* Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies.

In Search of the Lost Sapphire
Chapter 8: Home to Stay

There was no need for words to communicate their mutual feelings; it was just so obvious in their eyes. Unconsciously Kenshin began to bend his head toward her, slowly closing the distance between them. And Kaoru made no move at all….

Halfway he stopped, searching her eyes for negative response, as if asking for permission. She didn't mind at all.

And when his lips were only millimeters away from hers…

"KAORU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

***************************

Kenshin and Kaoru jumped at the harsh scream. "Who in the world is that?" At first he felt annoyed because whoever that person was, he had interrupted them. But when he saw Kaoru's expression, his irritation turned into concern. Kaoru's eyes showed something he had never seen until now: fear. Doubt. Angst….

"I…" Kaoru stuttered. "I gotta go…. I'm sorry…. Please don't go anywhere…" She got up and left so abruptly that Kenshin didn't even have the chance to ask her what's going on. It left him wondering, worrying and hoping that everything's gonna be okay.

***

It wasn't until dark that Kaoru returned to the stable. "Kenshin…" She whispered into the darkness after she unlocked the door. "Are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm still here." His voice didn't betray it, but when he heard Kaoru calling his name, he felt such a relief knowing that she's all right.

"Here, I brought dinner for you…" The girl put a tray full of food in front of Kenshin. "I'm sorry if I couldn't bring light." So that you couldn't see my face…. Then she said jokingly, "I hope you're not afraid of darkness…"

"It's fine with me." He assured her, rubbing her upper arm gently. "And thanks for the food. You're really kind, you know that?" When she winced at his touch as if in pain, the redhead couldn't help wondering why. "What's the matter?"

"No, nothing…" But she did remove his hand from her arm.

"Who was he? I mean that person who yelled so harshly…" Kenshin asked while he began to eat.

"Uhm…" Kaoru hesitated for a moment. I knew he would ask… "It was master Shougo."

"Shougo Amakusa??" Kenshin's eyes widened in disbelief. "I should've guessed…"

Kaoru was surprised that Kenshin know this Shougo. "Do you know him?"

"No…." He shook his head slowly. "Megumi told me that he and his sister adopted you years ago…. So this place is actually where I was heading that fateful night when I met you…" But remembering Kaoru's fearful expression earlier that day, he frowned. "What's that yell all about? Was he angry or something?"

Angry is an understatement…. Kaoru sighed deeply. "Let's just say he wasn't very pleased…"

"Is something wrong?"

"No, not really…" She didn't sound convincing. "Master Shougo asked me to do something and I forgot. That's it actually."

"Did he have to be so angry then?" Kenshin immediately disliked this Shougo. "Does he treat you badly?"

"No, not that." But again she didn't sound believable. "He has little patience and mentally unstable, just that…. But he hasn't always been like that…."

"Was he a different person back then?"

"He was… before Mistress Sayo died…" Kaoru glanced at him. "I guess you've already known that she was Master Shougo's sister."

"Indeed…" Kenshin nodded as he recalled what Megumi said to him. "There were brother and sister…"

"Mistress Sayo was a very kind woman. But she had cancer. Her sickness got worse not long after I arrived here…. Several months later she died. Master Shougo loved his sister more than anything in this world. Her death drove him to the edge of sanity…." She halted briefly and then went on. "Master Shougo blamed me for his sister's death. Apparently Mistress Sayo had wanted to adopt me so that someone would take care of her brother when she died. She said at her deathbed that she could leave Master Shougo peacefully, knowing that I would take care of him. But Master Shougo took it differently…. He said it was because of me that Mistress Sayo left him…."

"But it's absurd, isn't it?! Her death was absolutely nobody's fault!" Kenshin was a bit angry at Shougo's lack of understanding. That someone treated his Kaoru so unreasonably. Wait a minute… Since when did it become 'my Kaoru'? Lucky for him that the stable was dark, otherwise Kaoru would have seen him blushing a little at the thought, but he continued anyway. "If he has indeed such bad manners, why don't you just leave him?"

Kaoru bowed her head. "Where else do I have to go?"

"Can't you go to the townspeople?"

"They wouldn't want to accept me…. Master Shougo was not really loved in this district. Besides, Mistress Sayo asked me to take care of her brother. He needs me, Kenshin! He needs someone to take care of him. He may act as if he hated me, but it was because he missed his sister…."

"He doesn't need you…." was Kenshin's reply. "What he needs is professional help…."

Kaoru fell silent for a while. "Maybe you're right... I had hoped that time would heal his emotional wounds, that I would be able to help him in that process. It seems that thing doesn't always go like you want it to be, does it?"

"Kaoru…" Kenshin began while put his hand over hers, squeezing it gently. "I know you are such a wonderful person. You didn't give up on him even when he has treated you badly. I understand why you did it; I even admire your determination. But there's a limit to what someone can do…." He moved his hand to her cheek, briefly caressing it. "You have done all you could; you've gotta look for someone else's help…. The longer this goes on, the worse it would be for him, wouldn't it?"

It seemed to Kenshin a thousand years had passed before he heard Kaoru replying, "I guess you're right. I really should call for professional help…." She looked up, meeting Kenshin's gaze with her own. "But even so, I still have nowhere to go…"

"Come with me…" Kenshin said immediately without thinking. When he realized what he had just said and what it implied, the redhead stuttered. "Uhm… I… not that I'm forcing you, you know…. It's… it's only if you want it to…"

Another thousand years for Kenshin until Kaoru finally said hesitantly, "Why.. why did you ask me to come with you? You don't even know me…. We've seen each other in our dreams, but it's still not the same with knowing each other in the real world…."

All right, Kenshin. There's no backing down now. Just don't blow it up… He gulped, then said nervously. "I've been thinking about it since the day I looked into your sapphire eyes in that photo. Those dreams, and the urge to search for you….  The disappointment when even Megumi couldn't tell where you were, or if you were still alive…. I've been wondering what happened to me. When I finally figured it out, it boils down to this…"

Kenshin took a deep breath and took her hands in his. "… that I've fallen in love with the woman I barely know. With the woman I've met only in dreams; the woman I didn't even know if she was alive. It was the reason I would travel so far to Japan only to find her…. Now that I've found my lost sapphires, I don't think I could ever let it go… not ever again…."

Kaoru's reaction was to throw her arms around Kenshin's neck, hugging him tightly. Kenshin was startled at first, but it wasn't unwelcome at all. He rounded his good arm around her slim waist, pulling her closer to him. "Ever since I saw you in those dreams, I've been praying that you would find me. That someday my prince will come…" She cried, but they were tears of happiness. "Now that he has come, I pray that he would never leave me… not ever again…."

***

Kenshin woke up in the morning to find her already gone. He had fallen asleep with his head on her lap while she ran her fingers through his red hair gently. Where is she? She said she would stay till the morning….

The faint sound of broken glass caught his ears. What's that? He had bad feelings about this. Better go find Kaoru now…. His body still felt a little bit sore, but he rose up anyway. Fortunately for him Kaoru didn't lock the door. Outside the stable he looked at the direction of the house. The sound must be coming from there. So he went there.

Kenshin didn't know if he should knock or break in like a burglar. The sound of a man yelling gave him another option. He rounded the house, trying to find where the sound came from. Reaching the back part of the house, his uneasiness turned into panic. There he found a broken big vase, and the shattered window glass around it. Apparently someone had thrown it outside. Which fool would conduct such an action. I now fear for Kaoru's safety….

The redhead approached the broken window silently. He could her a man's voice clearly. "… is how you repay for what Sayo and I have done for you???!!!! You ungrateful little bitch!!"

"But I was just trying to help you!" Kaoru's voice reached Kenshin's ears. "I…"

The room came into view as Kenshin peek through the window to witness Shougo slapping Kaoru till she fell down. What he saw planted his feet to the ground, as he recalled similar scene from his childhood…

[Flashback]

"Ungrateful little brat!!! We've taken care of you since your mother died and this is how you repay us?!!!" His uncle slapped the little redheaded boy. Blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth. "Think you can just hang out the whole night and come home in the morning just like that?!! Who do you think you are anyway?!" The uncle squatted and pulled his hair roughly. "You never listen, do you? Just like your mother…."

"But, Uncle…" Kenshin tried to defend himself. He wanted to explain that the big man who saved him from the punks took him home and tended his wounds. He felt guilty for sneaking in the morning without saying thank you's and goodbye, but he was afraid that his family would be mad at him. "I…"

"Silent!!!!" His uncle roared and slapped him once again, so hard that Kenshin actually fell down. The boy winced in pain as he tried to get up. Then his uncle pulled his collar and lifted him up. "I wish you were never born!!" His other hand swung once again….

But a hand caught his swinging hand. The uncle was surprised, and turned to look at the person who interrupted him. He found a very tall man gripping his palm. The man's enraged eyes shot him a death glare. The uncle's eyes widened in recognition of the famous actor. "Hi… Hiko Seijuurou??"

[End of flashback]

"Shishou saved me back then…." When he saw Shougo pulled Kaoru's collar and lifted her up while he was shouting at her, Kenshin couldn't take it anymore. His blood was boiled beyond any rage, and there were sparks of amethyst in his violet eyes…

***

Meanwhile in that room…

Shougo pulled Kaoru's collar and lifted her up while he was shouting at her. "You think you could just leave like that?!! Well, you're mistaken, bitch!!" The madman clenched his fist, ready to deliver a blow to Kaoru's stomach. But just like years ago, a hand caught his fist. "Wha…" Shougo found his eyes staring at those frightening amethyst eyes. Before he could say anything more he felt a powerful blow landed on his stomach that he had to release Kaoru. A knee followed right after that, knocking the wind out of his lungs. Kenshin pushed him and he fell down to the floor.

Kenshin immediately went to Kaoru who was kneeling down, clutching her stomach. He cupped her cheeks in his hands, worry written all over his face. When he saw the bruises and the blue spots at her face he gave a start. "He did this to you??!!!" That's why she didn't bring light last night… that I wouldn't see it…. Oh, Kaoru…. "Why didn't you tell me?!!"

"I…" Kaoru's eyes suddenly widened with fear, and Kenshin turned around to find Shougo already standing up. He had a sword in his hands. The sword didn't have sharp edge; it was only meany as a decoration. But Kenshin instinctively pushed Kaoru behind anyway. "Go somewhere else safe. I'll handle this."

Kaoru tried to argue. "But he has a sword and your broken arm…"

"Go!! Just go and call the police! I'll be okay!" Finally Kaoru nodded and disappeared from the room.

"So this is the brat she wanted to run off with." Shougo's eyes gleamed dangerously. "This girly man is the person who wanted to take her away from me. I swear after this you will regret the day your father laid his eyes on your mother!" Without further ado he charged…

Fortunately for Kenshin, his sprained ankle was healed. He dodged Shougo's attack easily. As the madman passed him, Kenshin smelled alcohol from his breath. He's drunk…

It went on for a while: Shougo attacked, and Kenshin could only avoid it. I can't keep this up… True that sword doesn't have sharp edge, but it's still a sword anyway. If my right arm wasn't broken I could still defeat him…. If only I had a sword…

As if on cue, Kaoru walked into the room again, this time with another sword in her hands. "Kenshin!" She called him. "Catch this!"

Once again Kenshin jumped, making a salto, as Shougo slammed the sword, breaking a wooden table into two. With his left hand he caught the sword Kaoru threw and landed neatly on the other side of the room.

"Tell me one thing, Shougo…." Kenshin's angry voice rang through the room. "If you really care about her, why do you treat her like that? If you don't want her to leave you, why do you treat her like a slave? Why did you beat her like a dog?!"

"But she never complained, did she?" Shougo smiled a silly smile. It was clear that he was drunk. "If she didn't want to be treated like that, she could have hit me back…. She knows kendo, I tell ya… She could have said it if she…"

"She didn't say a word because she cared about you!!!" Kenshin was practically shouting at the other man. This man is indeed crazy… "She didn't leave you because she hoped that she would be able to help you get over your sister's death!!! And here you are, treating her like some kind of garbage!"

At the mention of Sayo's death the smile at Shougo's lips disappeared. "That's right…" His voice was chill as he said, "She was responsible for my sister's death. Because of her Sayo left me…. I give you one last chance. Leave in peace now, and I won't hurt you."

"Leave in peace? And let you make Kaoru's life a hell?? You called that 'leave in peace'??" Kenshin glared at him. "Never! I won't let you hurt her again. I would die first before you could lay your hands on her…."

"So be it…" And Shougo charged at him.

In that split second Kenshin thought quickly. I couldn't use Battoujutsu with just one arm. He attacks he heads on. So I guess that left me with…. Roaring a battle cry, he met Shougo's attack. "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu Kuzu Ryu Zen!!"

Even not in his top condition Kenshin was still the better swordsman between those two. Plus that he used one of the deadliest attacks from Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. Shougo lied flat on the ground helplessly. "You…"

Kenshin threw his sword aside. He went to fetch a bucket and filled it with water. Then he poured the whole content of it on Shougo's face. "Wake up, Shougo! You need a professional's help."

"No…" The man was crying. "The only thing I need is my sister. And she's taken away from me…."

"So what?" Kenshin looked at him straight in his eyes. "There's no use in regretting things you cannot change. Anybody who lives could also die. You think you could bring her back to life by acting like this?"

Shougo was completely silent at Kenshin's lecture. Seeing that he began to get into him, the redhead continued, "Kaoru told me that Sayo was a very kind woman. Do you think she would want to see you like this?" When Shougo didn't answer he snapped at him slightly. "Answer me, Shougo! Would your sister want to see her brother break down like this??!"

"Realize your mistake before it's too late, Shougo." The faint sound of police's siren was heard. Kenshin threw the bucket aside. "Kaoru is the only one who still cares about you. If you keep this up, you will lose her as well…." Then he turned around and walked to Kaoru, who immediately ran to him and hugged him tightly, tears of relief streaming down her bruised face. Kenshin caressed her back. "Shh.. don't cry. It's over, Kaoru…" He whispered in her ears while the sound of the siren was getting louder and louder. "I won't let him hurt you again; this I swear to you…."

***

A while later…

"Where are you going to take him, Officer?" Kaoru asked one of the police who handcuffed Shougo. "Are you going to take him to jail?"

"Unless there is no charge against him he would be jailed indeed…"

"He needs help, Officer." Kaoru pleaded the police officer. "Please don't put him in the jail…"

"Well, it's not for me to decide, Miss. Now if you would excuse me…"

"Wait…" Shougo's weak voice called Kaoru's attention. He kept looking at the floor what he talked. "I'm sorry, Kaoru… for all things I've done to you. That girly man right over there was right. Sayo-chan wouldn't want to see me like this. I'm really, really sorry…." That was all he could say before the police officer pushed him into the police car. But before the dark glass of the police car was fully closed, Shougo caught a glimpse of Kaoru's smile. And for once, he felt peace he hadn't felt in a long time….

Kaoru was still watching the police care leaving when the chief officer greeted her. "What about you, Miss? Are you all right? Do we have to take you to hospital to treat your bruises?"

"No. Thank you, but I'm okay." Kaoru smiled at the officer. "It's not that bad anyway."

"Do you have somewhere else to live, Miss?"

She shook her head slowly. "No… not really."

"Then you would have to come with us."

"I…"

"She's not going anywhere, Officer." Kenshin emerged from the house. "She will come with me, right?" He looked at her; his gaze pleaded her to agree.

"Of course…" Her smile broke as she embraced Kenshin once again. After a while Kenshin pulled away slightly, only to lean forward again and captured her lips with his.

"Ehm.." The chief cleared his throat when he saw no sign that those two would end the kiss soon. "Mr. Himura, I almost forgot to tell you. Yesterday a man named Okina reported your missing. He found your broken camera in the middle of the forest and went berserk. I take it I could tell him that you are found, alive and well?"

Kenshin shook his head. "Would you bring us directly to his ranch instead, and take care of his horse in the stable?"

"Yes, of course. I will gather my other colleagues and we will leave." With that the chief disappeared into the house.

"Now where were we?" Kenshin grinned as he turned to Kaoru, holding her with one arm. He bent his head that his forehead touched Kaoru's. "You will be safe from now on, Kaoru…. I'll make sure of it."

"Where are we going, Kenshin?"

"Where? Why, home of course! I have to pick my belongings at Okina's house. And then…"

"Then what?"

Kenshin smiled as he kissed Kaoru's forehead lightly. "Then I'll be bringing you back home to stay…"

- End of Chapter 8: Home to Stay -

Author's Note:

* In the end I realized that Shougo has turned a bit like Enishi…. But then again, I don't think I would want to make it any other way…

* The next chapter I'll post is the epilogue. So the story is coming to an end. I hope it won't take me another half year to write the epilogue….

* The title of this chapter and the line 'I'll be bringing you back home to stay' are taken from Josh Groban's song 'Home to Stay'