A.N.: Sorry for taking so long. . .Yeah.so I got a lot of requests for a sequal. . . A lemon to be exact, no? ::glares at certain reviewers:: Ahahaha.yeah.well about that lemon. I swear I was going to make it all lemony, limey but it kind of turned around on me and. . . . Well, let's just say, this sequal's going to be a lot longer than I expected, and you will get that lemon. I promise and swear on my own grave. . . . It'll just take a couple of chapters to get there. ^__^;; Enjoy?

WARNING: If you like happy endings, DO NOT read this chapter.

Standard Disclaimers Apply

~*~*~*~*~ Chapter Sequal.

"Kenshin.no!"

"Please, Kaoru. It won't hurt. I promise."

"Not now! Please." Kaoru begged.

"It's not as bad as it seems."

Kaoru shook her head. "No."

"Kaoru please."

"When I say no I mean no," Kaoru said stubbornly.

"It tastes perfectly fine."

"Then you eat it!"

"I did!"

Kaoru crossed her arms in front of her chest, glaring at Kenshin. "You promise?"

Kenshin just smiled, holding out a spoon for her to take. She took it cautiously and slowly dipped it into the soup Kenshin tried to help her concoct.

"It'll be nightfall by the time you take a sip," Kenshin commented, watching as his wife carefully brought the spoon to her lips. "There's nothing on the spoon, Kaoru," Kenshin said. "What are you so afraid of?"

Kaoru dropped the spoon on the wooden counter. "For the past month, I've been trying to make the same soup, and every time I tasted it, I nearly died."

"It got better," Kenshin reassured, grimacing at the mentioning of the other soups he too had to taste.

"That's not the first time you said that to me," Kaoru grumbled, averting her eyes and pouting her lips.

"I'll prove it to you," Kenshin said with a good-natured sigh. He took the spoon from the countertop and dipped it into the soup. He emptied the contents of the spoon in his mouth, giving Kaoru a satisfied smile. She raised her eyebrows skeptically.

Kenshin lowered his head and caught Kaoru's lips with his in one swift movement. Kaoru immediately responded back until she felt a rush of warm liquid being gently pushed into her mouth with Kenshin's tongue. She pulled back suddenly, wiping her mouth with her arm. "Kenshin!" she yelled with alarm, having had to force down the soup as a reflex action.

"Gomen, Koishii," Kenshin said, grinning. "But it's not bad, is it?"

Kaoru couldn't argue with his latter comment, but kept on a stubborn face.

"Don't be mad," Kenshin said, biting his lower lip nervously. Whenever he spoke to Kaoru when she was mad, he always felt as if he was prodding a balloon with a needle. "Kaoru?"

Kaoru didn't say anything in response. She turned away and stomped out of the kitchen, slamming the large door behind her.

"Tsk tsk, Ouji-sama," Tae teased gently from the other side of the kitchen. She was stirring a batter full of clumps of flour. "You better go apologize before she really gets mad."

Kenshin gave a quick bow before jogging off to chase after Kaoru. "She's quick," Kenshin thought, not finding a trace of his beloved after five minutes of running from hallway to hallway. "Where'd she go?"

~*~*~*~*~

Kaoru grinned and congratulated herself. She managed to get out to town before Kenshin caught her and pinned her down; it was a short game they played every so often for no particular reason. She strolled down the dusty road, greeting everyone she saw as she usually did every other day with a smile or wave.

"Kaoru-san! Apples are delicious today!" An old man said from behind his fruit stand and tossed the passerby an apple.

"Thank you!" Kaoru said, catching the apple and making a show of taking a bite of it. She gave him a quick wave before heading towards the Kamiya dojo. She hummed to herself a tune that matched her happy spirit. She sprung open the right dojo door, and dropped her apple at the sight that greeted her.

He was sitting casually on the wooden porch, leaning against one of the posts. His legs were crossed and small glasses were perched dangerously low on his nose.

"Yukishiro.Enishi," Kaoru said, remembering the man she met at the ball many moons ago. She kept both her eyes on him as she bent down and picked up her dirt-covered apple.

"You remember!" Enishi said gleefully as if he was a child being offered a handful of sweets. He stood from the porch and approached Kaoru.

Kaoru frowned. "What are you doing here?" She never did like his smile.

"I was in the neighborhood, and I remembered that a beautiful woman lived here. From a few reliable sources around the town, I was informed that you were wed to the little prince on top of his little palace," Enishi said with a grin that made Kaoru cringe.

"What are you doing here?" Kaoru repeated.

"Just to pay a little visit," Enishi said, his face inches apart from Kaoru's now. "What should it matter to me whether you're married to a little bastard anyway?"

Kaoru placed both hands flat on Enishi's chest and shoved him away. "I'm busy. Leave," she demanded, brushing passed him.

"Oh c'mon, Kaoru-san," Enishi said; his voice lost its cool tone. "I was waiting an hour for you!"

"I never asked you to come," Kaoru replied, not looking over her shoulder where she knew he was. She took off her slippers and stepped onto the porch. "How long are you planning on bugging me for?" Kaoru asked as the soft shuffling of footsteps behind her refused to cease. Enishi only shrugged with a grin in response.

Kaoru growled and went to the kitchen to make herself some tea. Enishi stood silently behind her as her stiff form banged the pots and pans as she attempted to make tea. He leaned back casually against the wall. He smiled to himself as Kaoru slammed a small, cracked kettle on the stove. "Am I bothering you this much?"

"Yes," Kaoru hissed, slowly turning around to peer at him from behind her rigid shoulder. She turned back towards the stove. She was quickly pouring herself tea when it she accidentally over spilled the cup and burned her hand. "Crap!" Kaoru yelled, biting her lower lip to bear the pain of her hand.

"Let me see that," Enishi said, ignoring the death glare she sent his way. He took her hand into his gently, blowing on it and examining it. "Do you have band aids anywhere?" He asked, letting go of her hand and rummaging through the empty cupboards. He took out a small basin and filled it with cold water from the well. "Put your hand in it," he commanded and took her over to sit on the edge of the porch.

Kaoru did as she was told, not saying anything to him. He grinned cockily at her before jogging off to find bandaids. "What the hell is he doing?" Kaoru growled to herself, ignoring the throbbing feeling in her hand. She heard him come back and settle himself next to her. She let him take her hand to dry it and wrap it with a long strip of white bandaid.

"You still hate me?" he asked.

"Yes," Kaoru replied.

"Why?"

"You've got issues," Kaoru said grumpily and mumbling her thanks as he finished wrapping her hand.

Enishi laughed, and before Kaoru could ask what was so funny, the door to the dojo opened.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru exclaimed, smiling. Her smile faltered at the expression she saw on her husband's face. She just realized how close she was sitting to Enishi, and he was still holding her bandaged hand. She immediately took her hand away and kept a smile on her face. "It took you long enough!" She said, walking off the porch and slipping into her slippers before making her way towards him.

"What's he doing here?" Kenshin asked, his face grave.

"He was already here when I got here," Kaoru said. "I told him to."

"Himura-san," Enishi drawled, walking over to the married couple. "I give you my congratulations for being able to marry this beautiful woman. I hope you don't mind if I linger awhile more in the dojo. I have this day off today, and this place brings back wonderful memories," Enishi said, keeping both eyes on Kenshin.

Finding the tension between the two men to be uncomfortable, Kaoru smiled and clapped her hands together. "Why don't I go get some tea? I have a class coming in a couple of minutes, so can you two behave?" Kaoru asked, looking seriously into both pairs of eyes. Enishi gave her a grin, and Kenshin looked away. "I'll take that as a yes," Kaoru said, turning her heel and heading to the kitchen to make some more tea.

Kenshin carefully watched Kaoru head into the kitchen, while keeping his senses on Enishi. Once she was out of sight, Kenshin turned his head to Enishi who was watching him with sadistic eyes. "What are you doing here?" Kenshin asked, finding the man's presence to be uncomfortable.

"I just wanted to pay dear Kaoru-san a little visit," Enishi replied innocently. "And to tell her about something I found out. A very interesting bit of information, mind you. You may know what I'm speaking of, yes?"

Kenshin didn't reply, finding Enishi's threat to be something more than just empty.

"Oh yes. . .what was her name. . . Tomoe-san?" Enishi asked, scratching his chin.

In less than a second's time, Kenshin grabbed Enishi's collar, bringing the man's face close to his. "Don't you ever mention her name. . ."

". . .to Kaoru?" Enishi finished, prying Kenshin's fingers off his clothes. "I have no guarantees my dear friend. I think she has a right to know, don't you?"

"Kenshin-sensei?"

Kenshin looked down, and immediately wiped the glare from his face when he saw a small child looking fearfully up at him. "Kyosuke!" Kenshin said in surprise, smiling down at the boy. He bent over and ruffled his hair. "Did I scare you? I'm sorry, Kyosuke."

The child just nodded in response, still looking skeptically at Kenshin.

Kenshin gave him a sincere smile, offering his hand. "C'mon, Kyosuke." The boy put his small hands in Kenshin's. Kenshin gently grabbed it and led him towards the dojo, not glancing over to where Enishi stood silently.

"Were you mad?" Kyosuke asked timidly.

"Just a little," Kenshin replied. "But not at you, of course!"

"Did that man make you mad?"

"Yeah," Kenshin said quietly. "But that doesn't matter. Why don't we warm up before your other classmates get here."

"Okay," Kyosuke said with a small nod, making his short black hair bounce lightly on his head. He grabbed a small shinai from the wall and practiced basic swings with the help of Kenshin.

"You're getting so good at this!" Kenshin complimented, earning a wide smile from the boy. Kenshin turned around to the open doorway to see Kaoru with her arms crossed and smiling.

"You're early, Kyosuke!" Kaoru said. "And I see you've improved!" Kaoru walked over to the two and squatted down, giving Kyosuke a friendly ruffling of the hair. "I set up a table with tea for you and Yukishiro- san," Kaoru said, looking up at Kenshin.

"I'll stay here and help with the class," Kenshin automatically responded.

Kaoru huffed, but didn't say anything in response. She stood up and dusted herself off. She opened her mouth to say something, but stopped when scattered footsteps clumsily scuttled into the old dojo.

"Kamiya-sensei! Konnichiwa!" Came a chorus of two boys. Kaoru knew from their voices that they were the two rowdy twins who both had talent with the sword, but decided to use it in a more comedic manner.

"Hello boys," Kaoru greeted. Before the two could start up on any raucous activity, Kaoru set them both to work on scrubbing the dojo floors.

"Awww! Why do we have to scrub the floors?"

"It's your turns, and it's also part of training. Now get to it!" Kaoru demanded, taking a bokken and slamming it threatening on the wall.

"Kenshin-sensei!" The twins chorused. "Help us! Your wife has gone mad!"

Kenshin chuckled at the statement, and Kaoru fumed. "Both of you are going to wash the floor ten times! I'll be counting. Get to it!" She banged the bokken on the wall again.

"I told you two not to provoke the busu," came a voice from the doorway, snickering.

Kaoru turned her blazing eyes towards the familiar boy with unruly, spiky hair. "You, Yahiko-chan, will clean up the whole patio and every room. Any word of complaint and you'll do everything over twenty times," Kaoru said, her voice dripping with a sadistic tone. "I'm glad you made it over from the stables in time. Get to work!"

Yahiko frowned and stomped away, mumbling a creative string of curses as he did.

"You shouldn't leave Enishi in there alone, Kenshin," Kaoru said, replacing the bokken on the wall and looking down at Kenshin.

"Don't make me talk to him, Kaoru. Let alone sit in the same room! He's not my favorite person. . ."

"Why not?" Kaoru asked, and seeing Kenshin's uneasy glance, she dragged him outside the dojo and repeated the question.

"He. . .knows something of my past that I wish no one knew about. . .even you. . . I'm sorry, Kaoru. . . I . . .," Kenshin said, stumbling through his words. Kaoru rubbed Kenshin's upper arm comfortingly.

"We'll talk about this after today's class, ne?" She suggested, trying to make him smile or nod. He did the latter, and let the issue drop for the moment. "Oh look! The other students are here!" Kaoru said, looking over Kenshin's shoulder to see five kids dragging their feet over to the dojo.

"What happened to you?" Kaoru asked, seeing the childrens' faces were caked with mud and dirt. She went over to them one by one, getting off most of the dirt with her fingers.

"Yamaguchi-san stopped us while we were walking over here, and made him help clean up his shop!" One of the older boys complained.

"It was more like slave labor," a girl grumbled, brushing Kaoru's hand away and crossing her arms.

"Well, I can't tell him not to do it. He's an old man," Kaoru said with a helpless shrug. "But let's get started, ne?"

"I wonder why he doesn't die already," the girl mumbled, trudging off into the dojo after the four boys.

"Can you start the class with warm-ups, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked, tugging gently at his sleeve. "I'm going to get Yukishiro-san."

Kenshin nodded and planted a small kiss on her head as an apology before going in after the kids. Kaoru treaded softly down the long wooden platform, and opened the guest room shoji screen. "Ara?" Kaoru mumbled to herself, finding the room to be completely empty.

"Looking for me?"

Kaoru jumped and swiveled around to find herself pinned against the door with Enishi's face a mere inch away from hers. "Actually, yes," Kaoru replied, pushing him away.

"I was just cleaning up the teacups. I was guessing Kenshin wouldn't join me," Enishi said, his usual sinister grin smoldered on his face.

"Well, I was going to suggest to you to leave and find yourself something useful to do," Kaoru said, smiling in a sickeningly sweet way. "You're an important man. You're probably wanted somewhere."

"So you have a class going on right now?" Enishi asked, as if he hadn't heard a word Kaoru said.

Kaoru nodded.

"May I watch?"

Kaoru sighed and led the way to the dojo, ignoring Enishi's pointless comments and questions. Before they entered, Kaoru turned around and pointed her finger under Enishi's nose. "You sit in the corner and stay quiet," Kaoru commanded, making sure she was heard over the scattered battle cries made by the children. Enishi nodded obediently and did as he was told.

Kaoru entered the dojo after him giving every child a smile. "Is everybody warmed up?" There was a loud chorus of "Yes". Kaoru grabbed her personal bokken off the wall and held it up perfectly still in front of her despite her burnt hand. "You can sit down, Kenshin. Thanks.Okay guys! I want you to try to perfect your swings! Then we can maybe go to sparring a little." There was a small round of cheer.

Kenshin set his bokken to the wall, and sat a couple of good feet away from Enishi. He kept his eyes glued to his beloved. A lump became stuck in Kenshin's throat when he heard Enishi say, "You haven't told her, have you?"

Kenshin sat rigid, his spine upright, and his face a hard, impassive mask.

Enishi chuckled. "I didn't think so. And don't you worry. By the end of tonight, your beloved wife will know of your wonderful past."

Kenshin glowered at the floor, and made sure not to look at Enishi.

"Suit yourself," Enishi said with an exaggerated sigh and casually leaned back against the wall.

"Ne, Kenshin!" Kaoru called, wiping sweat from her brow. "We started sparring. Do you mind helping some of the kids out?"

Kenshin nodded, struggling hard to wipe the stony look off his face. "Sure," he replied, hoping his voice sounded lighter than he felt. From the corner of his eye, he saw Enishi stand from his spot.

"May I have a word, Kaoru-san?" Enishi asked politely, and motioning to the door.

Kaoru looked skeptically at him and followed, leaving Kenshin to the determined class.

"What is it?" Kaoru asked.

"I just wanted to say good-bye before I left," Enishi said. He gently touched the space between her eyebrows. "You're going to have wrinkles at an early age if you keep frowning like that."

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "Well, good-bye," she said. "I hope you don't ever come by here again."

"Is it 'cause I make Kenshin uncomfortable?"

"You make me uncomfortable!" said Kaoru, her voice, a mix of sarcasm and seriousness.

Enishi chuckled a chuckle that would make any other woman blush to the roots of her hair. "Well, I wish you two a long-lasting marriage," Enishi said, smirking as he did. He looked as if he was about to leave but hesitated. "Uhm.Kaoru-san.Would you remember to ask Kenshin about a certain Tomoe-san for me?" Enishi smiled. "Thanks. And I'll see you in the afterlife." He gave a small wave before turning his heel, and walking smoothly away from the Kamiya dojo without a second look back.

"Tomoe-san?" Kaoru mumbled, wondering what he was talking about. She had a feeling it meant trouble, but didn't brood on it.

"Kamiya-sensei!" The little boy, Kyosuke cried out once Kaoru reentered the dojo. "Okaa-san said to come home before dark!"

Kaoru nodded. "Then we're done for today, okay? Next lesson is next week and same time! If Yamaguchi-san stops you, tell him you're late for your lesson. Sayonara!" Kaoru waved as all the children gauchely filed out. She kept an eye on them until they were all out of sight.

"What did Enishi say to you?" Kenshin asked, cleaning up the messy pile of shinais the children left on the floor.

"Eh?" Kaoru asked dumbly, helping Kenshin with the wooden weapons. "Oh.he just wanted to say bye."

Kenshin nodded.

"And he told me to ask about some Tomoe-san?" Kaoru said softly, recalling what Enishi told her. She saw Kenshin bite his lower lip. "What is it Kenshin?"

"I." Kenshin began, but stopped. He sat down, and tugged on Kaoru's sleeve for her to do the same. "I should've told you this sooner, and I'm sorry Kaoru-dono," said Kenshin, his voice low and somber.

"Wha." Kaoru began, but was silenced by Kenshin's narrowed eyes. She was disturbed by his suddenly fierce aura and the -dono he reattached to her name.

"I had a wife," Kenshin said, leaving time after his simple sentence for the meaning to sink in. "Her name was Tomoe."

"A wife. . ." Kaoru repeated, finding her voice only came out in a strained whisper.

Kenshin nodded and spoke slowly, "It was a long time ago. We were young and foolish. And we eloped. I had run from the palace back then, because she was to marry some other man from the kingdom of Gilope. We lived quietly in the woods." Kenshin paused and looked up fearfully at his wife who stared at him straight in his eyes. He swallowed hard when he saw her eyes were coated with tears. She didn't say anything to him.

Kenshin sighed and continued, finding it hard to continually stare into Kaoru's eyes and not feel sickened by his own stupidity and selfishness. "The man Tomoe was supposed to marry sent out an assassin to kill me. We sparred and he lost his sword, but he had a gun and shot at me." Kenshin sucked in his breath. "Tomoe came in the way and the bullet went straight through her heart. And she left me this scar," Kenshin whispered, gently touching the cross-shaped scar. "I'm sorry Kaoru-dono."

Kaoru felt torn. Torn between the man she loved dearly and the secret he didn't decide to tell until after marriage and after her confrontation.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," Kenshin said. "I was too scared I would lose you if I told you." Kenshin attempted a laugh. "It looks like I lost either way then, doesn't it?"

Kaoru said nothing.

"I'm sorry, Kaoru-dono. But still know I will always love you. I'll have a divorce arranged immediately." Kenshin stood up and quickly left the dojo, leaving his wife to sit in the middle of the floor, clenching a fistful of her pants in her fists.

"Kenshin." Kaoru whispered, sighing and looked up to see him gone. "No.Kenshin." Kaoru tried standing up, but found her legs to be completely numb. She pounded her legs with her fists, forcing blood to rush through them. She stumbled onto her feet and ran out of the dojo, forgetting about her sandals. Kenshin was nowhere in sight.

"KENSHIN!" Kaoru yelled, her throat scratchy and sore. She tried running down the dirt road, and yelped in pain when a sharp rock pierced her foot. "Kuso! Kenshin! Don't go.Kenshin." Kaoru leaned heavily against the outside wall of the dojo. She felt her heavy eyelids slowly drape over her eyes. "Kenshin."

~*~*~*~*~

"Wha."

"You're awake!"

"Misao-chan?"

"You look like shit."

"Thanks." Kaoru peeked open an eye to find herself in her room in the palace. It was dark, and she saw the moon hanging outside her window.

"It's early," Misao informed, placing a cool cloth on Kaoru's forehead. "Some man by the name of Yamaguchi-san found you lying on the floor and called some royal official hanging around town. He brought you in."

Kaoru racked her brain, trying to remember why her foot hurt and why her throat was sore. "Kenshin."

"He's gone, Kaoru-san," Misao whispered. "I didn't want to tell you till morning, but I guess I should tell you now."

Kaoru sat up, looking worried. She let the cloth on her forehead drop to her lap. "Where is he?"

"He scribbled down some nonsense about divorce, saying he's leaving all that belonged to him to you. Which includes the kingdom and everything in it after Ou-sama dies," Misao said quickly. "After that, he just ran out, pushing everyone away." Misao showed a bruise on her arm for evidence. She shrugged hopelessly before giving Kaoru a wrinkled piece of paper with Kenshin's scrawled writing all over it. "That's what he left behind."

Kaoru took it, taking it delicately into her hands. "So he's just gone?"

Misao nodded. "I doubt he'll be gone for long. . . I mean. . . ."

Kaoru shook her head. "He's gone for sure. He thinks he's not worthy enough for me anymore. . . " Kaoru fumed and crumpled the sheet of paper in her fist. "That stupid bastard!"

".Kaoru..san?"

"Yeah."

"You're really going to go looking for Ouji-sama?" Misao asked.

"Of course," Kaoru said, lying back down and placing the cloth back on her forehead. "And there's no doubt I'll find him and drag his unworthy ass back here."

Misao grinned. "Okay. Just asking."

~*~*~*~*~*~

A.N: Yeah.Enishi is not related to Tomoe in this fic. And sorry for the badly written chapter. Where did the sappiness go? I have no clue. I just thought of this whole new idea for the sequal, and I couldn't let it go. So as I said earlier, the whole lovey dovey stuff between Kenshin and Kaoru will come. I assure you. Please review? Thanks a bunch. If no one has anything to do over the summer and would be interested in reading the continuation. . . ahahaha . . .the rest of the sequal is going to be posted under To Love again what was once hated. You think the title's too long? Okay. . . ciao.