~Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Rurouni Kenshin characters. This story was not written for sale or profit. Don't forget to review.

A/N—I did not do any research on the residents of the Temples of Japan for this chapter. It contains a monk who may be a bit out of character for a resident of a Temple but it goes with the story. If this in any way offends anyone, please let me know. Thanks for reading my story.

A Reason for Love

Chapter 16: Waiting for Love

In the dusk before dawn, Aoshi sat on the porch facing east, waiting for the sun to start the day. His emotions had run rampant all night making in near impossible for him to get any rest. Never before had he been in such turmoil about making a decision. Having started out on this quest to merely help Soujiro attain the Takara, his plan to just melt back into his former existence now required some serious thought. Somehow the young man had touched his soul so deeply that no matter what he tried he couldn't separate himself from him.

A slight breeze brushed past his face, catching his hair to follow in its path before floating back to gently rest on his skin, closing his eyes he listened to the soft peaceful sound of the glass wind chime. The clarity of the moment gave him a feeling of relief, as if the path that he should take suddenly appeared directly in front of him. He now knew what he must and would do.

Finishing his tea, he retreated back inside the house to get ready for his trip back to Kyoto, leaving the sun to find it's own way into the sky. His decision now made, he felt an urgent need to return to Kyoto and get things in order.

~ ~ ~

Kamatari awoke first, but his position was wrong. Someone was snuggled against him! He was always the one to snuggle up against his lover. His head cleared when he remembered that he had fallen asleep holding Soujiro. Looking down at Soujiro's sleeping face, he reached out and touched his cheek. Warm, good, he thought as Soujiro's eyes slowly opened. Kamatari smiled as he watched Soujiro's cheeks turn the prettiest shade of pink.

"Good morning," Soujiro whispered, pulling back he quickly sat up, the blanket going with him.

"Good morning to you. How are you feeling?" Kamatari asked, smiling as Soujiro stood up, "You seem to have warmed up."

Rising up on his elbows, Kamatari leaned back shaking his head, making his hair whip back and forth before settling down to flip outwards. Sitting up completely, he looked up at Soujiro. "I'm hungry how about you?"

"I'm always hungry, I just don't always eat," Soujiro quietly said.

"And that's where you need me," Kamatari laughed. Standing up, he stretched, yawned and then started folding the bedding.

"Yes," Soujiro absentmindedly replied, helping to fold the futon.

"What's the matter, are you worried about Aoshi?"

"Yes do you think he will be back soon?"

"Of course he will," Kamatari said doing his best to reassure his young friend, "Let's get ready and go eat. You have to keep up your energy for when he gets back, right?" he winked at Soujiro, giggling when the boy blushed.

Soujiro quickly ducked behind the dressing screen to get dressed, leaving Kamatari to finish straightening the room by himself.

~ ~ ~

Aoshi once again said good-by to Ryochi and with the seal safely put away, he stepped aboard the carriage that would take him back to Kyoto. Having made the decision on what he was going to do, he felt the need to hasten his actions in obtaining his goal. He had been stalled on the road of life for far to long and now that he was moving he wanted to use the fastest speed possible. Never before could he remember feeling the way he did at that moment--alive and full of hope.

But his solid stone exterior never once showed the excitement that coursed through his body. And now that the initial shock of making a life changing decision was over, he felt good just to simply be alive, and with the dawning of a new day upon him, he was eager to start on the new path that lay before him.

The long journey back to Kyoto would allow him the time he needed to plan his course of action. And everything would revolve around his faith in the people closest to him, for he was now ready to get on with his life.

~ ~ ~

Kamatari was relieved when Soujiro agreed to eat at the same restaurant where they had dinner the night before. He made it a point to eat his evening meal in the restaurant every day but today he felt the need to be in the restaurant for the morning meal. One of his best contacts worked as a server at the restaurant and if his uneasy feeling proved correct then they would be able to get the news. And before his group left Europe, he had set up a plan where if a member of his group had information to give him, they were to either send the information through the server, who would slip him the information or come to the restaurant and order Green Tea. Then within the next hour they would meet at a predetermined temple.

Sitting down at the western style table, Kamatari ordered for both of them. Just as the food arrived, Kamatari looked up to see one of his friends from Europe, making her way towards him.

"Kamie, sweetie," she gushed as she neared the table. Wearing a pair of tight fitting jeans that showed every curve of her petit trim body and a jacket made of the same material with a white collar shirt underneath, she looked out of place even in a restaurant that catered to the western style.

"Camilla I see you took my advice and made the trip to Japan."

"Oh the trip here was awful. It horribly rained every day so I had to stay inside the boat and you know how much I love going outside." For emphasis, she put one hand on her hip and did a downward wave with her other hand. "And the ride from Osakie was horrible but I simply love your country, at least nothing too bad has happened yet."

Kamatari laughed, looked across the table and when Soujiro smiled and nodded his head, he asked, "Would you care to join us?"

"I would be delighted," she said, turning to Soujiro she asked, "And who is your adorable friend?"

"Soujiro Seta," Kamatari introduced him in the western style. Turning to Soujiro he said, "This is Camilla O'hara, we met at the University in London."

"Pleased to meet you Camilla-san," Soujiro greeted her.

"Oh you are so sweet," she said, winking at Soujiro.

Mesmerized by her hazel gray eyes and the way her curly hair outlined her delicate face, Soujiro had to force himself to concentrate on drinking his tea to keep from staring at her. Putting another piece of candy in his mouth, he decided that his best recourse would be to sit and listen to the conversation.

"All Kamie talked about is Japan, Japan, Japan. So much that I just had to come see it for myself. And so here I am," Camilla said, smiling as she plopped into the chair next to Kamatari.

Noticing the new arrival at their table, the server came to take her order.

Watching as she deposited herself in the chair next to him, Kamatari kept thinking to himself, don't order the Tea, please don't order the Green Tea. But he was not surprised when she ordered the Green Tea. All his hopes for some quiet time faded when the server left to get her order.

"We have some free time, how about if we show you around Kyoto?" Kamatari asked. He looked directly at Camilla but watched Soujiro out of the corner of his vision. When he saw Soujiro smile, he knew that the boy understood to go along with him.

"Yes we could show you some of our Temples," Soujiro said.

The boy is a natural, Kamatari thought, agreeing with Soujiro.

"I think that sounds wonderful. Are they colorful and bright?" Camilla asked. Sipping her tea, she leaned forward to get a better look at Soujiro.

~ ~ ~

From the time they left the restaurant until they reached the temple, Kamatari and Camilla engaged in a nonstop conversation ranging from current boyfriends to the latest hairstyles from Europe. Soujiro walked behind them half heartedly listening for most of his attention was focused on the places that Kamatari showed to Camilla. They seemed random to the unobservant watcher but he followed the pattern as they ended the tour at the exact Temple where he had to go to retrieve the Takara.

"Wow this Temple is incredible," Camilla exclaimed as they stood at the entrance.

"Come inside and I can show you around," Kamatari said, Camilla following close behind him.

Soujiro hesitated at the entrance to the Temple. Bits and pieces of his dream flashed in his mind and even though he knew that it had only been a dream, the emotional impact returned full force. Although the Temple that stood before him was not the magnitude of the one in his dream, it was big enough to cause him to be on guard as he walked inside.

Once inside the Temple, he cautiously walked holding his breath, every nerve in his entire body poised, ready, and waiting, so when he felt a hand on his shoulder, he jumped, twirled around, and assuming his battle stance, grabbed for the sword that used to be a natural part of his body. But he grasped a handful of air and with a startled look on his face; he peered up at his enemy.

"Are you all right, young man?"

The soft voice of the monk calmed his emotions. Feeling foolish, Soujiro slowly let out the breath that he had been holding since entering the Temple. Standing back up, he nodded not trusting his voice to keep from betraying the panic that he had been feeling.

"Is there a specific reason for your visit to the Temple?" the monk calmly asked.

"I came with some friends but is seems as if they have gone and left me. But I'm sure they will be back for me," Soujiro answered.

"Ok. If you need anything…"

"Well there is something that you could help me with…" Soujiro said, stalling when unsure how to address the monk.

"Yes," the monk responded, "Would you like to take a walk with me out in the garden?"

"Yes but my friends?" he asked, walking behind the monk as he led the way to the Temple garden.

"Oh don't worry about them, everyone comes to the gardens to admire the beauty of nature," the monk said over his shoulder.

Entering the garden, Soujiro was instantly aware of the peace and tranquility of the entire area. When they reached the far corner of the garden, Soujiro followed the monk's lead and sat on the bench beside him.

Surrounded on all sides with the calming effect of the garden Soujiro sat thinking of a question to ask the monk to get some information that may help him to understand Aoshi.

Waiting patiently, the monk sat watching the young man nervously trying to formulate his question.

"Meditation?" Soujiro tentatively asked, looking intently at the monk, "Why do people meditate?"

"There are as many reasons as there are people who meditate," the monk answered, "I know that doesn't give you the answer you want but it is the truth."

"I see," Soujiro whispered, looking down at the ground.

"Some people meditate to run away from themselves or to have some divine inspiration that can show them the path to eternal enlightenment," the monk continued, "Each person gets something different from taking the time to sit and meditate. Some can clear their mind and relax to get away from their problems while others can work out a problem that has been bothering them. Have you ever tried to meditate?"

Surprised at the question, Soujiro could only shake his head to indicate that no he had not.

"Maybe you should try it sometime," the monk said.

"How do you meditate?"

"There are various positions that you can assume but the most common one is to sit with your legs crossed and your feet resting, soles upward, upon your thighs," the monk started to explain, "Then place your hands, palms up, on your knees, resting your arms on your thighs. I know it sounds difficult but it is quite simple and very relaxing."

Soujiro remembered seeing Aoshi in that same position, wondering just how hard it would be to get his own legs into that position.

"Then once you are in a comfortable position, be it laying, sitting or standing, you will need to decide why you are in this crazy position and either think about it or try to unfold yourself and give it up. Not everyone can meditate, you know. It's something that you have to truly believe in to make the effort worth the gain. Does that make sense to you?" the monk asked, his lips curved up into a small smile as he watched for a reaction from Soujiro.

"Are you filling his head full of nonsense, Ca-chan?" Kamatari asked, startling both men sitting on the bench.

"Why no I was just answering a simple question," the monk exclaimed, excitedly.

"By what authority do you think that you can answer his questions?" Kamatari asked, trying to keep from smiling, he put one hand to hide his mouth.

"He asked me and I answered," the monk answered in a rather smug tone.

Sighing, Kamatari turned to Soujiro, let his hand drop, and said, "Camui is the ground keeper, and he has a special talent for making things grow." With a sweep of his hands, he turned to indicate the beauty of the garden surrounding them, and said, "And he is the most rebellious monk that you will ever meet." Smiling, he held out his arms to give the monk a hug.

Camui stood up and hugged Kamatari then turned back to Soujiro and said, "I would love to continue our talk but I have other duties to attend at the moment. Are you going to be around later today, say maybe towards evening?"

"I would love to stay and talk but…" Soujiro started to say.

"That is a great idea. I have to leave and you can stay with Camui. After all the two of you may have more in common that you may think," Kamatari said.

"That would be great," Camui said, giving the two men a polite bow, he left the garden to attend to his duty.

"But what about…" Soujiro whispered to Kamatari after Camui left the garden.

"Camilla will get word to Aoshi and he can meet you here. After all you will have to bring the seal to this very temple anyway," Kamatari said.

Trusting in Kamatari, Soujiro nodded.

~ ~ ~

Camilla took a few small steps out from behind the dressing screen, pausing to adjust the black silk obi. Unable to get the natural curl out of her strawberry blonde hair, she pulled it back into a ponytail, tying it with a sparkly black ribbon, making it look like she had a big curly fur ball tied to the back of her head. Her bangs surrounded her face like little reddish blonde ringlets, heightening her youthful appearance but that couldn't be helped.

Sighing, she scrutinized the rest of her costume; a bright orange kimono, shocking enough to draw even the most unobservant persons attention and the black sparkly outlines of the delicate butterflies that adorned the sleeves and bottom hem added to the radiant look of her outfit.

Walking a few more steps, the constricting kimono that she wore made her weave for a few seconds, managing to catch her balance she cringed at the chuckle that came from her companion.

"Grace was never one of your strong traits."

Ignoring the comment, she slowly walked over to the window. Peering onto the street below, she watched as the town's people went about their business as if they had not a care in the world. How she wished that she could be one of those people. For her it was now a waiting game, her prey would be returning to Kyoto soon and she had a simple task of getting information to him. Turning she scowled at her companion. "Why are you still here?"

"You may need my help. After all this is your first solo."

"I don't need your help. Besides you would just get in my way." Her voice softened as she shifted her position. The kimono didn't allow very much room for maneuvers if she were to get into a situation where fighting was necessary. And although the offer of help was comforting, she wanted to be alone when she delivered her message.

"Are you sure that you will recognize him?"

"I've seen him before. But I don't know if he will remember me," she said calmly, returning her gaze back towards the window. She remembered how beautiful he had looked the day Naoaki had introduced her to him and how her stomach had twisted into knots just being in the same room so that after a brief introduction she had fled from the room fanning herself, fearing that she may pass out in front of him if she had stayed.

"Well I guess my work here is done, so don't fall flat on your face in front of him." Laughing her companion slid the shoji shut before the flying object could hit him.

Returning her attention to gaze out the window at the street below, she whispered, "Will you remember me Aoshi?"

~ ~ ~

To be continued…

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