Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the creation of Nobuhiro Watsuki, with the manga and anime rights belonging to Jump Comics and Sony Entertainment, respectively. FF is non-profit, meant for entertainment only. FF can be archived anywhere, just let me know where. Please send no flames, I'm sensitive. For all other comments 0_o you may contact me at kaoru_koishii@yahoo.com


Story is set about two years from the time that the anime ended. Sano, Megumi are both back in Tokyo and Yahiko and Kenshin are still living with Kaoru at the dojo. Also, Kenshin never got sick, has no illness and is going to remain healthy indefinitely. Though things were looking up for Kaoru in the end off the anime, Kenshin went back to acting the same, meaning he hasn't made a move. Story of course will be Battoussai/Kaoru/Kenshin.


Chapter One

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Kaoru was walking down the road slowly, swinging the bucket in her hand. Kenshin had been with her for almost three yrs now or at least it would be in one month, two weeks and one day. She Loved Kenshin dearly, but the man she decided was either slow. Or very good a pretending, she believed it was the later.

Whenever she was in danger, his whole demeanor changed and although she was of afraid of him becoming the battoussai, he was the only one that showed her he cared not with words but with his actions. His need for wanting to protect her were so great, he'd kill for her. But then this is where she usually stopped because she got confused. It was Kenshin's' need to protect, which brought the battoussai out. And she was back to square one. Did Kenshin love her? Hmm, she hadn't realized she had stopped walking. Seems she had gone through the forest instead of keeping to the road.

"Kaoru-chan........ With out her battoussai. This must be my lucky day." The voice was bitter.

"Hiruma", was all she got to say before she felt something connect with her head and then all went black. Her last thought ........... "Kenshin."

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

Thump. Crack.

Hiruma Gohei's eyes widened. He had seen her fall but had not expected for her to hit her head on the side of the tree trunk. He'd always been fascinated with blood, but he knew what the meaning of hers had. He was going to die. And he knew it was going to be painful. The battoussai, he knew would slash him and bleed him before he allowed death to come. He knelt down to feel for a pulse but he felt none. He swallowed hard. He had meant to knock her out, only. Hold her hostage, so he could have the upper hand and kill the battousai. Slowly he straightened up. Transfixed by the site of her bleeding form never felt the note slip out of his pocket. He was going to have to leave Tokyo maybe even Japan. Yes, maybe got to China. Just hide out for a couple of years, maybe till the battoussai cooled off. With that he ran off the other way.

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

"Yahiko! Did you guys eat already", Sano asked coming in to the dojo."

"Sano! Have you seen Kaoru today?"

"No why, Where's Kenshin?"

"She's been gone since right after breakfast. She offered to go get the Tofu for Kenshin so he could continue his chores. But she never came home. Now Kenshin's out looking for her. I have a bad feeling Sano."

"Me too, kid. I'm going to go out and search for her too. I'll come back later and see if you guys have had any luck," with that Sano spit his fish bone out and ran out the gates.

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

Kenshin was frantic. The sun had set and the afternoon was turning to night. He had looked everywhere. People had seen her early in the morning. The last person he asked had seen her headed home. On the road. Where was she? His eyes were a steel blue. Shinny, like a blade. His senses were on alert. He had sensed danger earlier on in the day while doing the laundry. He had thought himself paranoid. He should have known. Someone had taken her. Who ever it was, they were going to be sorry. With that final thought he raced home, in hopes that she had gotten home, safely.

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

Yahiko and Sano where waiting for Kenshin at the door. He could tell they hadn't had much luck. But still, he asked. "Is she here?" The tone was curt and cold. Something, which didn't go, unnoticed by two in front of him. The battoussai was close to the surface.

"No, Kenshin. I got the cops looking out for her. Tae and Tsubame are keeping and eye out for anything suspicious. Megumi, Dr. Genzai and the girls are here. Just in case Jou-chan needs a doctor when she turns up." Sano didn't have to wait long to see the reaction his report caused Kenshin, though his expression didn't change. He did see golden specks appear in his eyes. Not good, thought Sano.

"I will search door to door. Give me a lantern"

"Hold on Kenshin, I'll go with you", there was no way he was going to let Kenshin out like this. Anyone who didn't cooperate would get beaten to an inch of their life if they were lucky. And Jou-chan wouldn't like Kenshin acting this way.

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

"Any change Yume", the concerned voice belonged to and older man early fifties, strong build, and whitening hair with kind chocolate brown eyes. He addressed a petite woman about the same age. Her face held a small poutty mouth and a lot of laugh lines, dark brown hair with streaks of white on the sides, eyes of the same shade of brown, a beauty in her day. Her face was now, all full of concern.

"Tsutomu, I think it will be a while before she wakes. She lost a lot of blood. She's very weak. She was hardly alive when you brought her."

"Yume I want to take her into town as soon as she's able to travel. There was a note by her body. I don't want this battoussai thinking that it was us, who took his woman, or that we were the ones that harmed her. Besides, I'm sure someone in town will recognize her. Don't worry Yume I'll leave her with a doctor, all right."

She simply nodded, and went back to tending the young woman in the bed.

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

Morning found Kenshin and Sano in the bad part of town looking for anyone who might have seen Kaoru. Kenshin stood silently next to Sano while he asked these people if they had any information. This was the last house. Now they would search the woods.

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

"Dr Genzai, what if......... what if they don't find her? What will happen to us? The dojo, me, Sano and Kenshin? All of us." Yahiko wore a grim look that did not suit a child of his age. It was obvious he hadn't slept much.

"Yahiko, I don't know what will happen. But I can assure you that Kenshin will do all he can to find her. Come now lets eat. Don't shake your head at me Yahiko. I know how much you care for Kaoru-chan. We all love her. But she wouldn't want to see anyone getting sick on her account and you know that. Now come along Yahiko, and at least try to eat a bit."

Reluctantly, Yahiko agreed, " Hai, Dr. Genzai."

Despite his positive out view, Dr Genzai feared them not finding her. Not only for her sake, he loved her like a daughter after all. But for the boy and Kenshin's sake. The boy loved her like a sister. And Kenshin, he was sure loved her too. He was very protective of her to say the least and he was afraid that Kenshin with out Kaoru would leave only the Hitokiri behind. Of one thing he was certain, if Kaoru was not found alive, the battoussai would make the heavens cry blood.

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