A/N: I don't know how this story is going to turn out. I just want to get
that out there, so you guys know. I have possible endings running through
my mind, and I'm not sure which one I'm going to use. I've been thinking
about this for some time, that's why I haven't updated in so long, and I
decided just to go with it. So, I don't know. I still need to know if you
guys want a sequel, although I know that you can't really decide until I
end it. Which I think will be soon. After I end this, I don't know if I'll
be writing anything for a while. Unless I get a really good idea. Just
wanted to let you all know what's up, I'm going to see what comes out of my
fingers now!
Disclaimer: I don't own RK, but all the other ideas and characters are mine.
~*~*~
Sano ran to the fallen rurouni. Kenshin's usually cold amber eyes were lifeless and staring; his breath was shallow and barely there. Sano felt for a pulse. He hadn't been around Megumi all this time to pick up nothing. He knew what to do, if he could figure out what was wrong. Sano found the pulse; it was irregular and fading. He had no clue what was wrong. Kenshin had just collapsed! The ex-fighter for hire picked up his former best friend and carried him back to the futon. He made sure he was covered by many blankets and that his head was elevated before standing to walk out the door: he needed Megumi. He looked back from the shoji. Kenshin's dull eyes stared silently, sorrowfully, painfully, at the ceiling.
Sano closed his eyes and turned away. For once, couldn't fate just leave Kenshin alone? He bit back a tear, though he would never admit it, and walked towards the kitchen. Yahiko was still in there, doing dishes. Sano stepped inside to see the young samuari humming to himself. "Yahiko, keep an eye on Kenshin for me ok? I'm going to get Megumi." Sano left without waiting to see if the headstrong youngster would protest.
Inside the room, Kenshin's blank eyes began to fade.
~*~*~
Hiko turned to Kaoru. "What are you doing here?!" he demanded once they were alone. Kaoru stared back at him defiantly. "I didn't CHOOSE to come here, I was kidnapped." she retorted, her voice recalcitrant. Hiko sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Snae." he said quietly. "Come, Kaoru. I fear if we do not leave now we will not be able to for some time." he walked towards a door Kaoru hadn't noticed until now. She followed him, not voicing the questions that flooded her mind.
He pushed open the door and strode into the hallway. She followed him, wondering at the beauty in everything around them. Hiko listened momentarily. "Hitomi is dea-- No. She isn't..." he stopped walking. He knew even if he were to save Hitomi from Snae, she would die anyhow. He started walking again. "Come, let's go Kaoru." he picked the slight girl up and slung her over his shoulder. He cast his mind down to Kenshin's dojo, his teleportation too advanced to need a latch. He sat Kaoru down outside Kenshin's room. "I believe you should go in there..." he said softly. "I can't go with you."
Kaoru turned to look at the man she'd never imagined was half of what he was now. "I'm afraid." she said, her voice quavering. "Fear is what happens when you let your cowardice overcome your will to triumph." Hiko said. "Now, go in there. Hurry." Kaoru nodded and rushed inside.
An anguished wail burst from his room.
~*~*~
"Kenshin..." Kaoru whispered tearfully. From her kneeling position at the door, she could see the mask of death quickly approaching his face. "No..." she whispered. Her voice was rough from supressed tears. A single sob escaped. She crawled towards him, each shuddering step only confirming what she dreaded to see. She watched, helpless, as his chest drew one labored breath after the other, each time more shallow than the last.
Kenshin's eyes didn't blink this time. Her breath caught. They always blinked. It might take a minute, but they always blinked. No matter what had happened before to Kenshin, he'd always blinked his eyes, looked at her then did his classic "oro!". Kaoru stared at his eyes, hoping for the impossible. The cold, amber eyes didn't blink. "No...I-it's not possible..." she sobbed, flinging herself over him in anguish. Her Kenshin couldn't possibly be...no, she refused to even THINK that word. "Kenshin..." she whispered, shaking his limp, cold shoulder weakly. "Kenshin, wake up...it's time for-" a sob ripped from her throat, pausing her words. "It's time for...breakfast." the last word came out as a sob as she clutched Kenshin's gi to her face, sobbing into it as Kenshin's body got colder, and colder...
Her ear on his chest sought in vain for the slightest trace of a heartbeat. Nothing. More tears flowed from the seemingly endless fountain in her eyes. "Kenshin...I never told you..." her body caught and she shuddered a bit. "I love you Kenshin...I love you..." she whispered, her watery azure eyes searching for some answer in his lifeless ones. She suddenly realized her confession was too late. He would never hear her words. The finality situation of her hopelessness struck her, leaving her feeling numb and empty. Was this what it felt like to lose part of yourself? She swallowed, her lip and chin trembling as her body went cold. He was gone...forever.
~*~*~
A/N: Well...that was an accident. I swear. I didn't mean to. But it's over. There will be no more.
Disclaimer: I don't own RK, but all the other ideas and characters are mine.
~*~*~
Sano ran to the fallen rurouni. Kenshin's usually cold amber eyes were lifeless and staring; his breath was shallow and barely there. Sano felt for a pulse. He hadn't been around Megumi all this time to pick up nothing. He knew what to do, if he could figure out what was wrong. Sano found the pulse; it was irregular and fading. He had no clue what was wrong. Kenshin had just collapsed! The ex-fighter for hire picked up his former best friend and carried him back to the futon. He made sure he was covered by many blankets and that his head was elevated before standing to walk out the door: he needed Megumi. He looked back from the shoji. Kenshin's dull eyes stared silently, sorrowfully, painfully, at the ceiling.
Sano closed his eyes and turned away. For once, couldn't fate just leave Kenshin alone? He bit back a tear, though he would never admit it, and walked towards the kitchen. Yahiko was still in there, doing dishes. Sano stepped inside to see the young samuari humming to himself. "Yahiko, keep an eye on Kenshin for me ok? I'm going to get Megumi." Sano left without waiting to see if the headstrong youngster would protest.
Inside the room, Kenshin's blank eyes began to fade.
~*~*~
Hiko turned to Kaoru. "What are you doing here?!" he demanded once they were alone. Kaoru stared back at him defiantly. "I didn't CHOOSE to come here, I was kidnapped." she retorted, her voice recalcitrant. Hiko sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Snae." he said quietly. "Come, Kaoru. I fear if we do not leave now we will not be able to for some time." he walked towards a door Kaoru hadn't noticed until now. She followed him, not voicing the questions that flooded her mind.
He pushed open the door and strode into the hallway. She followed him, wondering at the beauty in everything around them. Hiko listened momentarily. "Hitomi is dea-- No. She isn't..." he stopped walking. He knew even if he were to save Hitomi from Snae, she would die anyhow. He started walking again. "Come, let's go Kaoru." he picked the slight girl up and slung her over his shoulder. He cast his mind down to Kenshin's dojo, his teleportation too advanced to need a latch. He sat Kaoru down outside Kenshin's room. "I believe you should go in there..." he said softly. "I can't go with you."
Kaoru turned to look at the man she'd never imagined was half of what he was now. "I'm afraid." she said, her voice quavering. "Fear is what happens when you let your cowardice overcome your will to triumph." Hiko said. "Now, go in there. Hurry." Kaoru nodded and rushed inside.
An anguished wail burst from his room.
~*~*~
"Kenshin..." Kaoru whispered tearfully. From her kneeling position at the door, she could see the mask of death quickly approaching his face. "No..." she whispered. Her voice was rough from supressed tears. A single sob escaped. She crawled towards him, each shuddering step only confirming what she dreaded to see. She watched, helpless, as his chest drew one labored breath after the other, each time more shallow than the last.
Kenshin's eyes didn't blink this time. Her breath caught. They always blinked. It might take a minute, but they always blinked. No matter what had happened before to Kenshin, he'd always blinked his eyes, looked at her then did his classic "oro!". Kaoru stared at his eyes, hoping for the impossible. The cold, amber eyes didn't blink. "No...I-it's not possible..." she sobbed, flinging herself over him in anguish. Her Kenshin couldn't possibly be...no, she refused to even THINK that word. "Kenshin..." she whispered, shaking his limp, cold shoulder weakly. "Kenshin, wake up...it's time for-" a sob ripped from her throat, pausing her words. "It's time for...breakfast." the last word came out as a sob as she clutched Kenshin's gi to her face, sobbing into it as Kenshin's body got colder, and colder...
Her ear on his chest sought in vain for the slightest trace of a heartbeat. Nothing. More tears flowed from the seemingly endless fountain in her eyes. "Kenshin...I never told you..." her body caught and she shuddered a bit. "I love you Kenshin...I love you..." she whispered, her watery azure eyes searching for some answer in his lifeless ones. She suddenly realized her confession was too late. He would never hear her words. The finality situation of her hopelessness struck her, leaving her feeling numb and empty. Was this what it felt like to lose part of yourself? She swallowed, her lip and chin trembling as her body went cold. He was gone...forever.
~*~*~
A/N: Well...that was an accident. I swear. I didn't mean to. But it's over. There will be no more.