Rurouni Kenshin is the properties of Nobuhiro Watsuki-dono not mine.

So please don't sue.

Author's notes: I'M SORRY! begs forgiveness I know I haven't updated in forever, but with school the way it was (being all school-ish) I didn't really have time…and now I have a summer course that I had to prepare for…So please forgive me…

Chapter 5

Kenshin had a hard time sleeping that night. His mind was in turmoil, everything that he had been told and the things that he had seen, both as the Hitokiri Battosai as well as the wanderer that he had become. Not to mention the knowledge that Kaoru had bestowed upon him, as she had stood there before him; her eyes clear of fear and told him her life story, never faltering. He couldn't get her – their story out of his mind.

'She had begun simply, "we never say it coming." She sat once again on the futon her voice stilled waiting for Kenshin to join her. When he had, Kaoru watched the floor as the sun began its daily trek down to the horizon. "Father always told us that one day everything that we learned would one day haunt us. I never really understood him, but then again I always expected him to be around to explain these things to me. It was three years ago that Yukio came and took over the running of the police. At first he elected people closed to him, people like Kentaro and Tanaka. He made sure that they had high-ranking positions. A year after his instatement he made his move. He had the loyal police officers, men who were kind and giving to everyone in the city, killed, murdered, whole families, just massacred. At first we didn't know what to do, many people tried to run, hide, anything to avoid a confrontation. But it never worked; they were found and brought back not all necessarily in one piece.

"Then my father began the movement. He wanted to do everything he could to stop Yukio's oppression; a revolution seemed the only way to achieve that. He gathered dozens of families', strong men as well as women. When the dojo was in full order there were quite a few women who trained here." Kaoru smiled softly, memories of good times flooding her mind. Kenshin watched carefully, there was some deep pain that Kaoru was trying to hide with all her heart. Kenshin made the decision that he would find out what it was and if he could do nothing else he would free her from her pain. But his thoughts stopped as she continued. "Sano, being the rough and tough man that he was joined as well. But when we had the first meeting and we were attacked. We met in one of the fields near the edge of town, but they had not counted on Yukio on finding out.

"Yahiko and I were told to stay with Megumi, out of the way. But I had followed, Kentaro found me sneaking around. They took us all to the centre of town. They made a huge bon fire and found all of the family members of the people involved. They had posts planted into the ground the fire right in the centre. Yukio was there, drinking happily and calling to his friends. At first they beat us. Father tried desperately to protect me but nothing stopped them from taking out their anger. They had been unable to find Yahiko so Yukio commanded that father and I be beaten for him. It lasted hours, though I never really knew how long until Megumi told me. She was there you know." Kaoru's eyes shifted to the ceiling, her look far away. "She had followed Yahiko when they had brought us back into the city. They were close to the front of the crowd…Yahiko saw everything." A tear glistened on her eyelashes but she blinked back, stifling her sorrow. "When they were done beating us, all of us, they took turns stringing us up on the poles. Each of them branded, with the word 'exile'.

"Father and I were last since we were the instigators of the revolt. After Yukio had taken his liberties with my strung up, beaten down body." Kenshin gasped, his eyes popping out of his head. Yukio had…he had taken something from Kaoru that no man had the right to without consent. Kaoru paused, god what it must have been like seeing the people she once called friends both being beaten and defiled, or seeing them stand to the side and watching passively. "Father watched as Yukio did as he wished. I remember hearing him scream my name, hearing him beg Yukio to stop. I had seen how much enjoyment he got out of the people as they screamed. I would not give him that satisfaction. I never made a sound as he did what he wanted with me. That angered him, made him more abusive. Finally when he was 'satisfied' he ripped the brand out of Kentaro's hand. I remember seeing how red-hot it was. For a moment I was afraid. Then I saw Yahiko's face in the crowd. He was so scared, that frightened me more then Yukio ever could. He had seen everything…EVERYTHING! I was hanging there no way to comfort him, and there he was straining against Megumi's arms, trying to save me. Yukio shoved the iron hard into my chest. He whispered in my ear that no man now would ever want to take me to bed unless they were paying for it. But if I wanted he would be more then happy to pay me for my services. I glared at him and spat in his face. He apparently didn't like that. He ripped me from the pole and threw me to the ground. I think he dislocated my shoulder but it might have happened before, Megumi didn't know.

"Father continued to call for me even when Yukio tied him up and proceeded to beat him as well. Even when Yukio branded him he was screaming for me. All I could do was watch. Even if my shoulder wasn't dislocated I would not have been able to do anything. My wrist had been broken and my hands were tied at such an angle that there was no way for me to break free. When Yukio was done he did the same to father as he had done to me. Tossing him to the ground like a sack of rice. We crawled to each other and father let me lie on his lap as he cursed Yukio. The others as well crawled to us. They gathered strength from my father and Yukio couldn't have that. Yukio grabbed my father by his hair and pulled him up. I tried to stop him but Sano threw himself over me, stopping me. I screamed and yelled for him to stop, when father looked at me, his eyes dark. He told me never to beg ever again. He didn't teach me the sword to beg, but to fight. I can never forget what Yukio did. He stood there, my father in his grasp and shot him in cold blood. Everything seemed to slow, the blood as it spilt from my father, my scream, Sano's yell of disapproval, even Yahiko's desperate struggle to free himself from Megumi.

"By the time my tears stopped and I was able to get away from Sano's hold. I staggered to father's side, Yahiko right behind me. Yukio after 'defeating' the revolutionaries went back to his little home. And left the survivors to deal with themselves, Yahiko and I were left.

"Our father was dead; there was nowhere for us to go. Sano promised to look after us, but I didn't want to be a burden on him. He had always said as a child that he wanted to travel, but if he had two people to look after there was nowhere for him to go. So this was how it ended, or rather where it began. I have to make the bastard pay." Kaoru stopped her story finally finished. Her voice cracking under the weight of her pain.'

Kenshin was stunned. Even now hours after she had told him her story he could not believe that she was still so strong after all that she had been put through. Dinner was almost painful. Every time he looked at Sano he could see what had been done to him, every time he looked at Yahiko he thought how utterly horrifying it must have been to be so powerless. And Kaoru, she had been violated, beaten and forced to watch as her father was murdered. His heart ached, and now he saw why she had insisted on him giving her his answer before he had heard their story. There was no way after hearing what had happened that he could not say yes. But now knowing what had happened he would do everything in his ability to help her and if at all possible to chip away at the wall that surrounded Kaoru.

Kenshin sighed, there was no way he was going to get any sleep tonight. Rising and dressing quickly he exited his room. Since telling Kenshin their story Kaoru had not locked him in that night. Kenshin smiled at the thought. He had sensed her paused as she passed his room her hand near the lock trying to decide whither or not to lock it. Kenshin made his way to the backyard but stopped. There in the moonlight was an angel with a katana.