Disclaimer: I do not own anything, no matter what you may have heard. I've never done an RK fic, but I figured that you'd still like it. So here we go. . .

Chapter 1

Kenshin looked on as Kaoru chased Yahiko around the dojo yard. It had been nearly a year since he had come to live with these people. They knew who he was, yet they invited him into their lives. They never even questioned him. He belonged somewhere. There were people here who cared for him. He smiled inwardly as Yahiko was thwacked across the head with Kaoru's bokken. He lost the chase, and now he had to pay. Kenshin thought about his life before meeting Kaoru and the others. Sadness fell over him suddenly. There was one person left alive that he wished to bring back from his past: Hiko Seijiro. There was no way he could ever find Hiko again. He was gone.

Kenshin's thoughts fell back to Kaoru. She was young, but had infinite potential, the potential to be married off to some complete stranger. When that day came, he would be happy for her. He would let her go. There was no way she'd stay with him anyway. He smiled when Sano nudged him and pointed at Kaoru. She was staring at him, and had obviously asked him a question. He, of course, was too absorbed in his own world to hear her. She tapped her foot impatiently, telling him it had been a few minutes since she asked her question.

"Oro?" was all he managed to say before he too was thwacked in the head with her all mighty bokken. He rubbed the back of his head and smiled sheepishly at Kaoru. She melted inside at the look of sadness on his face. He looked up at her through his red bangs and smiled, "I'm sorry Miss Kaoru, I didn't hear what you asked. Would you please repeat it?"

Sano looked on in amazement as she repeated her question happily for him. If either he or Yahiko had said that, she would have killed them. It was truly obvious that she loved the wandering swordsman. Kaoru walked off a few minutes later to cook dinner and Yahiko and Sano cringed. Kenshin walked away to finish the laundry and fold what was hanging on the line. Sano watched him for a while as Yahiko talked about something or another. Sano, of course, wasn't listening. He had an idea. A good idea. Although for it to work he would need Miss Megumi's help. She would definitely know what to do. Sano stood up and walked toward the town.

"HEY!" Yahiko yelled after him. "I was talking to you!" He huffed and sat down on the porch. "Bum."

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"Megumi? Are you home?" Sano asked the empty house. "Gee, I guess not." He sighed and sat down on her futon to wait. You had better get home soon. I really need to talk to you.

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Kenshin had long since finished his laundry and was sitting on the porch watching Yahiko practice. Kaoru was still inside trying to cook diner. It was not looking too well. He sighed contentedly as he thought about her cooking dinner. She was a very sweet person when she got her way, and that was just the way Kenshin wanted her to be. Yahiko had gone to bed early, claiming he ate at the Akabeko, so Kenshin sat alone in the dimming night. His thoughts jumbled together and fell again and again to Kaoru. He couldn't stop thinking about her. She would need to be married soon. After all, she was eighteen years old. If only he was ten ears younger. If she ever did marry, he wouldn't be able to live here any longer. He would not be allowed to live in a married couple's home. He was so absorbed in his depressing thoughts that he did not notice the light footsteps coming up behind him.

"Kenshin?" she asked feebly, afraid to wake him from his thoughts. "Are you alright? I- I finished making dinner."

It took a moment, but Kenshin turned around and smiled up at her and nodded. He stood with her help, and walked with her to the back porch. They sat together and ate in silence. There was nothing to day between them, just the night they shared. Kaoru stared at Kenshin when she was sure he wasn't watching, and smiled at him. There was nothing she would rather be doing than sitting here with Kenshin. He noticed her stares, but looked away so as not to disturb her thoughts. He liked having her looking at him with love in her eyes. It was a feeling Kenshin could really get used to.

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"So, Hiko, you say we can set the two of them up, eh?" Sano asked the giant, muscled man before him. He smiled widely at the nod he received. This was going to work perfectly.

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Kaoru snuck out of her room and into Kenshin's for the third time that night. She couldn't help but stare at his sleeping form. He was so beautiful lying there. She sat next to hi futon and stroked his shiny red hair. He didn't stir. She sighed and thought about being held in his strong arms. It made her melt inside thinking about it. She nearly drooled before she heard Yahiko walking down the hallway. She panicked and tried hide, only to find that there was no furniture in his room. She shrank beside him and held her breath. If anyone found her in Kenshin's room . . . she'd hate to find out what they would do.

Her fears hid again as Yahiko walked past Kenshin's room and down the hallway.

She smiled and touched his hand. His skin was surprisingly soft. Kaoru had always imagined what his hands felt like. She frequently imagined them to be hard and calloused. Suddenly the hand she held tightened. She gasped and let go, only to find Kenshin looking up at her from his futon. There was a silence and she stood up.

"Don't leave Kaoru." But it was too late. She had run out the door. He smiled after her as he listened to her footsteps diminish down the hallway. "I want to talk to you."

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"Kenshin, I need to talk to you." Hiko, his former master, said. "It's very important."

"Yes Hiko?" Kenshin asked.

"You're getting married."

"----- WHAT?" he screamed when reality hit him. "I'm not getting married." He turned to leave.

"You have no choice. It's already been decided. Her father wants you to marry his daughter. I'm sure when you meet her it won't bother you any longer."

"Who is she?" Kenshin asked timidly.

"I can't tell you, you know that."

"How do you have the authority to marry me off? I'm too old for this."

"Not technically. I have my ways Kenshin." Hiko turned and left the confused man to himself.

"I can't believe this." Kenshin mumbled to himself.

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"WHAT?!?!" Kaoru screamed at her father's friend. He was the man that had custody over her now, because her father died. "How could you? I am not getting married to some strange man I've never met!!"

"You have to. I've already given your hand to this man."

"I hate you. You're not even my real father. You have no right to do this." She screamed again. I cannot tell Kenshin about this. He'd never stay here if he knew.

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Kenshin sat on the dojo porch in utter silence. This could not be happening. His reality suddenly took a turn for the worse. He was stuck now, he knew he could never tell Kaoru that he was in love with her, and he definitely couldn't tell her that he was engaged. Kenshin felt like he wanted to continue wandering. He never thought what he'd do if he was the one to be married. He couldn't stay here and wait for the day to come when Hiko would make him meet his new wife. There was no way he could go through with this.

Kenshin looked up at the faint sound of footsteps. His Hitokiri instincts kicked in as he reached for his reversed blade sword. The sootsteps grew louder as the person approached. He tensed, and sighed when Sano walked up the dojo yard. He smiled at Kenshin and walked inside. Kenshin let go of his sword and smiled. You're going crazy. There's nothing you can do really. If Hiko marries you off, then you'll have to let Kaoru go. That is all you can do Kenshin. Unfortunately.

Well, the days passed and soon turned to weeks, which then turned to a month and neither Kenshin nor Kaoru said a thing. There was no getting out of it. They would have to face their fiancee's. Today.

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Kaoru looked at her image in the mirror. The silk and satin kimono that draped on her elegant features brought out every inch of beauty within her. The light and dark blues and purples brought out her eyes and hair magnificantly. There would be no way her future husband could resist her.

Kenshin paced back and forth across the meeting room Hiko made him wait in. he had no intentions of satying at first, but something his former master had said made him very interested. He actually wanted to see who his wife was to be.

A woman not much shorter than he walked slowly into the room with her covered head bowed. The lace veil showed nothing of her features or her hair. The woman was completely covered. Kenshin sat on the pillow across from hers and waited. She certainly looked beautiful. The woman sat in one elegant gesture and whispered somehting to him. "I hate you." Kenshin couldn't help but smile; she had the same whit as Kaoru. He thought about her suddenly and sighed. He'd never be with her again.

Hiko walked into the room and announced that they would meet their new spouces. Kenshin held his breath, and Kaoru got ready to scream. Then her veil was lifted and she saw the man that was to become her husband. Kenshin Himura smiled at her. She sat silent for a moment in shock, then sprang forward to hug the confused man.

"Oro?" he whispered as she latched onto him.

"I love you Kenshin." She said into his Gi.

"I love you as well Kaoru." He whispered back into her hair.

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Well, there you go, another bad story from me. Goodbye peeps, and be kind in your reviews, if I get any. My other story, The Voice, only got two TWO reviews. I was so sad. Granted, the story was for my English class.. But reviews'd be nice. Moral support people... c'mon!!!!! Well, please review this, even if you flame it, and I didn't steal this idea, the story is all original, only the concept was borrowed. So there. Sue and you get nothing. I'm a fanfic writer for cripes sake! Well... I should stop now. Thank you very much. Bye bye!!!