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

Chapter Four

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

Time stood still as every one froze. He couldn't be serious. She began to tremble in the face of it all. The news. She didn't expect this.

He watched her form tremble maybe he shouldn't have said anything. But he just couldn't be here. This may have been where his other self was happy but he as he was at the moment, he couldn't remain here. Somewhere inside his heart gave a small twinge at seeing her so heart broken. Maybe. "Maybe we can go somewhere else." His tone was strong and carried out to even the eaves droppers.

Her watery eyes turned up at him a bit hopeful.

"The way my memory left me. It was strange and because of that I can not assure you I will return to who I was." He explained to her while she bit her lip. "If you wish to remain at my side then you will have to accept who I am, now."

She nodded her head at him.

"Then you will come with me." He asked and though it had been a question it sounded like a command to her ears. "I can't abandon the Dojo. It's my legacy but . . . " She paused a bit afraid to go on. "We can take a vacation. A couple of months somewhere. Maybe somewhere we've already been." She suggested. He walked closer to her until he looked down her tear stained face. He brushed some of her tears away with his left hand and her lips trembled. Against better judgment he leaned in. Slowly he brushed his lips against hers. She didn't resist and so he increased the pressure of his lips on hers. When she let out a content sigh he kissed her again this time exploring her mouth carefully. Feelings emerged and the kiss turned a bit more sensuous. He held her by the waist watching her eyes flutter open. A deep longing flared in the depths of his soul at the glazed look in her eyes. He felt very possessive of this woman. He leaned down and kissed her again.

"Can you see?" Sano whispered from far.

Megumi crawled closer to the door trying to get a look. She'd been sent because she didn't have a fighters ki. So she wouldn't be detected as easily. She heard Sano and threw him a glare. It was dark out in the yard. Really like she had nothing better to do. She kept crawling, she was almost there. She peeked in but there wasn't anyone there. She turned her head to the sides and she couldn't see anyone. If she went any further in though they'd see her. They were probably along the wall. It had been sometime since words had been exchanged. Her fox ears popped out and a sly smiled crossed her lips. She turned then to go back

"FOX!"

She walked into Kenshin's leg while Kaoru held his right hand. The hand that draws his sword. His eyes flashed with anger.

Every one ran out of their hiding spot.

"Don't touch her." Sano yelled as he jogged closer. Megumi stood up slowly. Demonstrating she didn't mean any harm.

"Kenshin, it's alright." Kaoru spoke soothingly. They'd been kissing when he'd broken away from her. He'd started to dash off before she's clutched his hand. In response he'd picked her up and they blurred away from the inside of the hall. The next thing she knew they were out here watching Megumi try and peek in. "They only wanted to see if I was alright." She said as she tugged on his hand a bit.

He didn't understand why they had to sneak up on him. If they knew what he was then why hell would they try something like this. If he hadn't recognized Sano's ki once he'd stepped out here . . . . His katana would have split them in half. "Don't sneak up on an hitokiri unless you want to see the afterlife." He warned before he strode away with Kaoru trailing behind.

They looked at his retreating back. Sano noticed he walked with a straight back not at all casual. That man was nothing like the Kenshin they knew. That man was truly the Hitokiri Battoussai and he wouldn't hesitate in killing unless Kaoru stepped in the way.

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

His eyes snapped open just a bit after sunrise. He stretch and he felt stiff from having fallen asleep sitting up. It felt like he hadn't done it in years. His eyes fell on the covered up women in the middle of the room.

After much protest she had allowed him to remain in the room. He'd watch her sleep for a while before to took his seat near the door and took his rest. Now it was morning and time to leave. He kneeled by her side brushing some of her bangs away, the back of his hand brushed against her cheek. 'So smooth,' he thought.

"Kaoru." He called but she didn't wake up.

"Kaoru." He called again.

"Just one more hour Kenshin." She said turning on her side.

So she was used to him waking her up was she. He smiled a smile that would have made her faint if she had been awake. But she was not and so the effect was lost. Still smiling down at her sleeping form he lowered his face to her exposed neck and kissed her pulse. For some reason he liked to feel her heart race. She smelled nice like . . . . Jasmine. His lips hovered over her neck when he felt the urge to taste her. There couldn't be anything wrong in that he thought as he licked the side of her neck. That feeling that was starting to become familiar flared again and he felt his heart contract. with some emotion he still couldn't define. He nuzzled her neck just once more before breaking off contact with her. It was puzzling to say the least. He felt connected with her.

Kaoru's breath caught in her throat when he nuzzled her neck. She'd been having some strange dream when she felt him. She knew she was blushing because her face felt hot. She turned slowly on her back to peer at him from under her lashes. He looked at her with guarded eyes.

"It's time to leave." He said getting up.

"Leave . . ." It took her a moment before she realized what he meant. "But we haven't packed and everyone isn't here. How are we going to leave?" She asked.

Maybe she was under the wrong impression but "You and I are leaving alone." He said. He watched her face form a frown, obviously confused.

"But . . . I take care of Yahiko and well Sano is OUR friend. He maybe a freeloader but well he's like my older brother and I take care of him too. He gets lonely and he likes to come by almost everyday. He likes it here. You're his best friend." He covered her mouth to keep her from continuing. He didn't know them and so far he didn't like them. He was not willing to give them a chance. He had what he wanted and now he wanted to leave. They could leave everyone else but he had a feeling the kid might feel deserted. If Kaoru took care of him. His past . . . he still remembered them from time to time. They had died for him. He removed his hand from her mouth. He turned away from her. "You may bring the kid, if it means that much but that's it." His anger made him curt.

Kaoru had felt anger bubble to the surface but for a second she had seen hurt and pain in his blue/violet eyes. Before they became cold. Against her will she got up. "I'll go wake Yahiko up." She said heading for the door.

"No you dress, I'll wake him up." He didn't wait for her to finish. He got up and walked out of the room. She was nervous about letting him go on his own. Kenshin seemed to hate everybody and Yahiko seemed to hate the battoussai, now. She dressed as fast as she could and began packing her things.

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

Kenshin felt out the rooms till he found an occupant. He opened the door to see the kid sprawled ob his futon. He didn't know if he should nudge him with his foot or kneel down and shake him. Deciding on the first. He kicked at Yahiko.

"What . . what hapend? kenshin wha hap" Yahiko's words trailed off. This wasn't a regular morning. This wasn't Kenshin. "What do you want." Yahiko snapped after a moment.

"Get dressed and pack, we're leaving." The battoussai turned around and walked back to Kaoru's room.

Yahiko stared after him. What the hell. What did he mean? He changed fast and ran out of his room. "Kaoru." Yahiko called.

Kenshin came out with a bag and Kaoru trailed behind him. "Where are your things Yahiko?" She said at seeing nothing in his hands.

"He said we were leaving." Yahiko said as she signaled over to Kenshin with his thumb.

"We're going to go on a vacation Yahiko. Go get your thing so we can go." She said turning him and pushing him in the direction of his room.

"Vacation? At the end of fall. Kaoru it'll be winter soon. Now's not the time for traveling. Besides I'm not going anywhere with him." Yahiko ended.

"Yahiko it'll be fun you'll see. Come one. Go get your thing." she said a bit insistently.

"Kaoru." Yahiko began.

"It'll only be a couple of months now go get your thing." She snapped back. It was too early to be arguing with him.

"If it's only a couple of months then you can go without me." Yahiko said vehemently.

"Yahiko." She lowered her face but then it came back up and she looked determined. "You are still too young to stay on your own. How would you eat? You can't stay at the dojo alone. So go get your things and lets go." With that said she made to walk to Kenshin out in the yard.

Yahiko blocked her path. "I'm not going Kaoru and I am old enough to stay alone. I can work for Tae while you are gone and remain here at the dojo."

Kaoru looked at his determined face and nodded at him. She turned her face quickly so he wouldn't see her cry. He didn't want to come with them. That was fine. She strode out the door and crossed the yard fairly fast. "Take care of the dojo for me," she yelled from the gate.

Yahiko stood in the doorway blinking back some tears. But this was for the best. He was sure the battoussai hadn't wanted for him to come along anyhow. It was probably Kaoru who had wanted him to tag along. He went back inside feeling miserable. Ugly, hag. He missed her already.

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

The battoussai was surprised that there was a train to Kyoto. It would mean less walking which was fine since he didn't think she should walk that much. She looked . . . fragile. Right up until she opened her mouth. She'd been quiet the whole way to the train station. He shouldn't have been so nice to the kid. Little bastard. He'd hurt her feeling by not coming along. She would more than likely worry now that she didn't have him under the constant vigilance of her eyes. He helped her board the train and sat her next to him. She stared out the window and after some time the scenery began to mover ever so slowly till the pace remained the same.

"Why do you want to go to Kyoto?" She asked him looking down at her clasped hands. "I have money there." He responded. That made no sense to her. If he'd had money all this time why hadn't he come back for it. Maybe it was because of his first wife. She rested here. Maybe that's why he hadn't wanted to come back. She blinked back some tears and turned her face to stare out the window. They had married so quickly while she and him had know each other for three years without so much as . . . . She couldn't help but feel a bit of jealousy towards the departed woman. Her Kenshin was so slow. While this other one, the one from the past. He was much more . . . . aggressive you could say. She gave a sad smile, this one might not be happy with her. She always wondered if the two women; her and the late wife had been alive at the same time who would he have chosen. But that's when reason snapped her back to reality. He would always have chosen his wife. Wasn't he still choosing his wife when she tried to tell him about her feelings for him. He'd let her down gently. Her silent tears broke into a sob. She didn't want to be just his friend. She wanted to be his wife, to bear him children. To love him and ease his pain. His arm reached for her and she cried into his chest. Clinging to him as a way of clinging to her hope. That was all she had left. The dying hope that maybe one day he would look at her differently.

Kenshin had been sitting with his eyes closed when he heard her sob. His first instinct had been to hold her, shelter her from her pain. She took hold of his gi and her hands fisted them selves in the material. He held her tighter. He thought she might have gotten over the disappointment of leaving the kid behind. He would make this fun for her, like an adventure so she didn't have to be sad. Another sob escaped her and he felt his heart crack just a bit. He pulled her away from him to look into her eyes but she only pressed herself tighter against him, unwilling to let go. Though he wasn't sure he had a strong feeling that this wasn't just about the boy. He looked around to confirm no one was around. Luckily there was no one near their end of the train. So it'd be alright to touch her. People and propriety sometimes got on his nerves. He eased her face back and the tears flowed down her eyes rapidly. She seemed to be in the worst kind of pain. Though he couldn't imagine why she'd feel pain. He steeled his nerves against the flow of anger at seeing the tears. He'd never felt overwhelmed to kill anyone as he felt now.

Kaoru watched the eerie blue eyes of the battoussai change to a rich amber with the blink of his eyes. It somehow comforted her but it didn't make the pain of his rejection lessen any. He eased his face down and silenced her with a kiss. She felt overwhelmed and needy all at the same time. He crushed her with his kiss and she was happy to feel it. To experience his unrelenting passion through the kiss. It was completely different to the way he'd kissed her before. They were raw feelings. She felt him dip her a bit more into the seat and the kiss deepened. Soon her thoughts became lost.

He let go of her lips only when he felt his lungs would explode. She slumped against his chest gasping for breath. Her tears had stopped some time ago. She was a bit woozy still so she rested her head on his chest while his hands tightened around her waist. Giving into the need she finally fell asleep.

He watched her head slump in sleep. It was obvious she wasn't used to getting up early. He had managed to suppress the rest of the emotions he'd felt. It's like he became alive when he kissed her. The feelings he'd had at hearing she was his woman resurfaced. Insistent he acknowledge them. And he could but only to some degree. He could acknowledge his attraction and the possessiveness he felt. But that was all he could make out. There were too many feelings to distinguish one from the other. He kept his eyes on the changing scenery as the train continued its way.

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

Kaoru felt kind of odd just standing around being his look out. She thought someone was holding his money in Kyoto not that he'd hidden it in Kyoto. She'd been surprised when they'd arrived at the station but instead of heading to town they'd walked to the outskirts of town. She looked around nervously.

Kenshin walked into the forest looking around for a specific tree. His face gave into a grin when he spotted it. He slashed a triangle into the tree. His pouch was till there. He reached for it noting it was bigger than the last time he'd put money into it. Much bigger he thought as he put it into her bag. He must have kept adding to it over the years. Except for maybe the last three which he spent with her. He crept back to her, she was looking around nervously. He put his hand on her shoulder and she let out a loud shriek of surprise.

She held her hand to her heart. "Baka" She yelled.

He took her hand and they walked back . . . to the train station? She looked at him confused. "I thought we were coming here?"

He looked at her strangely. "We did."

"No, I mean I thought this is were we were going to have our vacation?"

He shook his head at that. Despite the fact that the Bakumatsu was over, he still felt the same here. Nothing was different for him. He'd expect certain people to be in certain places. It was just too odd. "No not here." He said pulling her along.

"Then where are we going?" She asked him while they walked along the path to wait for their train.

"Izu." He said. If he remembered correctly their was no danger there. Nothing he couldn't handle on his own. Besides it was so close to the water that it wouldn't snow. His own mind clung to that for a moment what did it matter if it snowed or not.

"Kenshin." She called to him after he'd gripped her hand.

His face turned down to her. He spared her a quick glance before he walked over to a small stand to buy her breakfast.

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

Kaoru sat in her seat. The train ride felt so long. He'd stopped talking some time ago and now she was unsure. She'd had time to process today's earlier events. She usually tried not to cry in front of him knowing it added to his guilt. But this one. If he had guilt he sure wasn't showing it. It was nice to be able to kiss him but why did he do it. I mean did he do it because he had feelings for her or because . . . .

She couldn't help but remember what Megumi had said to her once. 'He's a man Kaoru. A man with needs.' The words had haunted her for a long time. She'd had nightmares as well as fantasies after those words. She briefly wondered if they'd get to see Dr. Genzai's sister since they'd be in Izu.

They walked along the country path. If she hadn't fallen asleep on the train she'd be tired. Instead she felt lively walking this early in the morning. 'The sun would soon be up,' she thought as she gripped his hand.

He was weary of traveling. His thoughts had kept him busy the rest of the trip. He felt her squeeze his hand from time to time trying to get his attention. Still he kept his eyes on the road. He couldn't quite remember what Inn they'd told him about. Usually when the others spoke he tuned them out or just left. 'Tsu. Tsu something.' Finally he saw the first house of the small town come into view. They walked into a general store where he waited for her to look around while he asked the kid at the front something.

Kaoru watched the kid's eyes widen and he left shortly to be followed by an older guy a bit older than Kenshin. Her guess was that the man was the kid's father. He nodded at Kenshin and pointed west. Kaoru picked up some sweets and waited for Kenshin to turn back before she handed them to him. He came back to her as she looked at other things.

"I've acquired a house. We need to buy cookware and food." He said as he came to stand next to her. She nodded and went around picking up the things they would need. As they left the older man nodded at Kenshin who returned the gesture. It made her think. It was almost like they knew each other.

People were moving around the street by the time they stepped out of the general store. Kaoru could smell the aroma of freshly made rice. Kenshin took notice and pulled on her hand to bring her inside the small restaurant. He ordered for them and she looked around happily. It lightened his mood some to see her happy.

He'd been surprised to see Takahashi Katoki. He was so old now. It was so hard to believe. He'd met him sometime last year. But I guess in real time that would be over fifteen years ago, he thought darkly. He turned his face to glance at her when she tapped his hand.

"Are you alright?" She asked him.

He nodded and she rubbed his hand a bit longer before she went back to eating. It took the sting out of missing so many years. To wake up with someone already in love with you. He'd had to almost drag it out of her but she'd admitted it. His thoughts went back to what Takahashi had said. The Shinsegumi. More like Saitoh Hajime. He hadn't fought with him but he'd heard of him. Kaoru had briefly mentioned him when she was telling him about his past though only by name and nothing more. He'd been in Kyoto at the same time.

"Kenshin you need to eat." She scolded him. He finished his meal quickly and they left soon after that. They made their way west to where the house stood alone deep within the forest. A safe house.

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

. . . . said 'Don't sneak up on an hitokiri unless you want to see the afterlife.' Can you believe that shit?" Sano said shaking his head.

Tae had taken a seat in front of the gloomy group. Shaking her head. "I can't believe it." She said. "I just can't believe he'd ever threaten anyone of you, not to mention hit you."

Sano took another drink of his sake. He'd once hated all the Ishin shishi but after meeting Kenshin he'd made an exception. Now . . . Kenshin . . .

Dr. Genzai shook his head sadly. "He wants us addressing him as Himura. I found that odd." He said taking a drink of his tea.

They all thought on that for a moment. The Kenshin they knew was so kind. But the battoussai didn't seem so much.

"I just can't believe he's the battoussai." Megumi said. She'd kept quiet most of the conversation. But she just couldn't keep her mouth shut in the end. "He really is the way legend says." She spoke from behind her cup. "He's scary," she put in as an after thought.

Most of them nodded.

From behind the screen a man with greasy hair and beady black eyes rubbed his hand together. This was like finding gold. He knew several people who would love to know what he'd just heard. He threw some money on the table and made his way out. Soon he'd have more than enough money.

Alright well there you go. Chapter four. I made it more than ten pages enough to get you through the next couple of days, I hope. I won't be posting so soon due to the release of Harry Potter's fifth book. Because I need sleep I wont be finishing the book in one day but two. So you should expect an update sometime after the twenty third. With that said let's move one to the small notes shall we.

Small Note: Alright the first thing some of you might want to ask me is about the snow. I really wouldn't want to say this if you haven't watched the Ova's or seen the end of RK but Kenshin was once married. He accidentally killed her in a battle. The day this happened, it was snowing. So he associates her death with the cold. With the snow.

Izu is the places they visited in episode 19-21 It's where Kenshin met Raiijuta (bad man). Anyhow they stayed in Izu with Dr Genzai's sister for while.

Thanks for reading. Don't forget to review.