldn't have anything human left in him. "Kenshin." There. That sweet melodious tone, spoken so softly. His name falling from her rose pink lips with a sense of adoration. There was the light. A way out of that foreboding darkness surrounding him. She was his salvation, gently protecting what was left of him. Staving off the monster that lurked just beneath the surface. Kaoru. His Kaoru.

Kenshin didn't look at her nor did he turn to her, but he could hear her approach him. He could feel her presence warm and reassuring beginning to flow over him. At last she stood beside him. He didn't need to see her face to know that those beautiful sapphire eyes were burdened with concern and worry. He didn't need to see the bandages and damp cloth in her hands to know that she had brought them. And he didn't need to see her hand when she stretched it out to touch the newest edition of scarring to his cheek. Kenshin grabbed her hand then, as it was reaching out to him. He entangled his fingers around hers and pulled her close to him. Placing her tiny, delicate hand over his heart and holding it there. Embracing the warmth that would momentarily cleanse the death and darkness from his soul. He didn't deserve her. That Kenshin was sure of. If she were to ever leave him, he would let her go, but so long as she would allow him, he would keep her close and love her wholly. One arm snaked around her waist securing her to him tightly. Tilting his head forward, he buried his nose into her silky midnight black hair. For a second, he allowed himself to get lost in her deliciously sweet scent.

He knew that Kaoru wanted to attend to his wound. That he was probably making her anxious, but he wasn't ready for her to touch it. That line carved deeply into the flesh of his face, completing a nasty 'X' shaped scar that reflected his malevolent deeds. It was a physical representation of his sin, and he did not want her hands tainted in it. It seemed that she understood as she relaxed against him, waiting patiently for his permission. The maple blossoms fell around them in a light shower of pink petals. At long last Kenshin stepped back from her, his hands falling to his sides. Kaoru raised her hand and dabbed the damp cloth along his cheek now that she had received his permission "How is the boy?" Kenshin asked, expertly keeping his voice at a monotone.

Kaoru glanced up at him from under her long, dark lashes. A small uncertain smile curved the corner of her mouth "He is fine. Megumi is taking care of him." She replied. Kenshin nodded at her update. He had hit the boy pretty hard; he had been worried that he may have not held enough back. It was a relief to know that he would be okay, but Kenshin could also tell that Kaoru was withholding some details from him. Whatever they were he knew that she must have thought it would be for the best if he did not know. He would trust her judgement. For now, at least. A comfortable silence stretched between the two of them as Kaoru cleaned and dressed his wound. At long last the question that he knew would be inevitable arose "You could have dodged his sword. Why did you let him strike you?"

Kenshin adverted his eyes and turned his back to her to face the old maple tree. He walked up to the tree, whirled back around and sat down against the trunk. Kenshin knew that someday he would have to tell her about this… his greatest sin. He raised his hand out to her, his palm facing up, beckoning her to him. Without hesitation she came to him and placed her hand in his. He led her to sit between his legs, turning her around so that her back would be leaning against his chest. His hands slid down her arms to her thin waist. Kenshin settled his chin against her shoulder and held her gently within his arms "Kaoru, there is something I must tell you. Something that I have sheltered you from for as long as I could." She listened silently and intently to his words.

He inhaled deeply; the words caught in his throat. It was the first time he had told anyone about her. The first time that he would speak about the woman who had haunted his dreams through many restless nights. At long last, with a shaky exhale, Kenshin found the words that had previously evaded him "Her name was Tomoe." He could feel Kaoru still within his arms "She was a traitor." Kaoru tried to turn to look at him, but Kenshin held her in place. He wouldn't be able to tell her this if she were to be looking at him with those innocent blue sapphire eyes "I-I was assigned to assassinate her." Absently Kaoru began to trace a random pattern across his arm, silently encouraging him to continue.

He grasped one of her hands, and pressed her palm against his scarred cheek finding the strength and courage to tell her the rest of his story "She is the only woman I have ever killed, and her death has haunted me ever since. She had a fiancée…" Kenshin guided her fingers downward along where his first scar would be beneath the bandages "His grief carved this first scar." He then traced her fingers along the second wound that he had received today "This one, that boy who had challenged me, that was her brother." Kenshin let go of her hand and ran his fingers down the length of her arm to her elbow "I have already taken a great deal from that boy, I couldn't refuse him his retribution."

Once again Kenshin grew silent. He had finally spoke of Tomoe's death aloud, made his sin known to the person he loved most in this flawed world. Now he was waiting. Waiting for her reaction. For her to reject him. For her to finally see the true monster that he was. He had already begun to resign to the idea of Kaoru renouncing him. He was prepared for her to leave. To view him with disgust and terror. To scorn him. Surely, she would not accept his greatest of sins. How could she?

At length she turned to him as his hands had numbed and fell away from her. Warm streams of tears trailed down her face as she looked to him, those sapphire eyes reflecting sadness instead of the hatred he had expected. She cupped his face within her small, slender hands and leaned her forehead against him. It was as if she was trying to absorb him pain and regret. As if she wanted to bare this burden with him.

Once again, she never failed to surprise and amaze him. Though not a word was uttered from her quivering lips, she was making herself very clear; she would accept him. Kaoru wasn't going to turn away from him. She was here for better or for worse "That must have been unbearably hard for you." Kaoru murmured "I am so sorry that you have had to carry that pain alone for so long." She hadn't seen a monster, a merciless cold-blooded killer. Kaoru had seen a man haunted by the necessary evils of a forsaken war. Kenshin felt something warm and wet drip on to his hand, and was surprised to find that the source of those tears came from himself. Kenshin pulled Kaoru close, so close that he was nearly sure that they would merge into one complete being if he were to continue holding her. What had he ever done to deserve this woman?

He turned his face into the crook of her neck, and whispered softly against her ear, "Thank you." For a long while they sat beneath the ancient maple tree, teeming with tender pink blossoms, wrapped within the other's embrace. Together they were weaving a bond that would become unbreakable. That would withstand the test of time, and the troubles of the world they currently lived in. A bond created from a love that grew so deeply in their hearts that it would continue to strengthen through all eternity. Just as their lips met the greying clouds released a cold spring rain shower that would cleanse the sins that they now shared together as one.

She was his light. Precious and guiding as she led him from the darkness within. She was his Kaoru.

A/N: Thank you so much for reading this chapter. I hope you enjoyed the story thus far. Until next time! :)