Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin does not and will not ever belong to me.

Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed this story! Trying to update as soon as possible! Just finished piano testing for CM. Very hard work! This story's probably going to be about fifteen or so chapters long! Maybe less, maybe more…but it just depends of how I feel and how readers are liking it! I'll try to make this chapter even LONGER!

A Shard of Eternity

Chapter Four: Let Me Be Your LIght

Can love heal a broken heart?

Or will it only make the crack

Open once more?

As Kenshin had said, the food was edible-delicious in fact. And this time, it had taste, unlike the tasteless sake she had drank at the restaurant. The two talked about everything-and nothing. There wasn't the uncomfortable silence that occurred when she talked to other people. Instead, everything was….natural and smooth-flowing. Surely we can be friends, cant we? Kaoru asked herself. As long as he doesn't find out….it wouldn't hurt to make friends! Kaoru smiled.

Kenshin gazed at the young woman who sat across from him. He couldn't explain her. Every little thing she did was graceful...She was like water…flowing here and there. She made him want to laugh at one moment-from joy of just being with her-and cry at the next-from thinking that she, like everything else, would soon be far away from him…

"Where do you plan on going next, Kaoru?" he asked.

Kaoru looked down, her mind whizzing with thoughts. "I-I I don't know. I guess I just go wherever the road takes me…But to tell the truth, sometimes I just feel like settling down…to stop my roaming…But I guess its hard to do that…

"Do you feel like that now?" he asked, the rays of the dying sun catching in his red hair.

"….I…I do…"

She really did. For once, she would like to have the normal kind of life…the one everyone else had. For once she would like to age…to grow old and develop the first of many gray hairs…to have children….to live….

Kenshin could see the longing in her eyes. Couldn't he help her? He spoke, impulsively.

"There's two rooms in my apartment….and my friend….Sanosuke….just moved out to get married….and………..if you want….you can live in that extra room….that is…if you would like to…You can stay for as long as you can…."

She made a small choking noise, her eyes blinking. She shouldn't….she couldn't…….Her hands tightened around the napkin on her lap. A long silence drifted in….Her mind was racing…Should she? Could she really have the chance to live a normal life…..until others around her found out her secret? She wanted to…yearned for…the normal life. And here…here was a chance…a chance to live the normal life….She could do it-live like everyone else. Well…at least until others found out about her immortality…She opened her mouth to speak, but words did not come out. She licked her dried, parched lips, and forced her voice to come out in a tiny squeak.

"Yes…I mean…thank you for the offer. I accept…….I'll….I'll help pay the rent of course….I can help cook….I mean….thank you for the offer…" Kaoru mentally slapped herself for babbling such stupid words.

"It's no big deal! I mean…we are friends, right?" He asked her, smiling.

"Yes….I hope we are…" She said softly….

The apartment was near the sea. The sunset could be seen-the red, pink, and orange pastel colors radiantly shining against the glass panes. Her room-the room she was to live in-was small but homely. The white walls were decorated with beautiful paintings of nature. A mirror hung from a nail that protruded from the wall.

"The room….it's….so lovely…I can see the ocean from the window…Thanks again…" she said.

"It's no problem, none at all." He smiled at her.

She suddenly wanted to hug him-wanted to throw her arms around his neck and yell with all her might. Instead she smiled as brightly as possible. He grinned back.

"Well…I'll leave you to get settled in. This is also your home now…well for as long as you want." He left the room, and Kaoru sighed.

This would be the start of a whole new life for her….She could have new friends, new neighbors, even a new love…..She couldn't wait for the new day to come….But when everyone finds out…a small voice said in the back of her head….She pushed the thought away. That would be something in the future. And now, she was living in the present.

Note: Do you like it? Please review if you do! You don't HAVE to…but it will make encourage the author a lot more if you do!