Chapter 27: It's Only One Day After All
Kaoru began to shake with uncontrollable sobs, her whole body quivering with her uncontainable weeping. She clung tightly onto the man she loved with all her being as if just holding tight onto him would be enough to keep him next to her forever. Her heart 't accept what was happening. It refused to acknowledge this, refused to allow it. Her whole body was in denial.

"Why do you have to go, Kenshin?! There's so many other men out there. Why can't they just leave you alone?!" Kaoru cried, her voice rough from all her sobs.

Kenshin took in one long slow breath and hid his eyes from her view under his long red bangs. Kaoru had never seen him looking so aged and weary before and the sight of it only increased her shivering. His lips slowly parted to explain, even though he wanted to listen to her words and just stay here. "It is because I am the only one skilled enough to do it...I must train them...As much as I have grown to hate war, I'm afraid that if I don't get involved this time the consequences would be greater." Kenshin stated wearily.

Kaoru's sadness began to turn into anger, her frustration building as she remembered all those other times that Kenshin had been torn away from her. She couldn't stand it anymore....she couldn't take it...she wouldn't take this. "Damn it, Kenshin! Why do you always have to be so righteous?! Why can't you just be selfish sometimes?! Why.....why do you always have to be the hero..." she yelled her angry screams quieting as her sadness overwhelmed her again. There was no changing Kenshin and she knew it. He would always be the same honorable person. He was just too good of a person.

Kenshin's jaw clenched as he fought back the rise of emotion in his body. Kaoru was taking it worse than he thought and it was tearing him apart to watch her in so much agony over him, but he didn't know any other way. "It's because...Kaoru...before I wasn't the hero....I wasn't the one saving lives...I was the one taking them...I was the one causing all the pain...Ever since that moment that blood first stained my blade I was good as making a vow to give myself to the people to make up for that mistake. I know that I ask a lot of you when I ask you to be strong for me and to wait for me through all these hard times, but I need you to hold on for me. You and Kenji and the others, you're the ones I care about and the ones I love. And it's for you Kaoru, that I will try my hardest to return to after all this is through with."

Kaoru only clung tighter to him, unable to think of anything else to say. Finally her lips opened and asked reluctantly, "...when..."

Kenshin was silent for a moment. "I need to be leaving before sunset." His hands tangled in her hair and brushed away her rapidly growing tears.

Kaoru nodded and tried her best to put a smile on her face. She knew that Kenshin had always loved her and would be always be faithful to his word. There was just no changing a man like him, and that's what she loved so dearly about him.

"Kenji will miss you.." she whispered, as the afterglow of her tears showed clearly on her face. "You should go say goodbye to him too. He should be awakening about now anyway."

Kenshin nodded and slowly parted from the embrace that he had held so tightly with Kaoru. Leaving his son was a doubly hard ordeal for him. Kenji wouldn't understand and Kenshin didn't think he could bear it if he was never able to see his son grow up. If Kenshin died he would be just a faint memory for his son. 'That is why I must try my best to stay alive. So that I can be there for Kenji...and the baby that is still yet to come. To be here with Kaoru, to raise our children together, to find that bit of peace and happiness, to be with them is all I dream for.'

They both quietly entered the room where Kenji had been peacefully taking his nap. The little boy was still asleep, his light red hair tumbled over his face being gently blown by his slumbered breaths. He looked so small and fragile there curled up against himself. Kenshin's hand went out to gently brush his cheek, a cheek smooth without any scars at all. The little boy stirred in his sleep, unaware of the father that was leaving him.

"I think we should let him sleep. He wouldn't understand anyway and...I think it's better like this." Kenshin said softly. His eyes were filled with a deep regret and Kaoru could see just how much this was hurting him. Somewhere in all her sadness a slight hope began to build and she could see through all this darkness. She turned to Kenshin her eyes just a little brighter.

"Kenshin...." she began grabbing onto his hand and squeezing his hand lightly, "...I don't want you to ever go away....I don't want you to leave...and I would rather that you stayed here forever...but I know I can't hold onto you forever...and even though this has been the saddest day that I can remember I know that it is only one day...This day will end and another will come...somehow I know you're going to make it back to me...You always have made it back to me somehow and I won't give up hope now just because the day seems a little dark. I just have to wait a little while....and another one will come...and as the days pass my love for you won't fade and this hope in my heart won't die...because I know that you will one day come back to me and we will be together again. And even if I break down into tears every night...and even if it turns into years...I will always be here waiting...I will raise Kenji, our son, and our child yet to come...I will raise them thinking of you...and when you return...in months or years....we will once again be a family and nothing....nothing will ever tear us apart...that is what gives me the hope...the will....the faith...to go on....I am going to live for you, Kenshin Himura, as your wife, as your love, and as your friend, nothing will ever make me leave your side...not anything in the world."

Kenshin's eyes widened slightly and a soft smile broke out on his face. He watched as Kaoru smiled back at him even as the tears were flowing down her face. She was smiling through her pain, telling that she believed in him....no matter what. Kenshin felt his heart become a bit lighter and the day was already looking a bit brighter. It was just as she said anyway. This was only one day, another one come to follow. Kenshin wasn't going to give up just because this day seemed too unbearable...because he knew that in the future Kaoru and him would be together....forever.

THE END
HEY! People don't freak out on me. This is just the FIRST story. There is a SEQUEL. So put me on your author alert list so you'll know when I get it put up. It should be up really soon because I'm really into writing this story. I love all you guys who reviewed over the many months I've been writing this and I really appreciate those who've stuck with it even though it took me forever to update. ::is getting really emotional:: Just to let you all know what kind of wimp I am, I nearly cried writing this chapter. I had this really great song I was listening to while I was writing it. It's called "Before the Dawn" and it's a background song for .hacksign. It was on the OST1 cd, so if you have you know what I mean. It goes perfectly with this chapter...and the last one.

Also about the SEQUEL -- (does this because people don't usually read author's notes and this is important): It will probably a lot more sad than the this one. This I consider the happy beginning, and you know that the end can't come without the saddness. If my plan works out, there will be three stories, the second one being about Kenshin being away from war, and the third hopefully about his return. This is all very loose and subject to change because I haven't actually written it yet and even I am not sure how this is going to turn out. I have two possible conclusions for this loooong story and I haven't decided which one will be it. But please stick with me!