Disclaimers: Rurouni Kenshin was created by Nobuhiro Watsuki. I don't own anything.

AN: Chapter revised – 01/2005

Especial thanks to CrismHeart for beta reading and for becoming such a good friend :)

When it Rains

Chapter 1

It had been four days since Kaoru first received the letter, and though she had thought something would come of it, nothing strange had actually occurred since then. No letters... no threats... no one showing up at the dojo to intimidate her.

Kaoru pondered briefly, while changing to her training outfit, if she had overreacted over the letter. Maybe it's just someone playing games with me, she thought, a really bad joke. But a voice on the back of her head snorted at her pitiable attempt to lie to herself. Read the letter again if you want to be sure, the voice disdainfully pointed out.

Sighing she took hold of the letter to see the ruthless words again after reading it more times than she could count. And every time she did, it caused her heart a pain, as if she were being stabbed with a sharp piece of ice.

"Kamiya Kaoru,

There is nothing in the world more satisfying than knowing your father is spending eternity in hell. He deserved it for having hid himself shamefully behind a non-killing technique and words of peace.

All we want now is to put an end to his legacy. You will be seeing the murderer soon in hell. But first you will pay for his sins."

There was no denying, it wasn't just a joke and she couldn't lie to herself. A heavy feeling of sorrow overtook her as the word murderer registered on her mind. Kaoru closed her eyes to prevent tears from falling. I have to be strong, she thought firmly.

The sun was shining comfortably, with sunlight gracefully painting a pattern on the ground. Birds sang happily, their chorus filling the air. Looking up to the blue sky, Kenshin decided it was the perfect day for laundry. He gathered clean water from the well, poured it into the basin, and mixed it with the right amount of soap until enough bubbles had formed. Putting some dirty clothes into the basin, he started to rub a stain clean. All the while, Kenshin listened Sano's babbling about his gambling the night before.

"Oro, Sano! You know you shouldn't get yourself in trouble because of gambling." Kenshin censured his friend.

"Why! They were cheating! And no one cheats me, that's why I beat them up. The nerve, they thought they could take me down! Those jerks deserved it"

"Yes, but Sano you shou..." Kenshin trailed off as he watched Kaoru passing through him with a very sad look on her face. His eyes lingered on her swollen red ones. Has she been crying again?

"Hey, Jou-chan! Aren't you at least telling us good morning? Where are you going in such a hurry" Sano scolded her.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I haven't seen you two. Good Morning, Sano, Kenshin. But weren't you at breakfast this morning, Sano" Kaoru asked, feigning routine.

"Oi! Of course I was, but you weren't! Jeez, Jou-chan, it looks like you didn't sleep at all last night." His lips suddenly twisted into a mischievous smile, "Don't tell me you were sneaking around late at night? Have you found yourself a crush?" he teased deliberately eyeing Kenshin, intending to watch his reaction.

"SANO" Kaoru yelled, blushing hard. "Mou, Sano! Don't you have anything else to do other than picking on me?" Kaoru said pouting.

"What? A crush would do good for you. You're old enough by now. Of course, he would have to pass through our approval, right Kenshin?" Sano teased again, already realizing the deadly glint in Kenshin's eyes.

The glint wasn't there anymore when he next spoke, "Kaoru-dono, Sano's right"

"About what?" Kaoru asked in surprise, her heart sinking a little.

"I am?" Sano's eyes bulged.

Noticing their confusion, Kenshin let out a deep sigh and went on"Sessha was talking about the breakfast. Kaoru-dono didn't have it today, that she didn't." His voice and eyes were full of worry.

Their eyes locked briefly, Kaoru saw concern in his violet pools and instantly regretted for causing him that feeling. Trying to reassure him, she summoned her brightest smile and cheerfully replied, "That's because I wasn't hungry, Kenshin. But you know what? I feel hungry now. I think I'm gonna eat something" Kaoru eyed Sanosuke reproachfully, "Do we still have food from breakfast or did a certain rooster head have it all" Kaoru asked glaring at Sano.

"Hey! It's not my fault I have a fast metabolism! That's why I have to eat a lot" Sano grumbled.

"Yeah, right!" Kaoru smirked.

"Oro!"

Kaoru walked towards the kitchen, all the while Kenshin's eyes followed her. There was something she was not telling him. And he knew it was far too serious to be something as silly as a crush. However, despite his comforting thoughts, something inside of him stirred at his friend's taunt. She certainly was old enough by now. A semblance of gold flickered in his eyes.

"Wow Kenshin! Stop gawking at Jou-chan, will ya?" Sanosuke's voice jolted him from his thought-filled trance. His friend's lips curved into a mischievous smile, "It would be a lot better if, instead of gawking at her, you did something about it!"

"Oro! Sessha wasn't... It's not like that Sano. Sessha is worried about her." Kenshin replied, a slight tinge of red appeared across his cheeks.

"Yeah, right! Seriously Kenshin, I don't get the two of you. How can two people be so dense?" Sanosuke asked to no one in particular, a fish bone hanging out of his mouth.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Kenshin said, feigning innocence as he resumed washing his laundry.

Sano just ignored him, "Yeah, right. One would have thought that after that Enishi disaster, you two would get it over with."

"It's nothing like that, Sano." Kenshin replied quietly.

Sano regarded the rurouni, an eyebrow arching towards him. The tall man set his face in a serious expression and looking up at the sky, he said sternly, "Then you're pretty cruel."

"What does that suppose to mean, Sano?" Kenshin's voice also took on an edgy tone.

Sanosuke seemed to deliberately ignore Kenshin's edgy tone, and continued on as if the other man hadn't said a word, "She's obviously in love with you. If you don't feel the same way, you should come clean with her."

"I don't know where are you going with all this, Sano, that I don't."

"You don't? It seems that even with some matters, you can be selfish afterwards." Sano's eyes finally met Kenshin's. The former gangster could speak surprisingly serious sometimes. "This much talking is making me hungry." Sano said, his usual nonchalant self taking place, his stomach actually grumbling.

"Oro! You just had breakfast, Sano!"

"Fast metabolism, like I said… Fast metabolism."

Kaoru was practicing at the dojo, very concentrated in her task, saying the names of the moves she preformed aloud. She was ready to give another swing with her bokken when something stopped her; she turned around to see Kenshin standing in front of her, holding her bokken. His violent eyes immediately drew her in.

"K-Kenshin? What's wrong?", she asked shyly under his penetrating gaze.

"Kaoru-dono, sessha wants to talk to you. I've made tea" Kenshin said quietly, smiling at her.

"Uh...sure, Kenshin." Kaoru gasped when Kenshin suddenly took her hands and guided her towards the kitchen.

She sat there, waiting for him to come back with the tea, already afraid of his questioning. Kaoru feared having to face questions she was not ready to give answers for.

She heard him entering the room and watched as he set the tea and the cups on the table. His face was unreadable as usual. The everyday noise of the pouring tea pierced the silence of the room. Kaoru realized her hands had started to sweat. She locked them together and set them over her lap.

After the tea had been poured, an icy silence filled the room and Kaoru was surprisingly interested in watching the waving movement of the tea in her cup. She felt his eyes on her, but ordered herself not to look at him.

Finally Kenshin broke the silence, "Kaoru-dono, is there something wrong? You've been so quiet and despondent lately. I am worried."

At those unceremonious last words, she could not help but look at him. His intense gaze once again trapped her. Kaoru felt her mouth dry out and her hands become even wetter. She knew that under his powerful gaze she would not be able to voice a lie, so Kaoru just shook and lowered her head until her bangs shadowed her face and said quietly, "There's no reason for you to worry, Kenshin. There's nothing wrong." All the while, she shook her head slightly as if the act would, in some way, give her words support.

Kenshin just stared at her, brows drawn together. He wanted to say to her that despite her words, her stance and her voice told him she was lying. He wondered if she even realized how unsuccessful her effort to lie was. Kenshin took a deep breath to calm himself, tossing aside the strange feeling of hurt her attitude was causing him. He got up and went to sit next to her. Gently, he picked her hands in his, feeling her stiffen a little at his touch. Softly, he said, "Please Kaoru-dono, tell me what has been bothering you, sessha... I just want to help you."

Kaoru always thought his closeness would bring nothing but comfort to her, but instead, right then, it caused her distress. She had wished for this moment more times she could remember, to be held by him, to have everything else but them disappear. His past. Her past. Her father. The letter. The letter… her eyes snapped open, it wouldn't go away. And though she had kept her memories buried, she couldn't run from them anymore.

"Kenshin... I..." she looked up at him, their faces were inches apart...so close, she could feel his breath playing on her lips. A voice in the back of her head warned her, fed by her own uncertainties, He'll hate you when he find out. He might even leave you again! Alarmed, she pulled away from his grasp.

Kaoru saw something in his eyes, but she wasn't quite sure what it was. Was it loss? Hurt? The truth would have hurt him more, she decided. Feigning a smile, she said"Kenshin, the tea will get cold."

"Yes..." Kenshin said smiling in return, despite the confusion that resided inside his head.

Knock Knock

"Come in," said the man sitting in a chair behind a big desk. He was looking at the dark night outside through a window.

"Sorry to interrupt you, sir, but I have great news. He's coming to Tokyo just like you said he would. Everything is working out the way you planned, sir." A huge bald man grumbled as an evil grin spread on his face.

"Great news indeed," replied the man who was sitting, not bothering to turn his face at the bald one as he went on"And the girl"

"We've sent her the letter already, sir." The large man said.

"Good, so now it's time to send her another message," he paused, "This time make sure to send her something more than just a letter, something more... real." His grin could clearly be seen even in the dark. He waved his hand to the man commanding him to leave.

The bald man was already closing the door, "Wait!"

"Yes, sir."

"What about the others?"

"Humph... weak. They won't be a problem. I've already sent some of ours to take care of them."

"Good, now leave me."

The large man left, closing the door behind.

TBC

Glossary:

Sessha: this unworthy one, it's how Kenshin refers to himself in first person.

Bokken: wooden sword

-dono: miss/sir

AN: Thanks for reading! I really would love to know what you think of the story so far