A/N: since everyone who reviewed asked me to continue, i did so. i hope u all enjoy this and i put something well.... unexpected in, further complicated a simple ficcie..... oh, the headaches i give myself..... -sigh-
don't own
Part II
Kaoru's POV
I can't believe he actually left. It's been about four month since he left me here. No word from him either. I'm really sick of it. I've pestered Saito and the others at the station so much, I think that they're ready to murder me. Not only that........ I never got to tell him something I found out after he left. Damn, it's been hard without him. Yahiko has helped as much as one sixteen year old boy could.
Megumi had offered to stay at the dojo, but she now had a child to take care of in addition to her duties at the clinic. Tae sends over as much free food as her paycheck will allow and I feel bad about it, but I can no longer teach lessons and Yahiko can hardly find free time to work at the Akabeko between helping out and taking care of us both.
For the millionth time in these hard months, the tears started. And I knew they wouldn't stop as I sank into the warmth of my futon. I would cry myself to sleep like I had so many nights before.
Yahiko's POV
I watched my teacher start crying as she prepared for bed the best she could. I knew she hated making me do a whole bunch of stuff and I knew that it was hard on her. I wish I could do more, actually. I see the pain in her eyes every time I look at her. She tries to hide, she really does. But it's so hard to miss when it's so obvious.
I left her sleeping and went to the clinic. Megumi should still be up. I walked in to find her sitting in a chair and rocking her newborn.
"Yahiko-kun," she said, surprise etched in her features, "What're you doing here?"
"Kaoru. She's been a lot more emotional and I was wondering if you could come have a look at her. She's been really depressed, and that's normal, but......." I let my sentence trail off as soon as I was sure she got my drift.
"I understand. Just let me go get Sano," she said without question.
"Thanks," I gave her a grin before turning and waiting for her outside. She came back about five minutes later, looking tired.
"Let's go," she said.
"I'm sorry to bother you this late, but she's been getting worse with every letter she doesn't get....." I sighed and walked beside her, feeling sorry for Kaoru and angry at Kenshin for put her through it.
Megumi's POV
I really didn't want to leave the clinic. I was so tired. All I wanted to do was crawl into my futon and be in the arms of my husband........ But Kaoru-chan. I feel so bad for her. She's had it rough ever since he left and she's written off about a million letters, only to have no responses come. She's also gone down to the station so much I think she's on first name basis with all the cops.......
"Yahiko-kun," I yawned, "How has she been up until tonight?"
"Not to bad, she was better when she could still train though. I think it helped work out her stress somewhat," he answered with a yawn of his own. I swear yawning is contagious.
"Well, if she were to continue that she would overexert herself and that could have terrible consequences....." I sighed.
"Yeah, I know. She told me about it. I've been trying to teach all her classes to keep the money coming in, but I'm just nowhere near as good as she is," he shook his head in defeat.
"It's alright, Yahiko-kun, it'll get better. This is just the dark before the light, ne?" I tried to cheer him up as the dojo's gate came into view. What I saw shocked me. The gate was open. Wide open. I heard an intake of breath next to me, making to form a gasp. I turned to him, my face just as shocked as his was.
"Yahiko-kun....." I managed to utter, "Did you leave the gate open?"
"N-no....." he stuttered out. He ran ahead of me into the dojo, screaming Kaoru's name.
"KAORU?!" he yelled, looking around, not finding her anywhere. I went straight to her room. There were obvious signs of struggle and it killed me to think of where she might be.
"Yahiko, we have to go to Saito, tell him what happened."
Kaoru's POV
"Ooohhh," I moaned, rolling over onto my back, my hands going to my stomach in a protective manner.
"So, you're awake," a voice said. I froze. I knew that voice.
"Why?" I managed to say.
"What else? You didn't think I would leave you alone as soon as I recovered and escaped?" he laughed evilly.
"Enishi....... please........ Kenshin's gone. He isn't here. It's only me and Yahiko living at the dojo......" I tried desperately.
"What?! He LEFT you?" he asked, clearly confused.
"Hai......." I fought back my tears as he came over and helped me up.
"Why?"
"War in Aizu...... he's been gone for four months....." I answered weakly, holding my stomach.
"Oh.... and holy Christ. You...... you're pregnant....?" he observed.
"Brilliant Holmes," I congratulated him.
"Oh, damn, I'm sorry....." he apologized, but why he was doing it I had no idea.
"Why are you apologizing if you're still going after Kenshin?"
"I don't hate you. Just him, I think of you as someone close to me....... I would never want to hurt you," he explained.
"Well, every time you go after Kenshin, you hurt me!" I cried, hormones getting the best of me.
"I'm sorry......." he apologized again.
Kenshin's POV
I was really looking forward to going home and seeing Kaoru again. I missed her. I regretted leaving her the way I did, but I really didn't have a choice. But I'm coming back. I can't wait to see her face light up with emotion as I come back and snuggle into the futon with her.
The dojo was coming into my sight and my smile got wider just before it feel. The gate was open......
"Hello?" I called into the dojo, coming in.
"Kenshin!!!" Yahiko yelled coming out, worry apparent on his tired face.
"What?" I asked anxiously.
"It's Kaoru........" he started, "She's gone!!"
"WHAT?!"
"We don't know! I just went to get Megumi after she'd gone to bed and we came back to find the dojo in shambles, the gate open and Kaoru's room...... Kenshin, there's signs of struggle and there's some blood...." he finished.
I didn't give a response, but rushed to our room. Megumi was there, sitting, looking at everything, trying to piece together what had happened.
"Ken-san!" she said, surprised when she saw me, "I..... I don't know who...... or how this happened....... and it's not like she could defend herself," she whispered.
"What? Why couldn't she defend herself?" I asked, suspiciously.
"That doesn't matter right now, all that matters is finding her!" she said, standing up, "Saito's on his way with a patrol squad."
"WHAT?!" I asked, in shock. First my wife is not home when I return and then I hear that one of the people I hate the most is helping find her.
"Look, Kenshin," she said sternly, "I didn't want to bring him into this anymore than you did, but odds are he can help. She's been missing for about two hours now. Yahiko-kun said she went to bed and he came to get me and when we got back, she was gone."
Enishi's POV
I didn't want to hurt her. I wasn't going to either. But damn! All I did was hurt her. I really like her, too.
"Kaoru, I promise I'll bring you back to your dojo," I swore as she closed her eyes tight.
"I..... just take me home so I can wallow in my sorrow alone, please," she begged, tears forming in her eyes, "The odds of Kenshin being alive and not receiving ANY of my letters is very slim........."
"Kaoru...." I whispered, sorry for the fine young lady in front of me. I picked her up and kept my promise. I started off towards her dojo.
"Enishi..... onegai, don't come after us again. He's finally put his past behind him and agreed to be happy, please, don't ruin that for us," she pleaded with me.
"I..... I promise, Kaoru...." I said, securing my hold on her.
"A..... arigatou......" she thanked before passing out. I gasped. I looked down to make sure that it wasn't anything serious. It wasn't. I sighed and continued the trek to her dojo.
Kenshin's POV
We left the dojo and were headed towards the station when I caught something out of the corner of my eye. White hair. No one had white hair. No one except....... It can't be.... I shrugged it off and continued down the path with Megumi and Yahiko.
"Battousai," Saito regarded me, "I have some unfortunate news."
"Like what?" I growled; I was on the edge since Kaoru had disappeared.
"The bastard got out," he answered, "Enishi escaped."
"WHAT?!" I found myself asking for about the hundredth time today.
"That's right, the bastard's gone. Missing. Can't find him, either. Although, we suspect he was out to avenge his sister again," he added, thinking about it.
"Great... so the physco probably has Kaoru?" I asked.
"That's the theory." Sarcastic bastard.
"When did he get out?"
"Three hours ago, maybe more."
"Oh, Kami...." I sighed.
Kaoru's POV
Just as he promised me, he returned me to my dojo. I kept my eyes shut even as he put me on the futon. What ever possessed him to be this compassionate had me baffled. Before he left, I felt him brush my lips with his briefly. I resisted the urge to shoot my eyes open and smack him.
"I'm truly sorry Kaoru....... I love you just as much as he does..... but it is obvious who your heart belongs to so I shall let you go and keep my promise to leave you and your growing family alone forever," he softly whispered before leaving me.
I did feel bad for him. He had lost his sister at such a young age, and then he can't have yet another loved one. I felt tears running down my face again. Damn hormones. I hate them. No one would be coming home to me tonight..... or ever again. I doubted that I could ever move on or away from Kenshin, demo....
Demo, I need him. I don't want to move on, dammit! I want him to come home, hold me and tell me how much he loves me. But it isn't so. I wrapped my arms around my stomach, clinging to the little piece of Kenshin that I did have left as I cried myself to sleep for the second time that night.
Kenshin's POV
We decided that it would be best to just retire to the dojo for the night to think things through. I sighed and shut the gate. I made my way back to mine and Kaoru's room with a heavy heart, knowing she wouldn't be there when I stepped in. Just as I knew she wasn't there. I heaved a great sigh and collapsed on the futon, fighting tears. I haven't cried since the last time Enishi pulled something. That just proves how he can hurt those that I love the most.
Kaoru's POV
I was sure I felt a presence when I got up to go to the bathroom, but alas, I searched and there was no one. Not even Yahiko. Like I said I had to go to the bathroom. I think the baby pushed against my bladder or something because I didn't have to go and just when I thought that sleep would consume me, I had to go. Just like that. I sighed and went to bed. It was still empty. I can keep praying, but it doesn't seem like it'll be answered. Stupid Kami. Taking the one thing I'd give anything for.
Kenshin's POV
There. I felt it. A familiar ki. One I knew so well. It was Karou. I walked out of the room in search of the ki. I sought it out, but just as suddenly as it had appeared, it disappeared. Gone.
"Kaoru, where are you....?" I whispered quietly into the darkness. No answer. Oh, well as long as I'm up, I might as well go to the bathroom.
I came back to the empty futon and snuggled into it's warmth, wishing Kaoru were there to provide the extra body heat.
Kaoru's POV
Goddamn cravings. Keeping me up at such an hour. I bustled about in the kitchen doing my best to fix myself some onigiri, knowing that it would turn out to look like shit. I took out the rice and started to pack it. I was making a lot of noise, but I was the only one home so why should I care? I sighed loudly and looked at what I was about to put in my mouth to soothe the craving. I looked at the growing bulge that was my stomach.
"Well, you really are already causing me problems, aren't you little one?" I asked it, my hand still pressed against my stomach. I got a small, but powerful kick in response.
"Jeez, you haven't done that for a while, been wondering if you even still could," I chuckled, taking a bit of what I called onigiri. It sure as hell didn't taste like it should have and I still wanted onigiri.
"Damn, that's nasty!" I said, disgusted with my culinary skills. That's when I heard something behind me. I screamed as arms wrapped themselves around me.
Kenshin's POV
Okay, now I know that there's someone here, I thought as I heard someone out in the kitchen. With a sigh I got up for a third time that night. As I got closer to the kitchen, I heard a voice. A very familiar voice. One that I had kept close to me.
"Damn, that's nasty!" it said. I came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her and buried my face in the fall of her raven hair.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!" she screamed.
"Shhh, Koi," I whispered, inhaling the jasmine smell of her hair.
"K-Kenshin?!" she asked in disbelief.
"Aa." I secured my arms around her waist, only to find that her stomach had gotten bigger in my absence. Not very big..... but noticeably bigger. She turned around in my hold and threw her arms around my neck, hugging me as if she'd never let me go.
"Oohh! Kenshin!" she wailed, "I-I th-thought I'-I'd never see you again!!!"
"It's alright, I'm here," I soothed, rubbing her back. She pulled away with tears in her eyes and a bright smile on her face. She brought my hands to her abdomen where she'd grown.
"Kenshin," she whispered. Much to my surprise there was a movement underneath my hands. "Kenshin, we're going to have a baby."
"K-Kaoru?"
"Aa, Kenshin-anata, a baby," she repeated. I pulled her closer to me and hugged her fiercely.
"I love you so much," I murmured. I heard her softly answer of her love before my mouth descended on hers. We pulled away, both of us missing each other's embrace as I carried her off to bed.
There were still questions to be answered. Like how she got back, or what happened to Enishi, but those could wait. All that mattered right now, was me and Kaoru and how much we missed each other. I smiled as I slid the shoji shut behind me as I entered our room.
Owari (for real)