DISCLAIMER: Rurouni Kenshin and Rurouni Kenshin characters are exclusively owned by Watsuki Nobuhiro, Shueisha, Sony Entertainment, Jump Comics and associated parties. Please note, this is purely fiction and for entertainment purposes only. This story is not meant for sale or profit.


Author's Notes: This is my first Alternate Universe Fanfic about Kenshin and Kaoru falling in love during modern times. It's not your typical love story and it is OOC. (Drama/Angst/Romance) Fatal Love Fanfiction by Gypsy-chan Enjoy!



FATAL LOVE
Part Five



I was furious by the fact that these men had the audacity to ruin our perfect evening. I told Tomoe and Akira to go ahead and that I would deal with those muggers. Having had a brief taste of prison life, I knew how to deal with their kind

Tomoe noticed one of the muggers pulling out a knife. She begged me not to fight. She told me to give the muggers whatever they wanted so that we could leave. I should have listened to her, but I didn't."

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After exchanging heated words, the tall muscular young man became impatient and lunged at me with his knife. I fought hard avoiding the knife he kept thrusting at me. Unfortunately, during our struggle he slashed me across my left cheek. Tomoe screamed upon seeing the blood streaming down my face.

The other young punk, went after Tomoe's gold necklace. Akira tried to protect Tomoe by jumping in front of her. As he fought off her attacker, he yelled back for Tomoe to run and save herself. She refused to leave her husband's side. The attacker could see that he was no match for Akira. He became more aggressive in his attempts to harm Tomoe sensing that she was Akira's weakness.

In the brief moment that Akira turned his head toward Tomoe, his attacker used that time to pull out a gun. Akira tried reasoning with him. Apparently Akira could see that his attacker had never used a gun before. As the young attacker stood in front of them wavering his gun, Tomoe snatched the chained from off her neck and offered it to her attacker.

While reaching for Tomoe's chain, the attacker saw Akira from out of the corner of his eyes, reaching into his coat. Akira's intention was to give the attacker his wallet. Unfortunately, the young attacker assumed that Akira was reaching for a gun so he shot and killed Akira. Tomoe screamed. The young punk became frightened. He dropped the gun and ran away, leaving a sobbing Tomoe on the ground next to Akira.

By the time I had heard the gun shot, I had finally knocked out my attacker. I rushed over to where Tomoe and Akira were. Tomoe's wails of grief over the loss of her beloved Akira was all the evidence I needed to know that I was too late.

As I stood watching Akira's life force leave his body, I cursed myself for not listening to Tomoe. I cried as I watched Tomoe sitting in silence cradling the man who had finally brought her happiness. It was at that moment that I swore an oath to protect Tomoe and give her back the happiness that she had lost.

I went over to Tomoe and helped her up. As she stood, she began to stare at my face. Without a word, she pulled out a handkerchief from her purse and placed it on the bleeding scar on my left cheek. I couldn't understand why she was concerned about my injuries. It was I who caused her to suffer loss of happiness. At that moment, nothing else seemed to matter to her. I covered her hand with mine. We both remained silent as the snowflakes fell all around us.

I slowly removed her hand from my cheek while pulling out my cell phone to call the police. As I awaited the police, Tomoe had returned to her husband's side. I walked over to take one final look at Akira. That is when I noticed the gun that was slowly being covered by the falling snow. I picked up the gun and began brushing off the snow. I was so angry that the weapon I held in my hand had robbed my Tomoe of her happiness. Akira didn't deserve to die.

While lost in my thoughts, I hadn't notice that my attacker had regained consciousness and was quitely approaching me from behind. Tomoe quickly grabbed the knife that lay on the ground from my fight with the first attacker. As she screamed out my name, she lunged toward the man trying to protect me.

With the gun still in my hand, I turned quickly with the intention of killing my attacker. Unfortunately, as I pulled the trigger, I hadn't realized that Tomoe was in my line of fire. As the weapon discharged, the bullet went straight through Tomoe and finally lodging into the body of my attacker.

As Tomoe fell backwards, the knife in her hand had slashed my cheek diagonally completing the scar on my left cheek. Tomoe and I went crashing into the snow on the ground. As I quickly surveyed her wound, I realized that the bullet had went straight through her heart. She too would die on this cold winter's night.

I cradled Tomoe into my arms and cried profusely, begging for her forgiveness. Tomoe reached up and placed her hand to my face. She wiped the tears from my eyes. As she touched my cross-shaped scar, she smiled and with her last breath whispered, "Please don't cry."

Her eyes slowly closed. After being separated from her for five years, Tomoe had finally smiled for me. Now her smile was gone forever.

The streets were now silenced by the falling snow. Death was all around me that cold winter night. The people that meant the most to me were gone and I was the cause of their deaths. It should have been me lying on the ground that night! It should have been me!"

Tears streamed down Kenshin's face.

"I should have listened to Tomoe and given them what they wanted," he cried. "Why did they have to die? Why?"

Kaoru rushed over to Kenshin and knelt down before him. She placed one hand on top of his and with the other, dried his tears.

"It's okay, Mr. Himura. Please forgive me for causing you so much pain by retelling your story."

Kenshin's head was cast downward as tears continued to flow steady down his face.

Kaoru didn't know what else to do. Through tears of her own she replied,

"It... It was an accident," she stuttered. "It wasn't your fault. You didn't mean to hurt anyone. Your intensions were for good.

Upon hearing her last words, Kenshin's tears suddenly seemed to stop. As he slowly raised his head, Kaoru gasped as she saw Kenshin's passive lavendar eyes turning into something more cold and distant.

"When I held the gun in my hand, my intentions were not good. I intended to kill. That bullet was meant for the attacker, not Tomoe. My only regret was that of Tomoe and Akira. Not for the two attackers I killed in cold blood."

Kaoru's eyes widened as she said, "But I thought you said you shot one of your attackers. That's what is written in your file."

"Yes, that is what I wanted the authorities to know."

Kaoru's face had now completely paled after hearing him confess another murder. She sat frozen as Kenshin continued speaking.

"While still cradling Tomoe in my arms, the punk that I shot had managed to get up. His wound wasn't as fatal as Tomoe's. I picked up the gun and pointed it at him. He begged for mercy but his pleas fell upon deaf ears. I shot him in cold blood.

I put Tomoe and Akira in my car and began searching for a hospital. Upon reaching the hospital, I ran into the emergency room seeking assistance. After several hospital staff members wheeled in the bodies of Tomoe and Akira, I spoke with the security guard on duty. I quickly fabricated what had happened so that I wouldn't be delayed any futher with the answering of pointless questions. Tomoe and Akira were dead. No matter how many questions they asked, it wasn't going to bring them back.

My mind was only set on one thing, that was revenge! I wanted the blood of the one responsible for pulling the trigger and killing Akira. I felt that I owed that to Tomoe.

It took only a few days to find the other attacker. He had recruited two more young punks to form a little gang. I found them all in a dark alley way harrassing a young woman. I allowed the young woman to escape unharmed. I shot down my attacker and his gang in cold blood.

After the shooting, I drove back to the country to Tomoe and Akira's house. Upon pulling into the driveway, I was met by Detective Saitoh Hajime. I knew that sooner or later the hospital would inform the police about Tomoe and Akira.

Detective Saitoh pulled out Akira's wallet and began questioning me. I confessed to the killing of the one attacker and the accidental shooting of Tomoe. But I didn't confess to the other shootings.

After taking my statement, Detective Saitoh took me into custody. Shortly afterward, I was tried and convicted of murder. I've been in prison ever since that time."

Kaoru gasped as she was now seeing a darker side of Kenshin. She became frightened.

"Oh my god! Have I misjudged him? Kenshin...."