Kalru's point of view

I ran into Kenshin's arms. I'm not sure what came over me, but I just wanted to be in his arms. He must have been shocked because he just stood there. Just as I was starting to get embarrassed, I felt his arms wrap around me. A sigh escaped my lips and I snuggled further into his embrace. I'm not sure how long we stood there but at that moment I didn't care.

Finally Kenshin broke the silence by saying, "Miss Kalru we should probably be heading back to the dojo. I'm sure Yahiko and the others are very worried by now."

I took in one last deep breath. He smelled wonderful. I have nothing I could compare it to. It just smelled like…Kenshin. Safe and warm. Love was defiantly in there, I'm just not sure what kind. After today I am defiantly going to find out. I can't stand not knowing anymore. I slowly released my grip and nodded. "Yes Yahiko is probably imagining the worst by this time."

Kenshin smiled one of his adorable Rurouni smiles and led the way back to get our stuff.

Yahiko's point of view

"I swear if Kenshin and Kalru aren't dead I'm going to kill them." I said speaking to Sano.

"Your heads getting too big again you couldn't kill them in a hundred years, with Kenshin blindfolded. You should know that by now. Besides I'm sure they have a perfectly good explanation for why they didn't come home last night," Sano said with an evil grin.

Then I snapped. How dare he say I was getting a big head again. I had learned the hard way to never do that. All my frustration I had been fighting to control over the few years went into hitting Sano, on the head as hard as I could with my boken. The next thing I knew Sano was lying on the ground with stars circling his head. For a moment I was in complete shock. I'd never before been able to hurt Sano, then I was ecstatic. I started jumping around shoving my fist in the air. By this time Sano was starting to come around.

"Jezz, Yahiko could you have hit me a little harder. You know I was just joking around. Why the hell did you do that?"

"Maybe you should learn to keep your mouth shut and I wouldn't have to show you what I can do," I retorted back. I was trying not to act too excited about knocking him out, but to me it was a big deal. It meant I was really improving on my skills. In my mind I was silently throwing a party for myself.

Kenshin's Point of view

"Boy, it sure is nice to be back in town." Kalru said as we entered Tokyo.

"Yes it is Miss Kalru." I said. we would never of had to leave if it wasn't for me. I would always be fighting.

"I missed being around here. A wile ago I would have loved nothing more then to leave and never come back. It's hard to believe that after only a few days I would miss it so much."

I just nodded my head to this. It was my fault for making her leave. She would be so much better off without me. Why did I always have to screw things up for people. And on top of that now I had feelings for her. There were a lot of different feelings in mixed up in there. Love was defiantly a predominant feeling. The kind of love that it was, was what scared me the most. I didn't love Kalru the way a brother would, I loved Kalru the way I had loved Tomo only more. Tomo had been a calming presence in my life when it was in chaos; she cared for me when no one else did. For that I will always love and cherish her. Kalru is my joy, she brings out the part of me that I wish was my only part. She makes me forget about all the bad things of my past, or about how corrupt the world is, or any of the other bad things of this life. When I'm with her everything is perfect. I didn't want to love Kalru like this. The last time I had loved like this she was ripped away from me. I'd gone through it once; I couldn't live through it again. I cant' live without Kalru. She is my life. Her saying my name brought me out of my brooding.

"Kenshin we're home"

"I nodded and opened the door. The cite in front of me was most unexpected. Yahiko was doing a victory dance e and Sano was lying on the ground. This was defiantly the right place. Always something unexpected happening at the Kamiya Dogo.

Back in Kyoto Misao's point of view

"Gramps I'm board. I haven't left Kyoto in forever. There's nothing exciting around here." I complained to Okina.

"Maybe you should find something to do then. You're old enough to be able to entertain yourself."

Grumbling to myself I walked out the kitchen and into the back yard. What I found back there completely shocked me. Aoshi was practicing with his codachi's. As far as I knew he hadn't even taken them out since he came home from fighting Himura. What would cause him to do this now? After such a long time.

"As soon as I walked in Aoshi mush have known my presence, because he was already putting them away.

"I'm sorry to bother you, don't stop because of me. I will leave please continue," I said turning to go back into the Aoia.

"Its ok Misao I was finished. You can stay."

I turned back and nodded. Things with Aoshi and I weren't going anywhere and it was starting to make me feel uncomfortable around him. A question popped into my head so I asked, "Lord Aoshi I mean Aoshi sama why after so long are you now practicing again." I stumbled past his name because lately he had been telling me he wasn't lord Aoshi anymore. It was something that was going to take a wile to get used to.

"I can not afford to let my skills get rusty anymore." He said simply. This was defiantly news to me since last I had heard he was never going to fight again. I wanted to find out but I didn't want to press the matter.

"Hey gramps do you know what's going on with Lord Aoshi,"
I asked later that day.

"What do you mean Misao?"

"This morning I caught Aoshi practicing, and when I asked him about it he said he couldn't let his skills get rusty anymore."

"He has accepted the role of Leader once again. He needs to be able to fight." He replied back to me.

This was awesome news to me. It meant Aoshi might be doing better emotionally. This was good because for a wile I was afraid all that was left of my Aoshi was his body. I was afraid his spirit might have been too broken to fix. I ran off before I responded to Okina.

Aoshi's point of view

I felt Misao's presence jump even from my position outside. She must have found out about me taking the leader position once again. Suddenly her presence was racing in my direction.

Then before I could do anything to stop her she had me in a tight hug, her arms thrown around my waist. I couldn't help but bend down and put my arms around her to rest on her back. She felt wonderful in my arms.

This was the reason I had distanced myself from her. When I came back I couldn't help but notice the fact that she was no longer a child. My heart had almost immediately been attracted to her. My mind had told me no. I didn't deserve someone so wonderful. Misao deserved someone as special as she is. This was why I had distanced her along with everyone else. They all didn't deserve to have to deal with me. I would have left them alone and slowly wallowed away to nothingness.

If it hadn't been for…

Flashback 3rd person point of view

Aoshi came back to the Aoia late that night as always. He made sure to so he could avoid all the people, and not bother anyone. It was already time for bed, and he did so quietly. It took him quite a long time to get to sleep, as always, but eventually did so. His dream (if you could call it that) was quite unusual. Honnya came to help Aoshi settle some things wrong in his life.

"Lord Aoshi you must not blame yourself any longer for the things that have happened in your past."

"But they were my fault. I can never be forgiven for these things."

"No, you will do as I say this one time. You will no longer blame yourself for these things. This also means to take your rightful position as our leader."

"I could never do that. I have done so many horrible things. I'm lucky they will even live in the same place as me, much less go under my command."

"They will accept you as their leader. You must lead them. You are the right person for the position."

Aoshi let his head fall and stared at the floor. He nodded ever so slightly.

"Oh and one little bit of advice," Honnya said with a smile, "Follow your heart."

(End flashback)

Aoshi's point of view

I suddenly came back to the present. Misao was still in my arms. I didn't want to move away, but I knew I had to. I could never go down the path my heart was trying to lead me. I slowly pulled away from her, so I wouldn't upset her. I didn't know what to do so I decided to play stupid. "What is wrong Misao?"

"Your finally took it back. I'm so happy. I just can't believe it. It was a little sudden but I'm so glad for it…" and on she went. I sat down and waited for her to finish. I didn't mind how much she talked. It was comforting. It gave me a release from everything. Misao is my release. She is the only person that can save me.

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