Standard Disclaimers Apply. The rights to Rurouni Kenshin are exclusively owned by Watsuki Nobuhiro, Sony Entertainment, Shueisha, Jump Comics and other associated groups. Do not sue!!! I am writing this to satiate my urge to write.

Deadly Family Ties

Chapter Seventeen: Conclusion

Regan opened her eyes and looked down at her body, which was totally soaked with blood. Blood that wasn't hers. When she turned her head to the side, she saw Marcus' lifeless eyes staring back at her. She felt her bile rise up her chest as she vomited to the other side of the body. She looked back at Marcus wanting to make sure that her eyes were not deceiving her. When reality finally settled in, that was the time when she found her voice to react, "Aaaaaiiiiieeee!!!! Aaaaeeeeiiiee!!!" She thrashed violently on her bed as she continued with her cries. Marcus is dead! I can't believe it! He is dead… who could have killed him…

"Hush, child! You are breaking my eardrums!" For the first time, Yuku yelled at her.

"Nana!!" she called out in relief.

"It's about time you wake up!" she smiled.

"Oh, I am so glad you are here! Please unbind me," she said through tears.

"Sure thing honey, just a minute…" Smiling mischievously, she continued, " I'll ask my son to untie you"

Regan felt her blood drain as her eyes widened. She asked in disbelief, "Son? You have a son?"

"Oh Regan, I am surprised you never knew after all these years we had been together," she commented casually. "But I can't really blame you for not knowing, you had always been too self-centered to even care about the other people around you. It was always about you. Your wounds. Your pains. Your problems." Yuku pointed her finger at her captive and sneered, "The world doesn't revolve around you, Reiko!"

Regan narrowed her eyes, giving her a piercing glare.

Ignoring her glare, she called out, "Son! Son! Our mistress wants to be untied!"

Regan turned her head to the opposite direction facing the door as she awaited the mystery man to appear. Her eyes widened as she squeaked, "Tobe?"

~~~~~

Kaoru rushed towards Kenshin as soon as he went outside. She grabbed his arms and asked frantically, "What did Yahiko say?"

"It was really hard to get the information from him because he is still in state of shock," he said, looking pleased.

"Oh…"

"…but I got it."

Kaoru sighed in relief and asked, "How do we get there?"

"He said to go to the side of the woods where he gathers strawberries then follow the path of Sakura trees. Turn right on the first bonsai we see and if we go straight ahead, we'll find it."

Kaoru wrapped her arms around her and said in a soft voice, "I hope his directions are precise. I just wish we don't get lost."

Kenshin walked towards her and hugged her from behind. "We won't. Just follow your heart."

Kaoru faced him noting the softening of his eyes, she whispered, "Thank you."

Kenshin held her had, squeezing it gently and said, "Come on, we must hurry, time is running out."

~~~~~

"Good afternoon, Mistress Regan," Tobe greeted, smiling sinisterly at her.

"Tobe is your son?" Regan asked in disbelief.

"Yes," Yoko replied as she motioned Tobe to untie her. Yuku pointed a pistol at her prisoner, silently warning her of the consequences any untoward actions might cause.

Regan sat up, looking directly into the eyes of the person she used to consider as her second mother. "Yuku, why are you doing this to me!?" she demanded, rubbing her sore wrists.

"Poor, poor, Regan. Since birth, all that have been fed to you were lies. A child raised in bitterness," she said matter-of-factly.

Despite the apparent danger she was in, she couldn't help but ask, "Nana, I thought we were in this together? I thought you wanted our happiness?"

"That is where you are wrong, Regan," she pointed out with much conviction. "I wanted my son's happiness. A happiness that was deprived of him since you and your mother came along."

"I don't understand…" Regan clutched her throbbing head, feeling as if it was going to explode any minute now. Lies! Deception! Everything I knew was false!! Her mind chanted, annoying her to extremes, pushing her over the edge. She felt as if a bomb had been dropped in her mind, slowly eating her up with hateful vengeance.

"First of all, let me ask you one thing, did you really think that your all your plans were perfect?"

Regan covered her ears, not wanting to hear anything more as she hummed various hymns to block away any sound. No, this not true. I am dreaming. My life couldn't be this bad. This isn't happening!! This can't be true. I was supposed to live a happy life here in Tokyo!

"Did it ever occur to you why everything flowed smoothly!?" she asked, louder this time.

Regan continued to hum to herself causing Yuku to slap her and grab her arm to catch her attention. She spat, "Answer me."

"I don't know!"

"The only reason why your plans became successful is because of me. Everything that happened is part of my bigger plan. From the day, I raised you up until now, everything is planned by me…" she announced proudly.

Regan closed her eyes, trying desperately to clear mind… and to salvage her remaining sanity.

[flashback]

"Very good, Marcus." She flashed him a smile and kissed him on the cheek. She whispered to his ear, "Thanks for the information." With that, she fired the gun, blood smearing all over her.

Upon hearing the gunshot, the servants rushed inside the dinning room to witness the commotion. There, they saw the cadaver of their master Marcus Laios. All retained a shocked demeanor except for one, who stepped forward and said calmly, "Regan, dear, I see you had accomplished your plans."

Regan nodded and replied in a perfect Japanese accent, "Yes, Nana. Thank you for your assistance. Will you kindly call Tobe to fix this mess."

"Marcus survived my gunshot because before I had the time to check if he was truly dead, you came along," she said bitterly.

"Very wonderful deduction."

"… and instead of following my orders, Tobe treated him to good health."

"Intelligent observation for someone so ignorant," Yuku commented condescendingly.

"And this house?" Regan asked although she had a good hunch that Yuku's had something to do with it.

"You brought it from me. During one of Marcus' business trip, the one when I sent you to learn kenjutsu, I went to Tokyo to make the arrangements. Sending you away to learn kenjutsu was just a front so that you wouldn't notice I was gone."

"Why!!!? Why go through all this trouble!!?" she demanded.

"Because I knew  it would be worth it."

"Why do you hate me so much as you claim you do?"

"Tobe, get me some water," she ordered as she sat down on a chair, her aim not leaving her target. "Before Marcus set sail to Tokyo, he and I were lovers. My parents didn't know of our secret relationship. One day, I found out I was pregnant. Coming from an aristocratic family, my parents couldn't bear the shame so they disowned me. I came to Marcus, hoping that he would marry me. But he told me that he didn't love me anymore. That he found the woman he was going to marry in Tokyo. I was shattered at that time because I had nowhere to go. No family. No friends. No money. I wouldn't be able to support my child alone. I pleaded to him that I loved the child and I wanted to keep it. He told me that if I agreed to be one of his servants, he'd give me shelter and food. However, if anyone found out, he threatened to kill my baby. Months passed. He returned… with you. And that is the story of my sad life."

"And because of that you went to such low extremes as to pretend, deceive and betray."

Yuku chuckled at that, "Don't point fingers, Regan-dear. You are not a saint and you know what?" Cocking the gun, she continued, "I think it's time for you to go to—"

At that instant, Kenshin and Kaoru barged through the door. Yuku reflexively aimed the gun at Kaoru, causing all of them to freeze.

Time stood still for all of them.

Yuku was about to pull the trigger, when Regan suddenly jumped out from the bed and wrestled Yuku to the ground. She tried to take the gun away from Yuku, but her grip was too tight.

Meanwhile, Kenshin stood in front of Kaoru, his sakabattou unsheathed and his stance ready. Kaoru, on the other hand, stared at them in confusion, I thought Yuku was on Regan's side?

They grappled each other on the ground, turning each other, punching, kicking, scratching, going to any means just to hurt the other. Just then, the gun fired sending loud echoes throughout the building.

Kenshin and Kaoru stared intently at the blood that flowed out, soaking the two bodies. They had no time to react, no time to think. Everything happened so fast.

Kaoru kneeled down on Regan's side as Kenshin jerked Yuku's lifeless body off her. Tears were flowing out of Regan's eyes as she choked out a mass of blood, "Kaoru, I am so sorry."

Kaoru gasped hard when she saw the dagger stabbed on Regan's side. She looked at Kenshin in panic and yelled, "Kenshin! Come on! Carry her so we can take her to Dr. Genzai's clinic!!!"

Regan shook her head slightly and replied, "There's no need…" Blood was already trickling down her nose but she managed to smile, "You know what they say when a person is nearing death? They say that in that moment before he dies, the one truth will flash before his eyes. And in that second that stretched out to what seems like eternity..."

The dam that held Kaoru's tears broke as she sobbed, "Hush, sister, don't speak, you need to conserve your strength— "

"…I saw you. My only family. I couldn't let her shoot you. You are innocent in all this," she said as she coughed more blood.

"So are you."

Regan shook her head and whispered, "No. This is my atonement for everything I have done to you and our family. I love you. I just wish— " Regan was unable to finish her words as her heart stopped beating.

Kaoru looked at her tearfully as she pulled up her twin's limp body, wrapping her arms around her. Weeping for the sister, she never had the chance to know, yet loved deeply.

Kenshin kneeled down beside Kaoru and embraced her.

Kaoru accepted his warmth, not needing any words for comfort.

Just his love.

And the final rest of her twin sister.

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Author's notes:
my computer is going hay-wire right now. i just wanted to post this since forever and i hope you bear with the format. i'm sorry if i can't thank everyone right now because of my computer's ailment but i am really thankful!!! kenshin and kaoru forever!! ^__^