"Kaoru don't go now. They can wait can't they?"

Kaoru giggled at Kenshin's adorable attempts to keep her in his arms all snuggled up in their futon.

"No Kenshin," she playfully threw his arms off her body. "There's going to be this big party in celebration of the teahouse's anniversary and its going to start in few hours. I should have been there by now to help set up everything."

Kenshin groaned and finally gave up trying to keep her beside him. He curled up on the futon and smiled amused. Kaoru sat up and wrapped a thin black robe around herself and was rushing about the room calling maids to start getting her bath and clothes ready for her.

"OK everything's being taken care of," she looked around and her eyes twinkled at the sight of Kenshin curled up into a ball with his red locks about his face. She quietly walked over to him and knelt down beside him.

"Kenshin?"

"Hmm?" he said without moving.

"Don't forget to drop by the teahouse later. I'm going to go get ready now, bye," she leaned over and kissed him gently on the check with the cross-shaped scar.

Kenshin smiled at the touch of her lips. Kaoru got up and was just slid the door open when Kenshin sighed lazily, "I wish you could stay."

Kaoru glowed at this, "Me too. Love you," and with that she left the room in peace.

After a quickly bath the maids quickly wrapped Kaoru in layers of silks and choose a beautiful kimono of deep violet with designs of wild orchids in various shades of pink. They tied up Kaoru's hair just the way she liked it; with her lucky purple ribbon and applied a small amount of makeup to polish her off.

"There you go Miss," said one of the maids handing Kaoru a mirror.

She held the glass up and was quite pleased, "Thank you everyone. Now I'll be off, oh and try your best to make sure Kenshin gets to the teahouse soon."

"Yes Miss," said the maids in unison.

Kaoru walked outside to the gates where she was greeted by a horse drawn carriage that was to escort her.

The carriage trotted off and she looked outside to the cloudless sky with a gentle spring breeze cooling everyone off. Today would be wonderful. How couldn't it be? The two great passions of her life were going to be with her today celebrating. In the back of her head Kaoru thought she wouldn't just be celebrating the teahouse but also a new and fresh chapter in her relationship with Kenshin. As a matter of fact they were also coming upon their own anniversary in a week or two. Kaoru smiled out into the world, everything seemed like from then on it would all be OK.

After a short while the carriage stopped and the driver stepped down to open the door for Kaoru. She walked with butterflies in her stomach to the front door of the teahouse; she stopped in front of it and took in a breath to calm herself. This was it, where all of her hard work and sacrifices would pay off. She closed her eyes and laid her hand on the door when she heard someone shout to her.

"Kaoru!" cried Tokie.

"Tokie! Hurry," said Kaoru beaming.

Tokie gave Kaoru a motherly hug, "I'm so proud of you. Look what you did for yourself. Nothing should spoil this day."

"Oh Tokie, you help me more than anyone with this teahouse. You deserve as much as the credit as I do."

Tokie smiled back at her young friend until she realized something, "Kaoru dear, where is Himura?"

Kaoru looked bewildered for a moment wondering why Tokie was concerned where Kenshin was but answered her anyway, "Kenshin? Oh don't worry about him Tokie he'll be coming later."

Kaoru leaned close enough to add a whisper, "I think me and Kenshin will be OK now." Kaoru straightened up, "He said he'll be coming later."

Tokie smiled widely, "Later eh? Well Kaoru make sure when he comes that you look your best."

Kaoru was confused, "What? Why?"

Tokie spoke trying to sound modest, "Kaoru can't you figure it out? Today is a big day for you and you and Kenshin have been together almost a year, he said he'll join you later…" Tokie wiggled her eyebrow suggestively.

"I'm not catching on," said Kaoru slowly.

"He's going to propose Kaoru!" squealed Tokie excitedly.

Kaoru blushed, "Tokie! You can't be serious."

Tokie only smiled ear to ear as Kaoru finally opened the door and walked down the front hall that was drowning in celebration decorations.

Kaoru still couldn't believe Tokie's theory. It was ridiculous…or was it that farfetched?

"Kenshin and I have been together for a while now but marriage, Tokie I don't- AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

Tokie and Kaoru cried in terror and tripped down to the floor trying to back away. They gazed at the main room with decorations in disarray and the elegance of the room sprayed with fresh crimson blood and the party guests and maids lay on the floor with looks of fright still on their faces oozing blood onto the wooden floors.

Kaoru quickly helped Tokie up shrieking out her commands to the old woman, "Tokie! Quickly get up! Come on! To the door!"

They ran as quick as their shaking legs would let them and they flung open the door but something quickly jerked Kaoru back.

She gave a yelp as her ponytail was pulled back before she could set foot outside. Kaoru fell to the ground, tears running down her face. Tokie looked back to Kaoru but was pushed and pinned against the wall.

"Going so soon Miss Himura?" said a smooth voice.

Kaoru looked up from her tears to the one holding her hair, "Miss Himura?"

"Oh excuse me, Miss Kamiya," corrected the voice slyly.

"Who are you? Why have you done this?" demanded Kaoru, yelling violently until the owner of the voice yanked her hair.

"Please excuse my manners Miss Kamiya. But I do believe that your hus- current companion knows me and my former master." There was a long pause but the voice slowly grew in anger. "I am Seta Soujiro, my master was Makoto Shishio. I daresay you knew him well Miss Kamiya!"

"Shishio…"whispered Kaoru. The memories of Tokyo returned to Kaoru. Kenshin was part of the mafia that rivaled Makoto Shishio's.

Soujiro stepped more into the light and lifted Kaoru to face him and spoke, "I was the student of Shishio's when you and Himura murdered him. You had no idea what kind of pain that gave me to be without a master for all that time. Soon after his death I learned that in his will Shishio appointed me to take over as leader and I slowly brought each disbanded member back. And now I'm here for Himura's blood and sword. The same sword that killed my master! And I will use it to kill Himura."

Kaoru sobbed at hearing such horrifying words. How could such a young looking man, no older than his teens be so bloodthirsty? How could any man possibly stand up for evil like Shishio? Kaoru fell to her knees once more and Soujiro released her hair.

"Send the old woman out to send Himura the good news," ordered Soujiro to the thug that was holding Tokie to the wall. Soujiro looked to Tokie who was trying to hold back tears, "Tell Himura that we'll be waiting for him right here. Now go."

The thug thrust Tokie out onto the stone street where she slowly got up at her old age and limped as fast as she could to the Himura residence.