**This was created by both Utari and Shizuka!!**

(Later that night...)

Kenshin: Do you need me to heat your bath, Miss Kaoru?

Kaoru: Yes, please ::smiles::

Kenshin: ::He walks around the dojo to the bathroom window and starts a fire::

Kaoru: ::She goes into the closet to grab a towel. She takes off her kimono, folds it neatly and places it across the room. She places her towel down as she steps in the bath::

Kenshin: Is it hot enough for you?

Kaoru: Yes, it's fine now, Kenshin

Kenshin: Okay.

Kaoru: ::She relaxes::

Yahiko: ::He comes up behind Kenshin and pokes his shoulder:: What are you doing here, huh? ::Gets mischievous eyes:: Are you spying on Kaoru??

Kenshin: ::he turns to Yahiko:: Of course not. I could never do something so disrespectful. I am just heating her bath.

Yahiko: ::nudges:: Sure...

Kenshin: Oro???

Kaoru: ::She hears some voices outside the window. She peeks over outside to see who's there::

Kenshin: ::He is still talking to Yahiko::

Kaoru: ::As she stands, a bar of soap falls into the water. She steps back and takes a huge slide on the bar of soap, falling backwards out of the tub right on her butt. There's a loud thud::

Kenshin: Miss Kaoru?? ::He stands up, worried at no answer:: Miss Kaoru? ::he asks a little louder::

Kaoru: Uh...don't worry, I'm all right! ::she replied back to Kenshin::

Kenshin: Okay... ::He sits back down::

Kaoru: ::Rubs her butt:: Oww... ::Gets up and sits back in the bath::

Yahiko: ::He leans up against the wall, where there's already a crack in the wall::

Kenshin: Yahiko, what are you doing?

Yahiko: What does it look like I'm doing? I'm just leaning against the wall here

Kenshin: Okay... ::sweatdrops::

Yahiko: ::Hears a crack and looks around::

Kenshin: Oro?

Yahiko: Did you hear-- ::Immediately that whole side of the wall crumbles down. He falls over with it::

Kenshin: ORO!?!!??

Kaoru: ::Kaoru sits in the bath as dust, dirt, and pieces of wall crumble all around, and then she spots Kenshin and Yahiko. She looks quite pissed off::

Kenshin: ORO! ::turns around::

Kaoru: ::Her eyes widen:: Hentai!! ::Stands and throws one of her shoes at Kenshin::

Kenshin: I-I-I'm sorry Miss Kaoru, I--ACK!! ::Swirlie eyes. He covers Yahiko's eyes and his own::

Kaoru: ::Falls back down in the tub in embarrassment:: Why haven't you fixed this wall yet, Kenshin?!?!?! ::Growls::

Yahiko: ::He runs in fright::

Kenshin: I haven't gotten to it yet, Miss Kaoru, that I haven't!

Kaoru: ::sighs and slumps in the bath:: Well, what are you sitting around for?!?! ::Growls again::

Kenshin: ::Hangs up a large blanket to cover hole::

Kaoru: ::She gets up and sneaks across the room to get her towel::

Kenshin: ::tiptoes away:: Uh, heh...

Kaoru: ::When she gets there, though, her towel is gone:: Uh oh... ::She'd be angry right now, but she wants to find a towel first. She thinks: The towel closet is all the way out there. Everyone would see me::

Kenshin: Is there something wrong, Miss Kaoru??

Kaoru: Kenshin!

Kenshin: Yes, Miss Kaoru?

Kaoru: Will you bring me a towel?? ::asks sweetly::

Kenshin: Yes, Miss Kaoru. ::gets a towel:: Here. ::throws towel through a small opening::

Kaoru: ::grabs it:: Thank you, Kenshin

Kenshin: Yes, Miss Kaoru.

Kaoru: ::She dries herself off, wraps herself in the towel, and walks out of the room heading for her bedroom::

Kenshin: ::He thinks: Should I go inside??::

Kaoru: ::She takes out her yukata (robe-like thing) and puts it on::

Kenshin: ::he walks inside trying to get by unnoticed::

Kaoru: ::Hears footsteps and looks over to see Kenshin:: Kenshin... Uh...what are you doing here?

Kenshin: I'm just walking to my room, that I am.

Kaoru: Oh... Umm, Kenshin?

Kenshin: Yes?

Kaoru: Will you go for a walk with me for a little?

Kenshin: Okay. ::smiles::

Kaoru: ::smiles:: Okay, let's go ::She begins to head out of the dojo with Kenshin behind her::

Kenshin: ::He catches up with Kaoru and they walk side by side ::

Yahiko: Hey, where are you two going? ::He yells::

Kaoru: ::Stomps her foot:: Yahiko...can't we get any privacy?!

Kenshin: We are just going to take a walk, Yahiko.

Kaoru: ::Continues walking::

Kenshin: ::turns back to Kaoru and walks beside her again::

Yahiko: ::He watches them walk off through the woods:: What got into them?

Kaoru: ::They head off through the woods to a cliff overlooking a great distance of Japan::

Kenshin: So, Miss Kaoru, is there anything you would like to talk about?

Kaoru: ::She puts her head down and blushes:: No, not really

Kenshin: ::smiles:: It's beautiful, isn't it?

Kaoru: Yes, it is. ::She sits down::

Kenshin: ::he sits down next her::

Kaoru: ::She then remembered when Kenshin had saved her life here earlier that day. A small grin was on her face:: Kenshin...we're close, right?

Kenshin: ::He smiles:: Of course.

Kaoru: ... ::Silence fills the air. She remembers how it felt when Kenshin held her. She remembered the sensation she gets only when Kenshin was around. She shivered as a chill ran down her spine. She scooted closer to Kenshin, leaning her head on his shoulder. She then stopped, hesitating, but finally places her head on him. Thinks: What if he doesn't feel the same way?::

Kenshin: ::He feels her shiver. Feeling kind of embarrassed, he rubs her back:: It is pretty cold out here, that it is.

Kaoru: ::smiles::

Kenshin: ::smiles::

Kaoru: ::Thinks: Of course he does! She got another chill down her spine, but this time it was from Kenshin's warm touch::

Kenshin: ::His smile faded. Thinks: I wish she felt the same way I do...::

Kaoru: ::She mumbled something under her breath:: I wish he felt the same way I do...

Kenshin: Did you say something Miss Kaoru?

Kaoru: No... Kenshin...?

Kenshin: What is it, Miss Kaoru?

Kaoru: I don't ever want you to let go of me... ::She gazed into his deep violet eyes so sincerely::

Kenshin: ::He stared back into her deep blue eyes, getting his smile back::

Kaoru: ::She wrapped her arm behind his body and placed her hand on his hip. She smiles again. She opens her mouth and begins to say something to Kenshin while looking at his eyes:: I... ::There's a pause:: I... ::For some reason, it seemed the phrase she was trying to get out wouldn't come to her, and still didn't begin to express how she felt:: Kenshin...I...

Kenshin: Miss Kaoru...?

Kaoru: I love you.

Kenshin: ::He takes on a shocked look, but he is melting inside:: Kaoru, I love you too.

Kaoru: ::Her eyes widen slightly as she puts on a smile:: I never want to be away from you... ::She begins to close her eyes and moves in a little as her lips are slightly puckered::

Kenshin: ::He smiles and leans closer::

::Yahiko and Sanosuke are in the bushes and have been watching the whole time::

Kaoru: ::She can't wait any longer and finally closes the gap as their lips meet, and they passionately kiss::

Yahiko: ::He gapes at the sight::

Sanosuke: ::He puts his hands over Yahiko's mouth::

Kaoru: ::She stops for a quick moment for some breaths of air::

Kenshin: ::He pulls her closer:: Kaoru, I...love you so much!

Kaoru: ::She's close enough now so that their bodies are touching:: I love you so much too, Kenshin!

Kenshin: ::He kisses her::

Kaoru: ::She kisses him::

Kenshin: ::They finally break apart::

Kaoru: ::Pants gently::

Kenshin: Kaoru, I will always be here for you. I promise you this.

Kaoru: ::She nods and smiles::

Kenshin: ::He smiles and hugs her tightly::

Kaoru: ::She lays down, gently pushing him down too and lays her head on his chest::

Kenshin: ::He strokes her cheek gently:: Kaoru, you're so beautiful.

Kaoru: ::She blushes:: Kenshin...

Kenshin: Hmm... ::He smells her hair, recognizing her scent as jasmine. They laid there together and watched the stars sparkle above them::

A personal note from Utari and I (my partner in crime XD J/k...) that we really love the reviews we've been getting (even though there are only two so far) and that we love writing this fanfic together. More chapters to come, I promise!!! Thank you for enjoying it!!! ^.^

Shizuka