Author's Notes: Hiya!! Here's the second chapter: for all of those who reviewed, many thanks!! I am posting this now with every intention of editing it and making it better later. Just wanted to get this out. :) I gotta say, I'm really bad at long stories, meh. I really hope my muse will stay with me on this. It doesn't help that I'm not a very good writer, lol. Ahh, well.







Summer comes and goes

like the Winter I suppose.

Between that time I saw you smile-

you bid me stay awhile.

Desire met an empty ghost

for I can't have what I want most.

I settle for that simple gaze

and lie to myself; it's just a phase.

Autumn cries for lonely souls

but that's the way it is, I suppose.




Chapter 2: Out of Reach




He padded over to the rack that held all the wooden practice swords. Swords that his master had struggled to purchase over a long period of time. She didn't exactly have many students and often didn't reap much profit out of the few that did come to her, but that never dampened her spirits.

Yahiko gripped a bokken and removed it from its resting place among the others. He stared at it for awhile, studying the wood patterns all across its length. He looked up and glanced around the room, realizing for the first time how quiet it really was. Usually he'd be distracted by an argument with his Sensei, or he would be too deep in concentration to notice.

He then took cautious steps to the middle of the room and began practicing. He imagined her standing by his right side; mimicking her posture, her focus, and her movement. When he came to an irritatingly difficult move, he repeated it with no success and soon became frustrated. Sweating and putting strain on his muscles, Yahiko began to cry as he furiously swung at the air, exercising the same failed move, upset that his master was unable to yell at him. Unable to correct him. Unable to do anything right now.

He stilled and began taking in deep slow breaths when he felt a hand squeeze his shoulder in a comforting gesture. He lowered the bokken and turned to the owner of the hand, giving him an apologetic smile.

Kenshin took the bokken from Yahiko and replaced it on the rack. He then motioned Yahiko to join him sitting indian style on the floor. Closing his eyes and smoothing out his breathing, he began to meditate. Yahiko did the same.

While deep in a relaxed state, or as relaxed as he could get within those few minutes, he heard the sound of clothing rumple and opened an eye to see Yahiko stand up. He watched as Yahiko headed towards the closet and took out a broom.

"I can't..." Yahiko explained. "I just want to do this instead." Kenshin smiled in understanding and stood up himself.

"That is fine. Sessha appreciates your help, de gozaru. Sessha will just... go do the laundry." He left while Yahiko began to sweep in the farthest corner of the practice hall, at a slow, dejected pace.




The sloshing of water all around his arms and through his hands helped to soothe his troubled mind. He always found some semblance of peace when he did this 'woman's' chore. But, then again, this was him time to think, and thinking never really did any good to his peace...

Megumi had, as a doctor and a friend, told them all to continue their ordinary routines. That it would help them cope, she'd said. Cope. Because time always went on, even when a petal feel from a tree or a baby bird was born or ... a loved one died.

He shook his head. She was not dead. Just very close to it. Megumi had informed them of her state; she was in a coma. And Megumi had no idea when Kaoru would wake from it.

"This is something even the great Battousai is helpless against," she had stated sadly, in a matter of fact tone. Kenshin could only stare at the girl's lifeless form. He couldn't and wouldn't admit it to anyone for fear that they'd despise him, but the moment she had closed her eyes ... making him believe her life's essence had left her body... he had wanted to leave. Leave everything behind. Leave the dojo and all the reminders of her energetic ways.

He stared down at the cloth held in his pruned hands. It was the same one he had started on. He sighed in exasperation and finished it, taking it over to the pole to dry. He returned to the washing bin and took another article of clothing into his hands.

Kenshin finished the laundry and sat on the porch. He listened to the birds and gazed up towards the cloudy sky, the smell of rain in the air. He sighed as a gentle wind swept through, ruffled his hair, and caused goosebumps on his skin. Simple.

Kenshin imagined her sitting next to him, loose strands of hair flying freely in the wind and a rose tint to her cold cheeks. A bright sparkle in her blue eyes and that smile that made his heart flutter. He missed her presence.

He entered Kaoru's room, feeling somewhat intrusive, but came to sit next to her anyway. As he took in her appearance, he silently wished it was him lying there. It should have been him. He closed his eyes....

'Kaoru would be just as bad as you...if you were lying there. If not, worse.'

'Hai...Sessha knows.....de gozaru.'

'It's all your fault, you know.'

'Hai...'

Kenshin slowly and carefully took one of her hands and cradled in between his own. They were so cold. He brought it up to his scarred cheek.

"Kaoru..."



The sky was already dark. Another day come and gone and everything was odd and mechanical. Kenshin made sure every chore was done, out of respect for Kaoru. She was still breathing, Megumi had pointed out that Kaoru wouldn't want to wake up to a rundown dojo. Kenshin had merely nodded and went on to commence in those tasks.

He decided since he was finished with everything else except dinner, that he would go through his basic exercises. It had been awhile since he'd practiced them and it would relieve some stress. As he lost himself in the motion, that day filtered in to his mind out of no where.


It was raining. Always the rain. Did the Gods favor the rain? Or did they do that just to make him miserable?

He felt it, the confident challenging ki mingled with more familiar defensive ones, ones that he had vowed to protect. He could feel the adrenaline start to surge through his body and his hand ached for the feel of his katana.

He arrived without warning and jumped into the air, using his godlike speed, unsheathing his sword and initiating an attack to free her from the enemy's taunting grasp. The attack caught the enemy in the arm and Kaoru rolled away.

"Battousai."

"Iie. I am Himura Kenshin."

"Does it matter?" The guy scoffed. "Once a hitokiri, always a hitokiri. You are one in the same. Born out of bloodlust, you will always crave it and so a fitting end would be to die in a pool of your own blood. Himura. Kenshin," the man spat. "Don't deny your true nature."

"Don't talk to me like you know me," Kenshin warned. His eyes were flickering with pent up rage. The man chuckled.

"Aaa, but I do, dear sweet Kenshin. I do. I remember the look in your eyes, the might of your sword, the warning in your stance, much like you are now. I remember the lives you took from me. And now I am here for vengeance. I have searched for so long and here we are. Once you are dead, I can live AGAIN!"

"Nothing is solved through death..." Kenshin stated but his opponent didn't listen. He didn't want to hear and so no further words would reach him. Soon they were locked in a battle of speed, an unforgivable dance. He was too focused to think about anything or anyone else except this man who wanted his life.

His opponent noticed the arrival of Yahiko and Sano and decided to use them as a distraction. He inched towards them and threw a spare knife their way. Kenshin watched as Sano grabbed Yahiko and they dodged it.

Time stilled when he heard a sharp intake of air and her pained struggled cry. He couldn't believe it. His eyes became pure white and he went into a blind fury. Red hair and magenta blurred together in a rush of speed as the flipped sakabatou sought out it's opponent's flesh and brought him justice. His Kaoru, who had stood in front of him just in time to take the blow herself, lay shivering on the ground.

Abandoning his weapon of destruction, he rushed to her. She blinked back tears and her eyes started to become unfocused. He pulled her to him and began to rock back and forth.

"So bright..." She whispered.

"KAORU...."

Kenshin gently stroked her hair and then slowly stood up. He added another blanket to her bedding and made sure she was securely tucked in. He then took an empty bowl that had held a mixture Megumi had made to feed to Kaoru and walked to the door.

"Sessha is going to make dinner now, Kaoru-dono. He'll be back in a little bit, de gozaru." With one last look at her, he left the silent room and entered the kitchen. Yahiko was waiting there for him.

"Can I help?" The boy looked pensive. Kenshin smiled at him and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Sessha would be most grateful for your help." And with that, a light patter of rain began a symphony on the roof and they began to peel, cut, and cook.