Kenshin walked for what, to him, seemed like an eternity before he even thought of which direction he was supposed to go. Finally he was able to mentally slap himself out of his daze and take a look at his surroundings. He was on the right road. It would be a while before he reached the dojo that Sakaki-san owned but it would not be time wasted hopefully. He did not want to fight that man, and he was sure that he already knew more than he wanted him to know. Perhaps, he thought, he might even know about Tomoe. Kenshin shook his head. No one but and Katsura had known about the demise of she whom he had held in highest regard, and Katsura would never give out that information. And besides, Kogoro Katsura was long dead by now. His heart began to beat faster as he got closer and closer to the man who had been cowardly enough to hire an assassin to do his dirty work and he laughed at the grim irony of it. That only twelve years after the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate the most feared assassin of that time found that others hiring assassins was cowardly. Kenshin shook his head to clear it of all these thoughts, the past was irrelevant and he went to make peace in hopes for a better future.

Finally he stepped over the thresh hold of the dojo and he stopped for a moment to gather what courage he could. Taking a deep breath he started at a brisk pace toward the large living part that was used for daily work and what not. He knocked on the doors and waited for them to be opened. He was surprised to see that the one who answered the door was Sakaki himself. The man looked down his nose at him, almost not appearing shocked.

"Himura-san." He acknowledged tightly. Kenshin nodded and bowed.

"This one has not come to pick a fight Sakaki-san, I wish only to make peace and resolve this before it gets out of hand." He told him.

"Do you remember a woman Battosai? One with midnight hair and pale skin...her scent that of white plums?" Kenshin's eyes widened and he fell back a step. How had he known?

"So, this description means something to you eh?" Kenshin was afraid to tell this man that it was the truth and so he did nothing, not wanting to lie either.

"Is she the one Battosai killed? Is she the one closest to your heart? Perhaps the name of this woman will ring a bell, Tomoe Yukishiro." Kenshin's fears had been proved correct, this man did know, but how?

"Surely others must know...but whom? There can't be that many. For instance, Kaoru...surely she knows. Kenshin grimaced.

"Ah...so she doesn't know. How about your other friends hmm? Do they?" Kenshin didn't answer. He didn't understand where the conversation was going, did he mean to use the information to hurt him in some way? If Kaoru found out she would be devastated, he knew that despite his shortcomings she idolized him as though he was some god. But that didn't really matter, or did it? He didn't really want her to know, not now, during this stage in his life. What would happed if she were to find out about Tomoe? All these questions, and by this time his mind was reeling in circles. He raised his eyes to meet those of the man who had such a grudge on him, his violet met the muddy brown of the other man and they seemed to create sparks, their auras colliding and fighting one another.

"As this one has already informed Sakaki-san, I have come here only to make peace, and if a fight is what you want absolutely, then this one asks only that you come and not someone else. There is no honor in one not owning up to their own grudges." He told the other man. His eyes narrowed at Kenshin and he stepped forward, grabbing him by the collar and dragging him halfway off the ground. Kenshin held stone still, not blinking.

"I will kill you...that assassin was just a test." He hissed. "Now I know your true strength, and it is nothing." He threw Kenshin to the ground and he twisted his weight so that he would land without hurting himself in major proportions. He brushed himself off and stood, his eyes never leaving the now empty doorway. So there was no avoiding a violent confrontation. He sighed in frustration at it all. Why couldn't he live just a normal life? He already knew the answer to that. He had given up that right long ago when he had decided that he would take up a sword to fight for his ideals, placing them on the edge of a sword and forcing them through people that they might be attained and practiced in his cold and unforgiving world. But few of them had come to pass, and those that had were often practiced wrong. He had given in even more of his freedoms to be treated as a normal human being once he had become Rurouni...even as one of those he had not been able to lay down his sword. This was his fate, as had been decided for him when he had first emerged into the world and he was weighed upon heavily. But he was strong and the weak need the strong to defend them and fight their wars. That was his destiny. He headed back for the dojo. He would keep a long vigil that night.

It had been hours since Kenshin had returned to the dojo, in a darker mood than ever. He had done nothing but stare out the window the whole time and it was making her agitated. Megumi and Sanosuke had come back into their company an hour after his return, and Megumi, too, watched the man with relative unease. Sano seemed to be annoyed more than anything. He sat there chewing on a fishbone and watching him, his brows drawn down. Finally he got up and stormed over to Kenshin, smacking him over the head with his fist.

"Oro?" Kenshin said, rubbing his now smarting head.

"Snap out of it you lout!" He yelled at him. "Can't ya see you're making the women nervous?" He asked indicating Kaoru and Megumi. They both "hmphed." Kenshin's smile was grim as he looked up at his big friend and it made her even more agitated. She couldn't stand it anymore, and once everyone had gone to bed, she decided that she would confront him. She had a right to know what was bothering him. They had known each other for long enough that they should e able to communicate to at least that extent. She turned her eyes back to Kenshin with a new resolve.

Kaoru didn't have to wait very long before the others announced their departures into bed and she and Kenshin were left alone.

"Aren't you going to bed Kenshin?" She asked him quietly.

"In a little while." He answered. She couldn't see his face because of the shadow that covered it. "You should go to bed Kaoru-dono. This one will be up late." She scowled and walked purposely over to her redheaded companion. He looked up as she sat beside him.

"Kenshin...you know I never ask you any questions, or at least rarely, but what's wrong with you?" She burst out.

"This one is just...sad." He told her. He seemed to have been searching for a word to use.

"Sad about what?" She asked, her concern piqued.

"That this one will never receive forgiveness for all the things that were done. Sakaki-san has threatened this one's life to his face and now I know that I will have to fight him. I am so tired Kaoru-dono, so very tired of always having to fight to get a point across or to achieve some sort of forgiveness."

"Kenshin..."

"This one will lay down his life in this fight, so...I am sorry...Kaoru." He told her. Her eyes widened. He had called her by her name...and her name only.

"No. K-Kenshin, you can't!" She cried, latching onto him. His body went rigid with surprise.

"Kaoru-dono, this one has no choice."

"Oh stop that!" She yelled.

"Stop what?" He asked, distraught.

"You called me Kaoru only a few seconds ago and now you're back to 'Kaoru-dono.' Well stop it!" She yelled. "We've known each other for two years now and we should be able to share our feelings with one another, but we don't, and you should be able to call me by my first name but you don't! It's time that this stopped!" She was panting, trying to catch her breath and calm her fast beating heart. She could see something in his lilac eyes...but she wasn't sure what it was. She waited for a few moments, but his staring did not cease.

"Kenshin?" She asked hesitantly. She wasn't sure whether she liked that look or not. Then he leaned in closer. She wasn't quite sure what was happening, and she started to blush furiously, leaning back slightly. He was closing the distance, and she felt the heat of her face and was sure that it was emanating out to him as well. Suddenly, he stopped, his eyes narrowed and he drew away, looking out the window.

"He is coming." He told her quietly.

"Sakaki-san?"

"Hai." He stood and went to the door, sliding it opened. Kaoru jumped, Sakaki already stood there, towering over Kenshin like a giant. Before Kaoru could blink Sakaki had unsheathed his sword and steel rang on steel as Kenshin half unsheathed the sakabatou.

Kenshin stared like steel into the eyes of the other man. He had not announced his intentions, but Kenshin had known. The anger in his chi had given him away.

"Sakaki-san...perhaps it would be best if Kaoru did not see." He said. The other man smirked.

"I think it would be wonderful if she watched the demise of the Battosai." He told him. His eyes hardened further.

"Sakaki-san." Kaoru said. They both looked. Kenshin with a little apprehension. He had almost kissed her, and that was strange to him, he had no right to touch her.

"Step away Kamiya-san. This is between me and the Battosai." He turned his eyes to meet Kenshin's once more. "I'm sure the Battosai would agree that we do not want innocents getting involved." Kenshin's eyes narrowed more than they originally had been, if that was possible.

"What exactly are you talking about?" He hissed.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." He said, then his eyes narrowed and he smirked.

"What is he talking about Kenshin?" Kenshin winced. This couldn't be happening.

"Aren't you going to tell her Battosai?" Kenshin squeezed his eyes shut.

"Shut up." He told the other man venomously. Sakaki moved suddenly and quickly, and Kenshin almost didn't catch the movement. He just managed to block the wakizashi and it grazed his side, biting into his skin mercilessly. He winced and stepped back while continuing in his block and swinging out, breaking the swords apart from one another and then into a long slash. Sakaki blocked without hesitation, following through with a slash not unlike Kenshin's own. Kenshin caught the blade on his turning until it was flat and then catching it between his hands. The other man growled in anger and moved quickly slashing up and across with speed that Kenshin could barely follow. He stepped back just in time to be grazed once more, this time the man caught his throat, causing some blood to pill where the cut was.

"Kenshin!"

"Kaoru-dono, please go!" He called. He blocked a few more thrusts and slashes with some ease but then he had to dodge again. The other man was just coming too quickly for Kenshin at the moment. He wished he could stop and take a look at the situation, but he couldn't. Sakaki wasn't letting up.

"Kaoru...please...go!" He panted. Then suddenly she was there and he almost didn't see her, but she had her bokken up and she smacked the sword from Sakaki's hand. Kenshin gapped.

Disclaimer: None of the characters in this story belong to me except for Sakaki-san and the assassin. If you wish to use any of these characters please ask me. All rights reserved to Nobuhiro Watsuki and Jump comics.

Solowren: Thanks...It's nice to know that someone loves my story...because at the moment I hate it and I wish my talent would start ticking again. I think my muse took a vacation. pouts

TrigunChic: How wonderfully morbid of you.