Note: Okay.....almost done. I'm going to try and type all of the chapters today and put them up tomorrow.

Chapter 13: Master Ausklang

"Kenshin!" Kaoru cried as Kenshin carrying Yahiko and Aoshi carrying Sano came in.

"Kaoru...." Kenshin replied in a soft voice.

"Yahiko!" Tsubame cried when she saw Yahiko on Kenshin's back. He was worse than the doll. Blood covered his left arm and was dripping off the end. Megumi came forward and helped Kenshin put Yahiko onto a window seat. Megumi started looking at Yahiko's wounds when she heard a voice behind her, "Don't I get some special treatment?" asked Sano. Megumi smiled to herself and turned around only to see Sano's big, brown eyes inches away.

"I missed you," he whispered before pulling her into a deep kiss. She smiled as he deepened the kiss more and more.

"Aoshi!" Miaso cried happily as she ran over to greet him. He gave her a small smile when she then returned. Neither of them hugged or kissed the other.

While Tsubame was helping Megumi by wrapping up Yahiko's arm and yelling at him for being so careless, Kenshin pulled Kaoru over to a window seat in the far corner.

"Are you alright?" he asked, taking her hands into his own.

"No. I'm in a lot of pain. How could you leave me Kenshin?" she asked as tears streamed down her face, "Why did you leave me again? For the first month I thought you would come back but then.....I kept trying to act happy for the others and kept thinking you would return but......why did you leave me like that?" Kaoru burst into tears. Kenshin tried to pull her close but she pulled back, "I don't know if I can forgive you. You have hurt me three times now (the third is that she is pregnant but he doesn't know that and thinks it was when he left). Why should I let you leave me again?"

"I'm sorry Kaoru. I....I was afraid. For you. I thought, if I left, then you wouldn't be in any danger. I'm sorry I hurt you so much, that I am. I was just trying to protect you."

"But you didn't! I was kidnapped off the streets and have had to stayed here for almost 3 months without a word from you (I'm just gonna have her forget the letter)! But yet...."

"But what?"

"I was still so scared when you ran forward to protect Sano from Dr. Lavon's arrows. I was afraid you would jump in front or something and die. I guess.....before I thought I didn't love you anymore but....I guess I still do." Kaoru looked into his lavender eyes. He pulled her forward and she buried her face into his chest and cried even more. He put his arms around her and stroked her back.

"It's okay. I'll never leave you again."

"Promise?" she asked as she looked up into his face. She knew he always kept his promises.

"Of course," he replied as he brushed some of her black hair out of her eyes. Kaoru smiled then pulled him into a kiss. He didn't want to hurt her but she wanted him. She made the kiss more and more intense and he was very glad. She set her hands on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her waist. After she broke the kiss, she started telling him how they helped them pick the right door with the power of the dolls.



After breaking their kiss, Megumi began to treat Sano as she told him how she was washing her face when she heard someone in her room.

"I thought it was you so I went out and this big guy grabbed me and jumped out the window. He left my room a mess."

"So you didn't scream and let some large hunk kidnap you. Oh thanks fox I feel a lot better," replied Sano sarcastically while smiling.

"You're the only hunk I like. Besides, this guy went through my clothes! If you ever did that, I'd smack you to the moon. But of course you know better....or do you?" Sano's grin widened and let her tend to his wounds while telling her his reasons he would go through her clothes.

"12. See what kind of bras you where. 13. See....."

Miaso and Aoshi were still standing in the doorway talking to themselves privately.

"You okay?" he asked, leaning against the door.

Miaso frowned at him before answering, "Of course! You actually thought I would be in trouble? Please!" and with that she turned her back to him and crossed her arms.

After a moment of silence Aoshi spoke, "Battousai, we need to get to the leader. Kaoru, do you know where he is?"

"I do," whispered a shy Maylo. She stepped out from the shadows and Tsubame introduced her to everyone, "I can take you to Master Ausklang."

"Ausklang...hmmm...if I'm correct that's Germen for end (it really is!) that it is," Kenshin said as he stood up, "Maylo, will you lead us to him?"

"Of course."

"I'm going too," Kaoru stated as she stood up next to Kenshin.

"Absolutely not," replied Kenshin in a very serious tone.

"Please Kenshin! Besides, I know 10 other routes to his office. I could just follow you. Please let me go Kenshin! I won't get in the way! I promise!"

"Well..."

"Please Kenshin! What if you guys win but are so badly injured you can't walk? You NEED me!"

"Well...oh alright. But you must stay behind me at all time, that you must."

"Ya!" So with Maylo in the lead, Kenshin, Kaoru, and Aoshi said their good-byes (Aoshi wouldn't let Miaso come), and headed for the Master Ausklang's room: Middle Tower. 15 minutes later they reached the wooden doors.

"Now you two stay behind me at all times. Aoshi is going to fight first. I'm pretty sure I won't have to fight that I won't," instructed Kenshin as Aoshi banged his fist on the door. No one answered. Aoshi opened it. The room was a lot like Kaoru's except bigger and it didn't have any windows but the large stained glass one behind a desk and chair. There were bookshelves lining the walls. The desk in front of them was very large and the red velvet chair was facing the window.

"Master Ausklang...you have visitors," said Maylo in a small voice.

"Thank you Maylo. Ah gentlemen! Aoshi Shinomori and Kenshin Himura the Battousai! What a surprise. Why are you two paying this kind old man a visit?" Ausklang asked as he turned around. He wore a pure evil smile on his face.

"We have come to defeat you. You who have taken our loved ones and turned them against us. You who have kidnapped them just to get to us. This will be a match to the death that it will," Kenshin said in a dead serious voice.

"That's nice. Which one of you weaklings is going to defeat me first then?" he asked in a teasing voice. Kaoru could feel Kenshin's muscles tighten as she held onto his arm, "Ah so I see you have found your loved ones. Yes, they worked wonders. Bringing you and Aoshi to me. How nice of them! And I'll get to keep them all when you die too. Kaoru, Miaso, Megumi, and Tsubame. All to be my wife's. However," he stood and walked over to a bookshelf then looked over at Kaoru, "I'll have to kill the child that rests in her now and give her one of my own."

"What are you talking about Ausklang?" asked Kenshin.

"Why, don't you know? Kaoru is pregnant, with YOUR child Battousai. But why would I want YOUR child? Disgusting! No, I'd give Kaoru my own child. Megumi, Miaso, and Tsubame too."

"Well see about that," Kenshin said in an angry voice as Aoshi stepped forward and smiled.

"Let the games begin."