"I need something to hold on to./
Something to carry me through./
All I need is one last look before you go./
So I'll have memories wherever I go./
One last look before you're gone./
So in my heart you'll live on and on./"

"Just One Last Look" (The Temptations)

Diverging Roads- Another Ordinary Day

"Ah, but he will hurt you…" Miyuu's boss was rising again. Blood stained his shoulder scarlet where it had run down from the back of his head. Fear gripped he two women as they stared up at him, but both denied it with cold stares. In a split second he lunged, his katana digging into Miyuu's arm. Instantaneously, Kenshin had exploded through the door, and Kaoru, poised to hit boss, sent a pole colliding with the back of her fearless rurouni's head instead.

He moaned, harmonized by Kaoru's horrified gasp. "Kenshin?"

Miyuu inhaled sharply as she hit the wall, clutching her heavily bleeding arm. Boss moved menacingly towards a trembling Kaoru.

"Now then, you poor, misguided woman. I will teach you the path of the sword… my path."

Kaoru glared at him, dusted by mud and dirt, her kimono tattered and torn. Still, a fierce fire blazed in her azure eyes, challenging him.

He drew his sword, and she mirrored him with a forgotten one she'd plucked off the ground. Theirs was a slow and deadly dance. He struck, teasing, testing, but she parried the blow, matching him stride for stride. But the back of her mind knew that she could not do this alone.

Kaoru caught movement from the corner of her eye. Thank the gods he had a thick skull. The sword felt heavy in her hands, perhaps with worry, fear, or guilt. She couldn't know.

A tawny eye searched the man's back, Battousai returning again. But this was something much different. The Wanderer and Manslayer stood together in this, with only the desire to protect the fierce young girl before them. One eye again blazed pure gold, the other softly glowing violet. Like water he slithered forward, blade swinging cleanly down. The larger one stumbled forward, but his anger was directed at Kaoru still. He sent a stinging slap across her face with the flat side of the sword he held. She collapsed against the wall next to Miyuu, the cut on her cheek dripping blood. Her head ached, vision blurred as she looked painfully at him.

The Sakabatou quivered slightly, raring to teach the other some… manners. Another assault was enough to draw Boss's attention from Kaoru. The swords clashed together, Kenshin finding an entire new strength in himself. The fight raged on, each managing to block the other. The advantage teetered back and forth. Both were losing stamina fast, but made for a final attack. The reverse-blade nicked the mustached man's shoulder, pushing him back, but his returning punch flung Kenshin against the bed. He moaned, pain pounding through his skull.

The darkness of a shadow fell over him, and he squinted into it. A sword was raised, but its path was interrupted.

"Hey!"

The several hundred pound cabinet sent the Boss into unconsciousness as the two girls shoved it at him. Guns, swords and ammunition poured from its open doors, raining down on the man. Kaoru clawed her way over to Kenshin, who was sitting up with a mildly amazed expression, both eyes returning to purple, glazed in their auric sheen.

"D-daijoubu, Kaoru-dono?"

She nodded heavily, slipping easily down next to him with a small smile.

"So… that's it? My life's mission has come to a close here. What do I do know?"

Kaoru smiled lightly at her, bright blue eyes looking tired, but alive nonetheless. "You'll find a path. Perhaps you should first find your sister."

Kenshin nodded his grave assent.

"You two really are something." Miyuu smiled slightly, red eyes softening. "I won't forget you."

"Good bye Miss Miyuzuko."

"Now, Battousai, how many times must I tell you to call me Miyuu?"

One last glance back, accompanied by a carefree smile and Miyuzuko was gone.

"In here!"

Yahiko, rushed in followed by an assortment of officers. All they found in the room was Kenshin and Kaoru, next to the incoherent Boss, who was babbling to himself.

The chaos and confusion ensuing lasted days. When they were finally free of the madness, Kenshin, Kaoru and Yahiko resolved to visit Sano, who had been camping out at the Clinic. They walked slowly along that path- happy, as they hadn't been in a long while. Yahiko was laughing as he chased a butterfly, then denied doing such a childish thing.

Kaoru clutched Miyuu's letter in her kimono, reciting it in her head again by memory.

Dear Battousai, Kaoru, Kid and Lummox

Thanks for your help in getting rid of my boss. I'm changing my name to stay out of trouble, and I don't intend to cause any more… for a while. I've managed to find my sister in Kyoto and Toshiki and I are looking at a nice dojo going out of business to revive our master's school. I guess I owe you all some thanks. Tell the kid and the lummox that they'll be fine. And Kaoru, Battousai… well, good luck. I hope our paths will cross again. Send any correspondences to Toshiki in Kyoto.

Miyuzuko

They entered to see Megumi and Sano fighting over some miscellaneous food item.

"TORI-ATAMA!" The screams of Megumi echoed before the two even came into sight. Kenshin chuckled and Kaoru cringed slightly at the following howl of Sano. The door was pushed back and Kenshin entered the room with his typical Rurouni smile. Megumi froze, halfway through punching Sano and smiled at Kenshin.

"Ah, Ken-san, I see you've mad it back. Ohohohohohohohohohoho!"

Kaoru pushed her way quickly between her friend and the rurouni, clearing her throat.

"So, how are you, Megumi-dono?"

"Quite alright Ken-san." She smiled. "Rooster head won't sit still long enough to let his wound heal. HEY!" Sano was eating whatever Megumi had been previously holding. She huffed angrily.

"Hey Ken-sin, Mishy." He greeted through a mouthful of food. Kaoru stifled a laugh.

"Anyway, the Rooster head will be back in a few hours."

"Ah, I'm fine now." Sano insisted. "She just wants me to stay a while more."

"Oh, I'd be happy to be rid of you now if it weren't part of my duty to keep you here!"

"Sly fox!"

"Stupid rooster!"

"Hey!"

Yahiko joined the fray of clawing, screaming flesh as they beat each other senseless. Kenshin and Kaoru escaped outside, where night was transitioning smoothly from day. She looked skyward, at the stars only beginning to fight through the sun's dying light.

"The others will catch up…" She suggested as she pushed off the wall and towards home. With a genuine smile, Kenshin followed her.

"I was… worried about you Kenshin…" He looked curiously at her.

"About sessha, Kaoru-dono?"

"Hai. When you left…" He shied away, feeling horribly guilty. Still, at the time it had seemed right. Without warning, she stopped and jumped at him, wrapping her frail arms around him. "I was so worried that you'd never come back… and I wouldn't get to tell you… and… and…" She muttered something else that even his elevated senses as they were couldn't catch it. He didn't do more than return that deep embrace. She buried herself in his chest in the middle of the deserted street.

"Shhh… everything's going to be alright Kaoru." He gently stroked her hair as she fought off the tears brought by everything. They still came. For a few minutes he simply held her like that, trapped in the eternity that he would have been more than happy to spend just like this. Composing herself, she drew back, apologizing quietly. Hesitantly grasping her hand, he walked again. The two reached the gate all too quickly. Sighing, he released her hand and looked at her. "I suppose I'll go draw you a bath and make some dinner."

He moved slowly towards the house just as Yahiko and Sano came up to the gate and headed inside for some food.

A blanket of petals lay lightly on the ground, set to flight by light summer breezes that carried the scent of sakura blossom. Raven hair swept across the pale plane of her face as she stood contently, looking off at nothing.

The sun lent its brilliant setting to the dojo wall, painting it orange, red and purple before fading into the velvet blue of early night.

"Kaoru-dono, are you coming?" She smiled in response and turned to nod.

"In a minute, Kenshin!"

"Hurry up, Missy, cause I'm hungry as hell!"

"Sanosuke, that's mine!"

"No way! I saw it first!"

"Did not!"

'Yet another ordinary day.' Her mind whispered. And she smiled.