A/n- hey everyone! Before I you jump intio the second chapter of my tale, let me just say you guys all had the same question about the two kids from before. And you'll find out who all the parents are in here. And about last chapter about that double typed ending, that was all doing not mines.


Strong Enough

Chapter 2: Home At Last?

Sano looked down and watched as Kaoru continued to shield Kenshin with her body. "Kaoru move!" "NO! Sano this must stop please." Kaoru begged as she began to cry.

Sano stood there shocked that after all this she would protect him from getting what he deserved and more importantly he watched as crystal tears formed in her eyes and spill forth. A sudden sense of guiltiness washed over Sano as he had made Kaoru cry.

Sighing deeply, Sano relaxed and turned his back to them as he began storming off into the dojo.

"Stop crying Jou-chan. Your tears aren't worth the reason." Sano called over his shoulders.

Kaoru looked up and watched him leave. "Thank you Sanosuke." She whispered and then she looked down at Kenshin in worry. "Kenshin are you okay?" She asked worriedly.

"I'm fine Kaoru-dono. Just a little sore." Kenshin answered as he lifted his head to look up at her. "But you're bleeding." Kaoru pointed out as she indicated there was blood trailing from his mouth. With the sleeve of his gi Kenshin wiped away most of the blood while managing to smear the rest.

"I'll be fine Kaoru, that I will. You no that I had, had worse wounds than this before, that you do." Kenshin said as he smiled warmly up at her. He soon then found himself in her tight embrace of a hug. "I've missed so much you baka!" She cried as her grip on him loosened some and her head fell on his chest.

All Kenshin could do was hold the crying young woman in his arms closer as she wept on his chest. "I'm sorry Kaoru." Kenshin whispered in her ear. Kaoru's only reply as she continued to cry was her shaking her head and repeating the word 'baka' over and over again.

Later On That Evening

Kaoru finally came over her shock of seeing Kenshin in over 5 years. Once again she had offered him a place to stay at the dojo with no question, but Kenshin could feel deep within his soul something wasn't right. Even though he had seen two of his friends it had seemed that they had closed the door of their friendship on him over the course of time he was absent. And even his Kaoru didn't seem the same.

She hadn't smiled at him or anything else for that matter since she had saved him from Sano's wrath and called him 'baka' for ten minutes straight.

"Here Kenshin, you can stay in this room." Kaoru said monotone. Another thing he noticed that was not Kaoru like, She was always cheerful or happy about something. Had he really caused that much pain to everyone around here?

Kenshin looked around the room he stood in.

"This doesn't look like the room I had before." Kenshin said, unaware he had said it aloud. Kaoru instantly tensed and Kenshin immediately noticed. "Your room is already being used by someone else." She answered as she moved over to the closet in the room and pulled out a blanket to place on the rolled up futon in the corner.

"Kaoru?" "I must go Kenshin." Kaoru said not wanting to be around Kenshin anymore for the time being. "Wait!" Kenshin somewhat shouted as he arm shot out and grabbed her arm firmly, yet gently at the same time.

Kaoru first looked at the hand on her arm then looked up at Kenshin.

"What do you want?" She finally gave in with a sigh. "Who were those two kids I saw at the door when I arrived here? One was a little girl, I think Yahiko called Suki. And then there was… a little boy." He questioned.

Kaoru's eyes widened in disbelief. He couldn't have possibly been serious, could he? Sure Suki she could understand him not guessing who, but the boy? HER son, no correction, THEIR son.

Wasn't it obvious to him when he glanced at their son that the boy was his? I mean the kid looked like him, except in the eyes. But give or take a few traits the kid very much did favor Kenshin and that fact alone blew away at Kaoru's mind that Kenshin didn't even take an obvious guess.

"Did I say something wrong?" Kenshin asked as he noticed Kaoru's bewilderment. "No." She choked softly. Kaoru's gaze dropped to the floor and her bangs veiled her eyes from Kenshin's view.

"You didn't say anything wrong. You just shocked me." Kaoru said again so softly that Kenshin thought he almost didn't hear her. "The little girl you saw, Suki, she's Sano and Megumi's little girl." Kaoru answered. "And the boy?" Kenshin asked.

Though he was sure he had an idea who the boy belonged to, he just had to be sure.

Kaoru looked up at him as he once again refused to take notice that the mysterious little boy was theirs. The sorrow that she felt welled up in her and she couldn't take it any more. As well as the sorrow came so did the anger. She knew he wasn't blind, anyone that saw him could point out who his father was.

"I guess you wouldn't know who the boy is because you've been gone so long." She snapped. Kenshin took a step back in surprise, as he wasn't expecting this type of reaction.

"But I…" "Don't even feed me that crap that you did it for me or for anyone else." Kaoru snapped again cutting him off. "Maybe that sounds a little selfish and maybe even a little wrong... But while you were gone….After you left…." Kaoru couldn't finish as she was choking on sobs.

The night before he left he had kissed her swearing that he had loved her. Then the next thing she knew the following morning, after their night of passion, she woke up in her room alone. She had awakened to find that Kenshin had left the dojo without any sign or signification that he had said his final goodbye.

No letter, not waiting until she woke up, nothing at all. Just a one nightstand and a kiss.

Then not too long after his departure, she had gotten signs of morning sickness and the next thing she knew was she was pregnant with Kenshin's unborn child. But the sad part was Kenshin was no where to be found.

And after seeing Kaoru battle with the mixed emotions running through her head, he had decided to try and embrace her. But Kaoru stepped back away from him.

"Like I said before Kenshin. I have to go." She rushed out as she turned on her heel and briskly walked out of the room, leaving a hurt ruroni behind.

The Next Day

Kenshin sat up in his room contemplating yesterday's arrival. It wasn't the best home welcoming he had, though he didn't expect a grand welcoming either. He knew he had his work cut out for him. He had lost, it seemed, all of his friends trust.

He left without any sign or warning again a second time and what made it worse…he didn't even give a complete final goodbye where it counted the most. To Kaoru.

The morning he had left Kaoru wasn't easy for him. He didn't want to leave her side, but he didn't want to see her cry as he went off again. He couldn't take another scene like the one before he left for Kyoto. It nearly killed him then as he was sure it killed her too.

'I guess my plan for saving us pain only brought on more pain.' Kenshin thought as a mental picture of Kaoru flashed in his head.

But his thoughts were cut short as the sounds of his door opening caught his attention. When Kenshin's head snapped to the door his eyes met the hard blue eyes of the little boy from yesturday. He stood there at the door frame just starring at him.

"Yes? What's the matter?" Kenshin asked as he got to his feet. For a minute young Kenji was in awe at how tall Kenshin looked to him, but easily recovered as he figured he wasn't as big as his Uncle Sano. "My mom says it's time to eat." Kenji stated simply as he turned to ran off.

"Wait!" Kenshin called after him. Kenji quickly stopped his movements and turned back around towards Kenshin. The look on Kenji's face sort of silenced Kenshin for a moment. 'He reminds me….of….oh sh-' Kenshin mind began to spin and his heart began to race.

As Kenshin stood there starring at the way the little boy looking at him at that very moment, something snapped in his brain. The look Kenji gave him was simular to the annoyed look he would give people back in his young Hitokiri Battousai days.

'He's…he's…mine?' Kenshin thought in shock.


Sorry everyone it took me so long. But I was having the WORST cause of writers block so here we go with the second chapter. Hopefully the third chapter won't take to long this time.

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