Authors Note: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story. I would hate to say this is the end, but I'm afraid it is. So, please read and review with reverence.

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

Chapter three- Goodnight; Goodbye

Kaoru breathed in deeply, as if trying to stop the pain. She could feel herself slowly slipping away. The medicine that Megumi gave her was only helping a little bit.

But even with the medicine she could feel herself become more cold and more dead then ever. She moved around a little bit, as she felt something cool coming in contact with her hot forehead.

"I can only do so much" Megumi said.

Kaoru closed her eyes as she went into a deep sleep. She was hoping she could escape the nightmare even for a little while. Her fever became higher, as her dreams got darker.

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

Kaoru was lying on her bed, as she watched kenshin leave for Kyoto. All those times she could have yelled at him to stay, she took the cowards way out.

She should have clung to him hoping just by seeing how much everyone needed him, he would stay. Tears escaped from the corners of her eyes, as he held her in embrace.

The smiles, the warm embrace, how could someone so cold, be this warm?

Her heart tore of the thought, Is this Tomoe's doing?

Kaoru screamed in agony. She collapsed to the ground as she her lungs felt like they were shutting on her the outline of Kenshin's figure entered her vision. She picked up her head, as she reached out to him.

"He's never coming back" she thought.

He would have been back by now.

...... ...... .......

Megumi shook her head at the others on Kaoru's condition. She bowed her head, as she thought of the devastating effects it would have on Kenji.

Kenji looked at Megumi and then his lifeless mother, kneeling down next to her he wrapped his arms around her neck. Tears fell from his eyes as he gripped her tighter, hoping that his warmth would bring her back.

"I'm sorry Mom, I shouldn't have left and now this" Kenji said.

Kaoru didn't respond as her son continued to talk to her, hoping something he said would wake her from the deep sleep.

Kenji threw his fist onto the ground as his body shook with tears. His mother was gone, his father who never was home caused this. It was his father's fault, if he had made it in time, his mother might have still been alive.

"She was always waiting for you" he screamed.

"And I'll continue to wait"

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

I couldn't wait No matter how hard, I tried to wait The disease wouldn't stop. But if some how I could tell you.

I would etch it in the stars.

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

That's the last chapter of my fic. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed.