I know I said that it would be Kaoru interlude, then Kenshin, Kaoru, Kenshin… etc. but, in part 8 I just felt… I don't know… it seemed right for Kenshin to interfere. But anyway, read on!

Part VII : Truth

I heard a hysterically insane laughter coming from the hallway. I guess Kaoru just broke the news to them. I hope she doesn't get too upset.

"Kaoru-chan you seem kind of distracted today. Are you ok?" asked Tae

I sighed... I was almost about to say 'Daijoubu Tae-dono' but stopped. Instead I took in a deep breath.

"Sounds like the boys are having a lot of fun… they haven't stopped laughing!" interrupted Megumi.

I sighed, imagining Kaoru trying to get it in their thick heads that she really was Kaoru.

"Minna-san… I have something I have to say." I stated

They stopped their endless chatter to look up at me.

"Hai Kaoru… what is it?" asked Megumi

"Well first of all I shouldn't be here at all. I… a not exactly the same person that I was this morning… I really feel I am intruding because… well… Kaoru should be the one here, and not me… Himura Kenshin."

"Tanuki-chan the pregnancy shouldn't get to you this much. I mean, true you have the side effects, sensibility and all that, well what we discussed yesterday… but not, well, delirious." said Megumi

"SANOSUKE!!!!!!!! KENSHIN WOULD ONLY FALL TO THE FLOOR IN A HEAP IF YOU HIT HIM LIKE THAT…! BUT I AM NOT KENSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!" said my very angry voice.

Oh no… we've got trouble. The girls all stared at me wide eyed. Megumi narrowed her eyes.

"Tanuki-chan… did I tell you about that time when I found Kenshin alone in his room and he very suddenly kissed me?" she asked quite loudly.

Kaoru entered the room faster than I could think, and from the looks of it, she wasn't too happy. Behind her, were a very bruised Sanosuke and a frightened Yahiko.

"NANI?!?!?!?!" she shrieked.

"ORO?! Megumi-dono I have never kissed you!" I said quickly

Megumi gasped, her eyes widened as did everyone else's. Oh sure! Now they believe us.

"Bu… b… busu…?" said Yahiko looking to where Kaoru was still standing.

She shot him a glare. Yahiko's eye did this little twitch and his mouth was hanging almost to the floor. 

I sighed "It's true…"

Yahiko without warning took me by the wrist and led me to the kitchen. I guessed what he was getting at.

"cook something…" he said putting me in front of the kitchen door.

"Good idea Yahiko! If they really are faking, we will probably all end up in Megumi's clinic tonight, and if they aren't I will just fuckin go crazy. One, because a good meal came from Jou-chan and two… It's just fuckin weird that Jou-chan is Kenshin and Kenshin is Jou-chan…" he said

"Oi! If you don't like my cooking then why do you come here very day huh Sanosuke?!" Kaoru shot out.

Stares…

"Maa, maa minna-san. Let me get started de gozaru. Please be nice and wait till I finish… and try not to get too exited."

More stares…

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"I can't believe it! It's… its… its… edible!!!!" said Sanosuke after tasting my miso soup.

Kaoru shot him a death glare, But Sano and everyone else were too busy gagging at both of us to notice… now they believe us.

"oooooookay! Now this is weird!" said Yahiko

"Now do you believe us de gozaru ka?" I asked them all.

Tae shivered as she looked at Kaoru in my body, they were not the only ones uncomfortable in this situation.

"It's kind of late… and its dinner time, the Akabeko must be full, come Tsubame, we have to get back and help." Said Tae

Tsubame nodded and got up beside Tae, the bowed and said good bye.

"Well, I guess I better go help Dr. Genzai with the patients… um, maybe we will… well, talk about this later…" said Megumi also getting up

"I'll go with you, It's getting dark and you can't go out like that." Said Sanosuke

"Oi, Sano? Um, can I stay at you place for a while? I mean, for the night, or… week or something?" Yahiko said before they left

"You're freaked out ne?" Sano smiled at him

Yahiko nodded quickly, it was nothing to be ashamed of really, heck I was scared, why wouldn't Yahiko be?

Sano gestured with his head that Yahiko come along. He did. We went to see them off at the gate.

"Oyasumi nasai" chorused Sano and Megumi.

"Oyasumi nasai" responded Kaoru and myself

"Good night freaks!" yelled Yahiko a wicked smile appeared on his face, a sweat drop on mine and a vein on Kaoru's

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"You really should leave that to me Kenshin." Said Kaoru entering the room

I was unfolding the futon as I usually do, but I stopped to think, and she was right. I mean, I was pregnant, I mean! She was! Well not now, but…! Oh her body dammit! I sighed. Battousai should now be totally devastated being a pregnant woman. Now it was Kaoru who would protect me… how embarrassing! Well, not really, not by Kaoru at least… but still, I felt as if I had lost my job or something.

"Hai Kaoru." was all I answered


Part VIII : Take Care

I went to sleep with an odd feeling. Well no surprise there! I am in a man's body after all, but, man! I felt like making out with myself! Gives me the creeps I tell you!

I realised I was the one who was going to have to take care of Kenshin from now on. What a change. I would probably torture him later about this, how he needed the protection of a woman and so on.

Oh! I couldn't be that mean… or could I? He he he… any way, the next few days passed by unbelievably slow. Of course, Kenshin suffered more than me I'm sure of that. He would wake up in the middle of the night and then just start shaking.

I would take him in my arms and try to warm him, but he was already sweaty, a few seconds later he would thank me and step out into the cool autumn night to get some fresh air… because he was hot… mmmm, definitely weird.

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Why me? I mean, sessha has done a lot of awful things in his days, but… after all I have suffered, do I also deserve this punishment as well?

I shivered, poor women. All they have to go through to give birth to a child. Kaoru must have felt my movement because I felt her arms go around me and snuggle me. I wanted so much to turn back and give her a kiss on the cheek, but… I felt like I was kissing myself, and that, is nasty!

Instead I smiled back at her and thanked her. Her warmth got to me an soon I was no longer cold, but hot. Dammit! will this never end. I actually had to shake her hands off me because I felt like they suffocated me.

"Er… I'll be right back Kaoru-koishii, I need to get some fresh air." I said to her getting up

"Shouldn't you put something else on Kenshin? You may get a cold, it's pretty chilly outside." She said

"Arigatou Kaoru, but I'll be fine. I'm actually kind of hot." I responded.

A sweat drop appeared on her head along with a totally clueless face. I smiled and slid the door open. I welcomed the night's cool air through my hair. And stared down at my stomach. It was really hard to believe that I was carrying my own child down there.

My own flesh and blood, this new-born would give my life something more to smile about. I would protect her and Kaoru with my life. They are after all the reason for my existence. Yes, I hoped it would be a little girl.

I felt a tingle, could it be? I gently placed my hands over my belly in hopes that she would move again, but feeling nothing I started to walk through the halls.

It really was amazing, creating a life, incarnating a sentient human. It was just so beautiful. I had taken so many lives, and now I am the one responsible for creating one. Maybe everyone will think that it is hopeless to redeem myself with just helping this baby, but for me, her life was so much more important.

Maybe this isn't so bad. What could possibly be better that giving a life? I felt a streak of a warm tear on my left cheek. I wiped it away feeling the smoothness of Kaoru's face. No scar. So innocent. So young and full of hope. Maybe I could pretend to be innocent in her body. I could pretend I had never killed anyone, I had never been responsible for the death of many, and the suffering of more. I could pretend my only purpose is to give and maintain this life. To create… not to destroy.

More tears came and I didn't bother to wipe them away. So many times I had just wanted to cry, to let all my fears show, to be vulnerable. But I couldn't. for if I showed my weakness the others would be frightened.

But now, with Kaoru's face as my mask I freely let them flow, somehow, it didn't seem so bad, I actually felt somewhat relieved. 

A hand brushed my cheek. I jumped, Kaoru smiled gently at me and put her hand on my shoulder. Even though I was looking at my own face, I could feel her presence.

I shut my eyes tight and cried some more. I felt her arms go around me and hug me tight. I dug my face into her shoulder and sighed letting myself be the protected for once, and not the protector.

She didn't seem surprised to find me like this. In fact, she seemed to know the reason behind my tears. For when she was looking at me, she saw me with warmth and understanding, not with fear or confusion.

I thanked her so much for that. For just being the way she is, my Kaoru.

"Arigatou…" I choked out

She responded by leaning her head on mine. I don't know how long we stayed there. Just standing, me crying, she rubbing my back softly. 'Aishiteru Kaoru-koishii'

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I must admit I did feel a bit taken aback when I saw the first tear. Seeing it in my own body didn't get to me that much, but the fact that I knew it was really Kenshin, well, it did worry me a bit.

Then I remembered Megumi say something about being extremely sentimental when you get pregnant. I guessed that was the reason. He started to cry for real a little after.

Well I couldn't just stand there. I silently went over to where he had stopped and brushed away a fresh tear. He seemed to jump at my touch. I guess he wasn't used to being sneaked up on. I smiled and gave him a hug. I figured it was what he needed. Sure enough he lay himself on me and soon fell asleep.

I noticed his knees buckled a bit. I put one hand behind his knees and kept the other one on his back and gently lifted him up. This was weird. I felt like prince charming or something!

I slid the door open with one foot and inside, I lay him on the futon. This was definitely strange. I was not used to Kenshin being so, vulnerable. Dammit! this scene would have been so kawaii if he weren't in my body. I could just bend down and kiss him, but…!

I sighed… 'nine long months…' 

A/N: whew! Don't know what got into me! This is probably because I needed a break from my own insanity and put something that made sense for once. But this is probably as serious as it's gonna get so… ¬¬' I know my chapter titles suck… but hey! I couldn't think of anything else! I never said this story was free of OOCness ^^ but any way, thank you for supporting me so far. Your reviews are what keep me going… so REVIEW!!!! Onegai!