That night Kenshin slept in the same familiar room he had before with Tokie and Kaoru down the hall. Dinner was quiet and simple, so it passed quickly. It was late and the moon shone throw the window onto Kaoru's face making her glow softly as she slept. Tokie was sleeping and shouting out various things in her sleep. Kenshin though was still wide-awake looking up at the ceiling. He kept thinking of the look on Kaoru's face when he found her on the ground, the sound of her scream. Was he doing the right thing by sticking by her side?

The same questions kept repeating themselves in his head until he could take no more. He got up from bed and walked to the kitchen. He grabbed himself a glass and poured himself some warm sake, Tokie wouldn't mind. He opened the side door the garden front deck and sat there taking in the fresh crisp air. He refused to think on the troubling subject anymore, and just enjoy the time he had with Kaoru.

He wondered if she would run away with him to go live in Kyoto, no longer be a geisha and become his forever… The thought of them together made him smile and laugh at himself. He never felt this way about anyone before. Tomorrow he decided that he would devote the entire day to Kaoru because deep in his heart he knew that he would have to leave her soon. As climbed the stairs back to his room he stopped at Kaoru's to check on her. He slowly rolled open the door and she only turned over on her back, sleeping. Kenshin looked at her deep in thought. He wasn't smiling but he wasn't frowning either. His face was just looking upon Kaoru as the most purest and innocent thing he'd ever seen. He knew could use something pure in his life, God knew that he wasn't at all pure or innocent himself.

Then it occurred to him, was he at all fit to be with Kaoru? Was his way of life decent enough to have such a good thing in it? He loved Kaoru, they both knew that, but did he love her enough to leave her forever if it meant protecting her. Kenshin shut the door after taking another last look before retiring to his room where the sake quickly put him to sleep.

The next morning Kenshin woke up with Kaoru bring breakfast into his room smiling at him. When she put everything down she jumped to sit at Kenshin's side and leaned over to kiss him good morning. He was happy to see she was feeling better and thought he should go along with his plans to spend the day with her, but it also quickly reminded him of his last thoughts the night before.

"Morning," she said close to his face and smooched him a second time.

"Morning Kaoru, did you do all this for me?" said Kenshin putting sitting upright as Kaoru passed him the food.

"Well I made some for me and Tokie too. Tokie's actually still sleeping so hers will be cold but its better to let her sleep." Kaoru grabbed the other tray of food and they both started eating pleasantly.

Kenshin just finished his juice when he decided to ask. "Kaoru, do you have any plans today?" His voice was calm and confident but no showing any signs of eagerness.

"Umm, Tokie decided or actually insisted I take some time off work for a couple of more days to let me recover so no I guess I don't," she said.

"Ok then, go have a bath and get dressed we're going into town for the day. I'll be back in a hour I'll just go check up on Sano at the hotel and then I'll come back to pick you up ok?" said Kenshin not giving her much of a choice yet certain that she would say yes.

Kaoru was surprised and delighted that Kenshin was sticking around with her. He got up and gave her a peck on the check and started to the hotel. Kaoru's stomach had butterflies in them. It was forever since she's being taken 'out on the town' before especially by a man. When she heard Kenshin close the door she sprang to her room and grabbed some towels and as she ran by Tokie who had just started breakfast and still looked like she was half asleep she asked, "Tokie can you pick out a nice casual kimono, some hair thing for me? I'm going to town!" She was so excited that she felt like she was about to scream it to the world. Tokie just nodded absent-mindedly and continued on with her breakfast.

After Kaoru had her quickly bath she ran upstairs to her room and saw that Tokie hadn't set anything out yet. But it hardly bothered her she was just too happy. She flung her closet open and looked at each of the kimonos carefully. She finally decided to choose the pale yellow one with a beautiful warm green. Then she went to her hair accessories. She was debating on whether to get a pin or a green ribbon for her hair and decided it was more casual to go with the ribbon. She quickly called Tokie up and got tugged into the silky kimono and she put in the ribbon herself. Finally she was ready in record time, all she had to do was wait for the door to open and slip on her sandals.

Meanwhile Kenshin walked solemnly to Sano's hotel room. When he opened the door Sano was obviously waiting for him sitting in a chair with papers scattered on the desk.

"So any news about Shishio?" asked Kenshin as he pulled up a chair.

"As a matter of fact, it seems our boy is talking about making plans to skip town," said Sano amusingly.

"Ok. Send some men to go all the possible people and places Shishio might look to for help leaving town. Make sure they know not to assist him in anyway," Kenshin said darkly.

"I'll make plans for that. So Kenshin are you and Kaoru uh… you know," said Sano jokingly.

Kenshin went slightly red and his mood eased up, they we're talking about business anymore. "Well Kaoru is, you know, different from the other girls we're used to, and we seem to be getting along great so I just want her to be happy but I don't want to hurt her by getting her mixed up our situation with Shishio."

Sano smiled and knew Kenshin was holding back, " Oh come on Kenshin, I know there's more between you and her then your letting off. Look if you don't want to tell me that's fine. But Kenshin you got to be considering the future, don't lead her on thinking that you'll be having a long lasting relationship if you don't plan to."

"I know, I know. I've been thinking about that too. Its just you know she's just a geisha and I don't want her to get deep in this mess like us," Kenshin sounded more sincere then he ever did in long time, and Sano noticed that too.

"Kenshin, if you love her tell her. Maybe if she'll tell you how she feels too and then you could go from there."

"And what life do I have to offer her? To be a wife to a yakuza boss, just for show like the others?" Kenshin was starting to get hopeless that Kaoru and him could ever have a chance together.

"Kenshin you could drop this whole yakuza stuff whenever you want. Don't forget you have a legitimate shipping company front. You could run the shipping business and go legit," Sano wanted to encourage Kenshin to go ahead with this. He hadn't seen Kenshin this happy over someone in a long time and wasn't about to let him give up on it.

"Sano…"

"Kenshin you know whatever you choose I'll always be behind you. Just don't give up on a good thing. Look I know I'm not the one to talk about relationships with women. We both know the longest time I spend with women is one night stand. But Kenshin you're not like me. You've always being looking for someone to belong with and this girl could finally be the one. Just give it chance, she'll come through for you in the end," and with that Sano got out of the chair and gave Kenshin a pat on the back as he walked out the door to find some breakfast.

Kenshin sat there, thinking of what Sano said. The words, 'You've always being looking for some to belong with…' kept replaying in his head. In his heart he knew it was true. "I'll do it," he said to himself. He got up and headed back to the teahouse. He was going to be with Kaoru, whether it lasted a day or ten years he'd go along for the ride, and if she wanted to grow old with him like he did with her then he would go legit. He knew she was worth it.

When Kenshin got there he was in a much better mood and as he slid open the door Kaoru was walking down the stairs in her perfect silky kimono flowing behind her and her hair tied up with a ribbon and watching it trail behind her. She looked gorgeous; Kenshin was just staring dumbstruck until she asked him where they were going first.

"Umm how about taking a walk through town and see where we land?" he said still wide-eyed.

"Sounds great. So see you later Tokie and tell me how the training went with the girls!" said Kaoru shouting behind her.

"Yeah, yeah just go and have a good time and make sure you bring her back in one piece Himura!" said Tokie from another room. Kenshin just smiled at Kaoru and they closed the door behind them heading into town.

They just walked beside each other talking about various things they thought of, and things they saw on the streets. Kenshin brought her into a small restaurant and they shared a large bowl of fried ice cream, and continued through the town until they came to a grassy field with old large trees and mountains in the distance. They stood there beside each other just looking at the beautiful scenery, Kaoru sighed and Kenshin turned to face her. This was perfect, he thought, ice cream, long talks, scenery, perfect, a simplistic life of luxury he never knew existed. Kaoru saw he turned to her and she turned too.

"Kenshin, thank you for today it… it was nice," her voice was quiet and calming to Kenshin, but it only made him more nervous about what he was going to tell her next.

"Kaoru, I need to tell you something…," he said looking down, little bit of sweat dripped down his face.

Kaoru swallowed, afraid that what was coming next was abandonment.

"Kaoru would you… I mean if I were to let go of my current lifestyle and become legitimate then would you be willing to, you know…" his voice was shaky and uncertain, this was more difficult then he thought.

"Give us a chance?" she said trying to rescue him from embarrassment. He gave her a hopeful look, and she returned with a smile.

"Kenshin, I'm not scared when I'm with you." Kaoru confessed emotions were suddenly bubbling up inside her and she felt like laughing and crying at the same time. "You make me feel strong and weak at the same time, I… I," oh God, she thought, here came those sacred words she always was scared she'd never say. "I love you."

Kenshin then felt the strangest feeling inside, she wanted to be with him no matter what, she… she loved him. Few words know to man could fully express the feeling of love when we hear it for the first time. Kenshin was the richest man, or so he felt, with Kaoru beside him.

He put his hands around her arms and brought her close, "I was hoping you'd say that," he whispered.

Kaoru jumped into him and wrapped her arms around him and held him so close. Kenshin did the same, He rested his chin on her head and closed his eyes tight and just took her, all of it in. He smelled her scent and breathed her in deep. Kaoru hand her cheek pressed to his chest and hands behind his back were holding him closer to her, she didn't want to let go of him. Neither of them let go for a long time until Kaoru looked up to Kenshin who opened his eyes down at her, she jumped up at him and kissed him deeply, he returned the strength of her kiss. Kenshin, like Kaoru, never felt this connected to someone else before, not ever wanting to let go, and thought of not being able to keep the other in their arms only drove them to hold on tighter.

When they finally released each other their holds lighted and Kenshin put his arm around Kaoru's shoulder and she wrapped hers around his lower back. They walked quietly back to the teahouse in pleasing silence.

When Kenshin opened the door for her and he didn't walk in to Kaoru started to get anxious, "Kenshin, aren't you coming in?" She got hold of his hand and tried to pull him in. "Kenshin come on. Please come, Kenshin please don't go…" she started to cry when the look on his face was full of regret for leaving her but also determined to finish what he started.

"Kaoru, I want you to stay here. Go help the younger geishas entertain and tonight I'm going to finish this vendetta with Shishio." Kaoru opened her mouth but Kenshin cut her off. "Please don't try to talk me out of this because it has to be done. Kaoru after this then I'll give up this way of life. I promise I'll be safe. Here hold this for me until I come back," he gave her a small coin on a string around his neck. On it there was some kind of inscription.

When he handed it to her, she became very quiet and held it in her hands. "What does it say?" she asked.

"It says 'Everlasting peace is paradise'. Kaoru, you're the most important thing to me now. Please just stay and be safe," he put his hands around her arms.

"Kenshin you better come back for this. I'll go help Tokie and the others tonight. When the guests leave I'd better see you at that door," she said seriously and on the brink of tears.

Kenshin smiled at her and started walking to the hotel to get the plans and Sano. Kaoru looked after him and the tears came and she closed the door slowly as she sobbed clutching the coin in her hands and holding it close to her heart.