Another Chance: Taking Leave
A fanfic set in the Rurouni Kenshin universe
standard disclaimers apply



"Your way of doing things—"Sano glared at Aoshi. "It really pisses me off. You onmitsu don't think about the consequences of what you do, do you?"

"Consequences?" Aoshi stood up, a bit put off by the younger man's attitude. "Tell me what about the Oniwaban affairs could possibly bother you -- who knows full well that we are justified by our actions."

"I'm not saying that the Oniwaban are wrong," Sano glowered. "In fact, if Misao is going to uphold all that she promises she has made as Okashira, then I have absolutely nothing to argue about. But you tell me how you Oniwaban are going to protect people who either don't trust you or are afraid of you."

Aoshi turned his head suddenly in the direction of the door as he understood. "Megumi--"

"Right now, she's standing outside in the garden, for some reason avoiding going in to the dining room. And this afternoon, I had to convince her to not pick up and leave—"

"Leave?" Aoshi narrowed his eyes. "That wouldn't make sense—"

Sano exploded. "I know that! She knows that too, but the one thing she hates more than her past is fighting and yet your onmitsu are all conveniently gathered downstairs drawing up defense plans while partying."

"They're not my onmitsu."

The gangster stared back. "You allowed them to gather here, and you and Okina both allowed Misao to become Okashira and reband. Think Megumi's going to make the distinction on her own? You've royally screwed up, Shinomori, and I have a mind to kick your ass for giving me this headache and kick Saitou's for arranging things this way. If only he had let her stay in Tokyo in the first place, and if only her niece hadn't ended up here!"

Aoshi heard the frustration and anguish in the other man's voice. It was true – had Saitou not manipulated each one of them the way he had, things would have turned out differently. And he wouldn't be standing here arguing with Himura's friend. Megumi and her niece likely would be safe within the Kamiya dojo instead.

But she wasn't. She was here, and as Sagara put it – even here she was afraid. Megumi Takani hated the battlefield and being reminded of it. But the will to fight was what the Oniwaban had always represented and always would. As would he.

He closed his eyes for a moment. He loved her, but his whole identity was formed on the clan, and he divorcing it from himself was simply not possible.

Aoshi opened his eyes and turned away. "Take her, Sagara. I'll ask the Okashira to lend you the manpower. Megumi knows Shoji and Nomi. She won't have a problem with them if they accompany you."

To be divided from something loved was something most men did not choose for themselves. But for him, he would have to accept it. That was the harsh reality of the Oniwaban -- the reality that Okina had realized so long ago.

Sagara's voice faltered, surprised. "Take her?"

"I can't change what we are. Take her away and protect her."

Sagara was silent. A multitude of emotions played out on the younger man's face – anger, longing, and bitterness.

These were emotions he understood well.

Sagara turned on his heel and looked at the door. "You're a damn fool, Shinomori. I already told you I couldn't. It's not because I'm afraid of the danger, or of defying Saitou on this. But I'm not going to spell it out for you as to the reasons why. I have to leave for Osaka and return to Tokyo. But once the danger has passed—I may change my mind. "

As the hot-tempered man stalked out, Aoshi stood in confused silence, his mind wondering what Sagara had wanted him to see.



~

She had retreated to the kitchen again, drawn initially by the warmth of the ovens. Megumi had sat down and focused on cutting vegetables. With so many people in this place, the kitchen staff couldn't keep up with meeting the demand for food.

It was the only safe place where most of the Oniwaban would not venture.

No matter what had happened, no matter that she had traveled with some of them – she found herself sometimes trembling when she walked these halls. Other times, she felt simply as if she didn't belong.

"How long you going to mope around in here?"

Megumi looked up and found Sanosuke leaning against the door watching her.

"I'm not moping," she said, more sharply than she had intended to.

Sanosuke gave her a half-smile. "I think you've been spending too much time in this heat."

"Then are you offering to take me out on a walk?"

"Something like that," Sano grinned. "I know you've been pretty much told not to go anywhere, but I don't follow those rules. Anywhere you like, fox-lady."

For the first time that day, her face brightened. "Outside is good enough. It finally seems like the rain has stopped."

As they walked outside, she noticed his face was slightly troubled. She paused beneath a tree, wondering if there was more to this spontaneous trip to Osaka. She sat on the bench and looked up at Sano. "Are you really leaving tomorrow?"

"—Actually tonight." Sanosuke answered somewhat tightly.

"I see," she answered. "Is Osaka that important?"

Sano gave her a weak smile. "I'd take this place any day over Osaka. But we're actually moving your friend there for safekeeping and then I'm heading back to Tokyo by steamship."

Megumi's eyes widened. "Steamship? Is it the dojo? Is there still some danger to them?"

"I don't know," Sanosuke's shoulders slumped slightly. "But I can't take that chance. Seeing the Oniwaban like this made me wonder where my place was. And right now, I think it's there, with Kenshin and Kaoru, Yahiko and Outa."

"Of course," Megumi looked up at him, her face mirroring the concern on his. The dojo was home to many people who she considered as important to her as to him. "I hope that nothing happens there."

"Just worry about here," he shook his head. "They're pretty strong, all of them. You just stay here where it's safe—"

She could see the worry etched in his face. "I promised already that I would and I'll keep that promise, just like the other ones we've made."

He flexed the fingers of his right hand. "So if I get injured while trying to protect the dojo—"

A ghost of a smile crossed her face, recalling one time when she had promised to patch his hand up, no matter what the reason. "You know I'll fix you up."

"Well good," he chuckled. "Although Tokyo is a bit far from here."

"It's never too far—" she spoke seriously. "I'll come."

The cold ground crackled as someone approached. They both looked up and spotted the intruder. Anji had stopped a respectful distance away. "Sagara, Cho wants to leave now."

"Understood," Sanosuke sighed and gave Megumi an apologetic look as she stood up. There were still so many things unspoken between them and yet time was not going to allow them the luxury of expressing them.

Anji turned his back, to give them a moment of privacy and likely to keep an eye out for the impatient Cho.

Sano gave a pointed nod towards the second floor of the building behind them. "By the way, I told Shinomori about our deal."

"I see," she answered, although it was more out of habit than any real understanding of what Sanosuke meant.

"I—we just want what's best for you and Megs right now. But if the ice man gets out of line in any way, we'll come right away to kick some sense into him. Kaoru's students have always wanted some action. I'm sure some Oniwaban will be fun for them."

"Sanosuke--" Impulsively she reached out to embrace him. "With an attitude like that, you'll never make it to Osaka in one piece."

She felt his arms tighten around her. And for a moment, she thought he would say something more, but instead he sighed.

"Hey roosterhead," Cho growled as he took in the scene. "You plan on saying goodbye to every single person in this place like that?"

Megumi snorted as she let Sanosuke go. "I'm hardly just any person," she gave Cho a haughty look, causing the man to take a step back involuntarily.

At that Sano flashed her one of his trademark grins, perhaps glad that for once it was not him bearing the brunt of her temper. "Glad to see you put him in his place."

She huffed, "That was for interfering too many times in my affairs." She then placed something in Sanosuke's hand and gave Cho a wicked look. She dropped her voice. "In case he starts to get on your nerves—"

Sano looked down at the small packet in his hand.

"—it'll quiet him for awhile. At least the entire trip to Tokyo."

As the object of their scheme stared at them suspiciously, she started to laugh. Sano found himself joining in.

When they had finished, the two looked fondly at one another.

"I'm glad to see you laugh again, woman."

She smirked. "It's easy when you're around, Sanosuke."

"I'll take that as a compliment and leave it at that," he pretended to look hurt. "See ya around, fox-lady."

The use of her nickname made her smile. She held up her hand and waved gently as she echoed the same carefree way he had bid farewell. "See ya, roosterhead."

As they disappeared from sight, she briefly bowed her head, more deeply affected by this parting than she had realized. And then she fled inside, not noticing the shadow that detached itself from the wall and went in the opposite direction.



~

The ride to Osaka was turning out to be very quiet, despite the carriage being so crowded. Five men, each with a different reason to be on it, said nothing -- preoccupied each with their own concerns.

Sanosuke was brooding over his decision to leave, but his mind had been made up once he realized something about the doctor. There was no room for him at this time in her heart. Whether or not there ever would be – he did not know.

But as he glanced over at the youngest man in their group, he realized that he wasn't the only one distracted.

Soujiro Seta still looked outwardly happy, but there was an edge of sadness to him this evening -- one which Sanosuke was sure had something to do with a particular blue-eyed girl at the Aoiya. There was no reason for him to be here. In a sense, he and the other two men were strong enough to escort Taka to their next stopping point.

Sanosuke frowned. If Soujiro missed this opportunity in Kyoto now, what would happen later? Suddenly, he pounded his fist against the side of the carriage. "Damn!"

"Now what?" Cho glared. "Don't tell me you forgot something at the station."

"No--" Sanosuke improvised, reaching inside his bag to take out a leather pouch. "It's just that I forgot to give these to Misao before I left because you were all in such a hurry to leave."

At the mention of the Okashira's name, he noted blue eyes flicker in his direction.

"I don't want to wait to give these to her." Sano started to bellyache. "Who knows when I'll come this way again? And you know I can't just send these with anyone. I mean, these are irreplaceable!"

Cho started to take a deep breath as if to insult him for being such a whiner.

"Perhaps one of us should take it to her." Anji's words calmed Cho only slightly.

"I mean, I would go," Sanosuke shook his head. "But -- I have to get back to Tokyo."

"And I follow Cho." Anji said pointedly.

"That leaves the kid, here." Sanosuke looked at Soujiro Seta.

Soujiro's eyes widened slightly.

Sano played dumb. "Would you do me a favor and take this to her? We'll of course rebook your travels. And I know the weasel-girl would really like my gift--"

At that, Soujiro nodded. A bit too eagerly, Sano reflected. "Of course, Sagara-san. I would not mind."

"Great," Sanosuke gave him a big grin and reached behind him to knock on the glass window that separated them from their driver. The driver responded by slowing the carriage.

When it had stopped, Soujiro stepped out and bowed politely. "I'll not fail you, Sagara-san."

"Thanks a bunch," Sano leaned out and waved as the other three remaining men shifted their positions within the carriage slightly. Sano smiled as the carriage began to pick up speed again. "Sure makes the ride easier now, doesn't it?"

Cho wrinkled his brow at his statement but was silent, a bit confused by the rapid change in events. They continued along like that for a few minutes, before l Cho suddenly spoke up. "Did you just send him back there on purpose?"

Sanosuke shrugged effortlessly. "Now why I would ever do a thing like that?"

Cho opened his mouth to argue, but then grinned. "True. You're too dumb to pull off something like that."

Sanosuke glared and felt for the small bottle in his pocket. He briefly considered trying out the doctor's strange little potion on the broomhead.

Fortunately, Anji spoke up. "Soujiro seemed to be more at ease when he left."

"You're right." Cho suddenly smiled. "The poor bugger looked really happy when he stepped off the carriage. But I wonder what kind of reception he's going to get when he shows up at the Aoiya--"

"Hopefully a good one." Sanosuke coughed as he realized suddenly that the bag he had given Soujiro had not contained knives as he initially thought, but something else. Misao wasn't going to be pleased when she opened the bag and found a bunch of cards and dice. For the sake of his future health, he sincerely hoped that once she saw the messenger, she'd forgive him his for his gift.

He almost berated himself for his carelessness. He had been rather fond of the die -- after all, lucky die were hard to find. Oh well, he'd find his own luck once again without them if he had to. He'd go out and buy a whole bunch of new ones once in Tokyo and start all over.

Those kids needed that luck anyways, particularly if they were to get another chance.

~

Other than the reappearance of Soujiro Seta at the compound, the days had passed quietly, full of much work for Aoshi.

From appearances, the flow of traffic around the compound had slowed, as the Oniwaban began to move. Some had begun the process of moving into adjacent buildings and other parts about Kyoto. The onmitsu who had families or persons they tended to were leaving to collect them and their belongings. They too would return to Kyoto or be stationed strategically around the neighboring countryside. Those who lingered now were those the Okashira was allowing to move to farther-off places that were considered strategic to their interests.

It was a complex shuffle or persons and places; one which she had only asked for because she wanted the Aoiya to reopen for business. The goodwill of Kyoto's residents had been earned over the past few years by their commitment to productively contributing to the community. Never mind that the onmitsu would quietly relocate the majority of the clan around the city. Aoshi and Okina's job was to make sure that properties were rented and purchased in such a manner as to not rouse much attention to the silent building of their clan's strength.

This was Misao's wish. To try to marry both lives – past and present -- to ensure their future. The task of seeing all this come to practice had been left to him and Okina.

However, even though the numbers of the clan within the compound had decreased, it by no means meant that their vigilance had lessened. They were onmitsu. They were always present, even if unseen. Megumi Takani and her niece were always under their watchful eye, although she was unaware of it. She focused solely on trying to talk more with her niece, particularly about her father. Why he wasn't quite sure, but there was something a bit more to it than mere pleasant chatter.

And this morning, he could hear them from inside his office as they sat outside talking about what spring would bring in terms of flowering plants. She was, he realized, passing on a lesson taken from the Takani repository of knowledge.

"Aoshi." Shoji appeared suddenly at his door, with several items in hand.

Noting that something about Shoji's face was different this morning, Aoshi stood.

Shoji held out a slip of paper. "It's a telegram from my father."

With a concerned look, he took it and unfolded the paper.

ONE RAT EXTERMINATED .
OTHER DETAINED .
SITUATION CLEAR.

Aoshi knitted his brows thoughtfully. Shoji then handed him a mimeographed sheet. "And then there is yesterday's paper."

Aoshi took it and glanced through it. Buried in the bottom of the back page was the brief mention of an arrest of an official in an unnamed department for accepting bribes under a pseudonym. Aoshi's eyes narrowed as the brief article cited that the man had numerous connections to persons who ran into trouble with the law.

"I believe that is one of our rats," Shoji stated. "It must be."

"The other?" Aoshi frowned. "The one who was killed?"

Shoji shook his head. "Perhaps Father knows."

Aoshi sighed. "That is -- assuming his source informed him."

"Should I send for more information?"

"No," Aoshi shook his head. "I have no reason to doubt your father's source. What matters now is that the issues have been resolved. Tell Takani-sensei to come here. I will break the news to her myself."

As she entered his office a few minutes later, he could see her confusion at his summons. Given that they had not had any conversations of note in the previous days, he was not surprised. But he did not bother with pleasantries. Instead he held out the telegram to her.

She took it quietly and looked at it.

"It is from Shirotome-san. Or actually his source in Internal Affairs."

She stared at it, perhaps afraid to read into it all that much. After all, unless she had some understanding of the way spies communicated, it would look nonsensical. "Does this mean that the danger has passed?"

He nodded. "I'd wait a few more days, but you're free to do as you please and make whatever preparations you need to make. We will of course assist you with locating your mentor's colleagues in Kyoto."

She stared at him, a bit confused. "My mentor?"

He reached inside a pocket and withdrew a piece of paper. "You had mentioned it in a letter— "

She accepted it curiously and scanned it. Her face changed as she recognized her own words. "Of course."

"That is if that is still your wish," he stated neutrally, recalling his conversation with Sagara. "There must be many options on your mind."

She looked up at him, her face momentarily unreadable. She nodded slowly. "Yes -- of course." She folded the letter up tightly. "I'll start by calling on Gensai-sensei's friends."


~


It took very little time to find someone willing to work alongside the infamous Takani-sensei or a place for her to settle.

However, packing was proving to be entirely much more difficult than she had estimated. There were many things to pack. Not necessarily her things – as she had not even been here long enough to warrant that – but her niece's.

Megumi bit her lip, overwhelmed by the sheer number of toys and clothing that the child had acquired in so short a time. She was glad for them – as many of the things that had been stolen might never make it back to them. She was certain that many burned in the fire that had taken the Kurisawa home or were hiding in government storage. What she had to offer her niece was meager; she could only add a few books and a doll that she had rescued from her prison before escaping with Sanosuke and Aoshi.

Meg-chan's hovering, however, rubbed her patience raw. The child was certain that she would forget something in her packing. Megumi had sent her downstairs so she could finish without the child constantly poking through the trunks making sure something was inside and thus undoing all her efforts to pack..

She looked up when a cough came from the doorway. Okina stood there with a parcel in his hands.

His eyes glanced at the scattered items. "So you're almost done."

"Yes," Megumi stood up.

"And you're really leaving tomorrow morning, aren't you?" His voice quavered, a bit melodramatically.

"Leaving for a place on the other side of town is hardly leaving," Megumi smiled.

"You could have stayed here—at least until you were certain that you want to work with Mokato-sensei."

"We would just be a hindrance," she shook her head. "With all that is going on for the Aoiya and for the Oniwaban, I don't feel that it's right to stay."

Okina's face grew gloomy. "You don't have to be so diplomatic, Megumi-san. I know that being around the Oniwaban all the time would be a hard thing to ask. I'm sorry, Megumi. I truly am. If I had only been stronger – perhaps things might have turned out differently"

She glanced at him. "Things happen for a reason. And Meg-chan will be here quite often. She can't get enough of Jiyu's cooking."

The smile he gave her at her compliment was still sad. "Well," he cleared his throat. "I'm glad to see that you haven't completely packed. I still have one thing to add to your pile."

He laughed apologetically as he held out the parcel. "No need to open it now, as it will have to just be repacked. It's just something I've been meaning for you to have. I had meant to give it to you in Tokyo, but things were a bit crazy then."

"Thank you, Okina," Megumi was honestly touched by the man's sincere well-wishes for her. As she took it, she looked back up at him wanting to open it, nonetheless. "If I may—"

"Of course," he looked a bit shy.

She smiled and turned the parcel over to find the edges of the paper that was carefully wrapped around it. As she pulled back the last of it and saw what was inside, she nearly dropped the entire thing.

"Kashiwazaki-san ," she looked up at him as she held the familiar embroidered silk between her fingers.

"You forgot it," he shook his head.

"But you should keep this. Really, something like this should be passed within the family."

"It would be too sad for a man like me to hold on to it." Okina looked away. "It would just remind me of things that never came to pass."

His voice had grown so quiet that she worried. "Kashiwazaki-san."

His voice held a tinge of bitterness. "I always meant for it to be a present for my bride, and then to be passed to my daughter. But the woman who I had intended it for could not handle what I was. If I could leave the clan—" he paused. "It might have been different."

"I'm sorry," Megumi placed her hand on his arm.

"It is a hard life, Megumi-san." Okina looked out the door. "Some of us bear it better than others. But I kept that locked away for safekeeping, hoping that one day perhaps a woman in the clan might wear it."

"And Misao might still," Megumi looked at him hopefully.

He shook his head. "Once I saw it on you, I didn't think I could really give it to anyone else in good conscience. She'll understand. Please do me the honor of taking it." He tried hard to smile. " And when you see it again, or perhaps someday wear it I hope you'll be reminded of some happy times here. That will give me happiness to think as such."

For the first time since she had met him, she felt a deep sympathy for the man. She squeezed his arm and smiled for him. "Thank you, Kashiwazaki-san. I am honored by all that you have done for me. And to have this on top of it--"

"It is nothing," he stepped away. "I should leave you to your packing. I have some business downstairs."

"Of course," she nodded.

"But I'll make sure not to drink too much so that this time." He chuckled faintly as he went out the door. "I want to be sure that I can see you and Meg-chan off in the morning,"

They both smiled for a moment as his words echoed a certain warning she had left for him some time ago, when she had left for Tokyo. And then with a funny laugh, he turned and disappeared down the hallway.

She put the parcel down and continued with her packing. But as she continued, she found her eyes drawn continually back to the kimono, and to the memories from when she had last worn it nearly a lifetime ago. It had been the day she had begun this journey – the day she had walked into the Aoiya.

How strange that it would return to her on her last day here.

She almost laughed as she considered then the reason it had been given to her. The foolish old man had made her crazy with his compliments and advances, and her temper and his antics had resulted in her ruining a very serviceable kimono.

Her aim had never improved since then.

But he gave it to her now not out of mere guilt, but out of his friendship. As she found herself touching the fabric, it occurred to her that she understood something better about Okina now, and why he lived the way he did. He was making up for a lifetime of disappointment. He had also revealed something unintentionally.

They were strong -- the Oniwaban -- but not as strong as she thought.

She was startled that such a thought had entered her head. And yet, perhaps it did make sense. Okina alluded to it, not for just himself but for the others. Perhaps this was the explanation for why Soujiro Seta had returned. Perhaps he had seen some need in Misao and invented that silly story about running an errand, in order to return here and to put a smile on the young Okashira's face.

Her mind turned naturally to the third of the triad that led the Oniwaban.

And what of Aoshi?

He had told her only a short while ago that he loved her. But he had said nothing when she had told him of her decision to quit the Aoiya for her own place in Kyoto.

She had thought maybe that once had returned to Kyoto that his senses had returned to him, and he had concluded that this was the natural end to their clouded relationship.

But – that was something she had assumed. Her pride had kept her mouth shut. But now she realized that before she walked out the front gates in the morning, she had to know something for certain. She had to know – because above all she wanted him to be happy.



~


Her hands trembled slightly as she emerged from her room a few minutes later. In her hands she clutched a sheathed blade – the knife that had been once given to her by him. It had been his present to her, to protect her.

From the hallway, she could hear noise as she approached the dining area where many of the clan members were gathered. Normally she would have stayed away, but she knew their former leader would likely be with them.

Megumi paused as she came to the door that separated the hallway from the room. An odd sense of fear and not belonging threatened to overwhelm her, but she tried to dispel it.

A child's laugh startled her out of her dilemma. The realization that her niece was inside gave her the strength to overcome her inertia, and she willed herself to open the door.

She took one step inside and halted. Even though the dining area was half full, the presence of the Oniwaban was still overwhelming. Her courage faltered slightly as she noted many eyes glancing her way.

She was grateful when her niece hurried over to hug her. "So you're here, little one?"

The child did not answer, her eyes and hands solely focused on the kimono she wore. Despite her nervousness, she was amused as she watched her niece. Meg-chan was clearly enamored of its vibrant color, and its smooth texture.

Had she been paying more attention, she would have observed the strange silent exchange between Okina and Aoshi, who were on the opposite side of the room.

"Meg-chan," Okina appeared suddenly next to them with a pleased expression on his face. "Let's leave your auntie alone."

"But—" the child protested, her eyes still focused on her aunt and the kimono.

"I want to tell you something." Okina laughed. "--A secret."

The child's expression turned curious and unable to resist, she gave her hand to Okina. As Meg-chan and Okina went off happily, Megumi looked up at Aoshi, whose expression was completely unreadable. "If I may have a moment—"

Silently he nodded and slid the door open. She walked back out into the hallway and waited for him as he again shut the door.

She hesitated. "I hope I'm not bothering you."

"Hardly."

She felt her cheeks redden as his eyes took her entire appearance in. "I came to give this back to you—"

He eyed the knife in her hand. "Once given it is not my wish for you to return it. It is yours just as that kimono as you wear."

"Thank you." She moved to hide the blade within her sleeve, but stopped when he cleared his throat.

"That kimono—" he paused, as if it were more of a question than a statement."It is the same one you wore before."

"Yes," she nodded. "It is from Okina."

"Megumi," his eyes took on a darker shade of blue. "I should have warned you the first time you wore it. This kimono was for meant to be given as a gift to one who marries into this clan."

"I know," she bit her lip. "Does it displease you that I wear it?"

Something flickered across his face. She lowered her eyes, and then raised them to his when his fingers lightly touched her sleeve. "Is it for me to be pleased or not?"

She looked away. "If your feelings have changed—"

"Changed?"

The words tumbled out from her mouth. "You have spent the last week holed up in your office. We've barely talked, and when we did, you chased us out. You act is if you don't want us here--"

Her words died out as he suddenly embraced her from behind. "Megumi—"

She almost gasped as she felt him press his lips to her hair. But once the wonderful confusion had passed from her mind, she leaned back against his chest. She smiled as she felt his hands cover hers. "Will you not tell me the reason why?"

He was silent for a moment, before his answer came. "I thought you were waiting for Sagara to return."

"But he—"

"He told me how you had wanted to leave because of the Oniwaban presence here. And how you had wanted to go with him."

She sagged slightly. "That was true – and yet—"

"I saw you two the night he left. You and he seemed to understand one another—"

"We did—" She mused sadly. "I wasn't free to leave with him after all. I think he had known something which I only realized today, as I was packing."

"And that was—"

Her voice was so very quiet, that if he had not keen hearing it would have all been but missed. "--That I love you, Aoshi Shinomori."

As she felt his arms loosen their hold on her, she turned her head. Had she said too much, been too forward? A moment later she realized he had only done so in order to turn her around to face him. As she looked at his face, she realized from the way his mouth turned up slightly at its corners that her words had pleased him.

"Aoshi?"

"If that is so –" His voice held a certain authority. "--Don't leave."

As she raised an eyebrow, he corrected himself. "I mean, please stay."

She laughed softly. "For how much longer? A few more days, weeks perhaps?"

"I want you to stay and be my wife."

"Your wife," she repeated, shocked.

"You already are, in a manner of speaking." He leaned towards her. "That ceremony was the first step."

"But that was a ruse—"

Aoshi's eyes softened. "The vows are no different from the ones I would utter if we were to have another ceremony."

She smiled at the sincerity in his voice and found herself quietly agreeing. "Then what is the second step?"

As his eyes traveled downwards and lingered somewhere, she started to blush. Tradition stated that a man could wait to legalize his wife's standing until after she had produced children. It was an archaic one, in her opinion, but Aoshi was a traditional man.

He touched her face. "I'll give you your own clinic and wait to be recognized by your family."

"My own clinic," she echoed.

"It will be easier for you, will it not?" His face looked troubled. "You will have your own place away from both the activity of the Aoiya and the Oniwaban."

She closed her eyes, understanding his seriousness at keeping her here. He knew of her struggle with the one facet of his life that she could not completely understand. She touched the lapel of his uniform and indicated her acceptance of the matter. "Yes, but that will take some time--"

He set his mouth. "So be it. An acceptable gift is what is required on my part by your family. And a blessing from mine."

"Our families?"

"Megumi-chan's approval is required, as is Okina's."

She laughed as she realized that the man was too serious. "Okina will be delighted, I'm sure. But Meg-chan barely understands the concept of marriage."

"Nevertheless, she won't refuse." He smiled at her. "Not when I mean to give her her own horse."

"Her own horse?" Megumi's expression spoke both of her outrage and her admiration for the man's ruthlessness. "Assuming it's that easy, what then?"

He thought for half a second before continuing. "You and I will share a drink of sake to confirm that we are in fact married."

"Sake—"she started. "But you don't drink it."

"It is tradition," he stated. "For this one occasion, I can bend my own rule. Afterwards—"

"Afterwards?" She wondered how many more steps it would take to become this man's wife. At this rate, they would never be married. She sighed her impatience as she encircled her arms around his neck. She would need to hurry him along, before she was old and grey and her niece was bearing children. She hadn't noticed that at her touch, he had become somewhat distracted. Nor that his eyes had darkened as they focused on her smiling lips. "Aoshi--"

As he claimed her mouth and wiped the smile off her face, she felt her knees tremble. The first thought that crossed her mind as she had yielded to him, was that she had seriously misunderstood him. She had mistook his feelings of love to be cold and noble. But the way he leaned into her now and pressed her against a wall testified instead that those passions simply had been buried well and constrained. Underneath that calm, cool exterior – was someone whose whose passionate nature rivaled her own. And that passion showed her that he loved her more than she had ever realized.

In the back of her mind, she also realized that now she had tapped into those feelings –she had also unwittingly sealed her fate to this man. Now, she knew, he would never let her go.

She was startled and disoriented when he finally turned his head aside. But he still held her fast, his hands stroking her hair while he reflected on what had just happened. It was as if he was just as surprised by the intensity of that one kiss and by the strength of their mutual feelings.

"Aoshi?"

"Afterwards--" he finally answered, his voice a faint whisper of desire, impatience and longing. "--We retire the kimono for good."


Author's notes:

Author ignores the readers for a moment to watch the characters try desperately to be honorable. She then respectfully kicks the curtain closed for the characters privacy and takes bets on whether Aoshi and Megumi will maintain their honor a little bit longer or not.

Anyways. I hope that until the very very last two scenes you had no idea what I was going to do. Classic Jane Austin confusion, although I stretched it a lot further, and took it a bit longer. And of course Jane Austen would never have insinuated some of the things that I do. (heheh) I hope also that it was recognized that Megumi was the one who chose her ending. I had wanted her entrance into that dining room to be grander at first, but then I decided that I didn't really care what everyone else there thought. What was important to me was the message she was trying to send to Aoshi. I also hope people recognized the little things I brought back in that had seemed so *random* in the early chapters. It's my way of assuaging the guilt I feel over how indulgent I was in describing the Aoiya in like the first 15 chapters. Hope there are no inconsistencies or dangling threads left.

I do have just a little bit more to give you, to tie up some of those small threads. But when I say little, I mean it. A small little note to bring it all to an end -- and thoughts on the process and at least one snippet of a dialogue that I'm sorry that I had to let go. For the sake of my grades and my job and my sleep, I'm going to sit back and post the final part a week or more from now and maybe perhaps even reread this fic.

As for the reviews put out earlier, I think have all been largely addressed with this part, I think I'll forego the habit of addressing everyone. But to the two of you who read all 49 parts in one sitting, I thank you in particular.