AN: BECAUSE it was such short notice, i was unable to get a guest speaker. I'm sorry, cuz i KNOW you love the best rockers of all and what they have to say when i generously allow them to speak with me to you! No matter HOW annoying! jk…anyhoo, might as well get on with the story so i can ATONE for the time i spent typing up the last chapter for ya. So…yeah…oh, and, for those who were worried about the K&K relationship, just read on, you have nothing to fear, trust me,…the story draws to a close as i get sick of trying to remember wut's supposed to happen…

Disclaimer: Don't tell me you're stupid, now…tell me, wut is a disclaimer?

Part Ten: Kaoru

Kenshin stared at the blood red scene before him. The man from the government was laying on the ground near Tomoe, an ocean of blood surrounding them. Kaoru also seemed to be in the same predicament. Kenshin couldn't bear the sight of Tomoe lying dead at his feet and started to rush towards Kaoru.

But Tomoe grabbed his ankle and he fell over, landing next to her, his throat was dry and he was breathing fast. She was still alive. But he couldn't say anything to her. Nothing. Somehow, though, she could.

"I—Oh, I'm sorry…" She was barely able to say it, the huge opening in her chest that led to her back…She grabbed the dagger that was rightfully hers from its landing point on the ground and pressed it into Kenshin's face, making his scar into a complete "X" shape. The whole thing was bleeding furiously now, blood dripped down to his neck and he watched her die, slowly, her eyes not even closing all the way. They remained staring up at him, not looking away. Her body was getting cold, his arm agains her's. She still stared at him, she would never look away, it seemed. He didn't like it, he didn't want her watching him like that. She would haunt him with her gaze. She wasn't going to look away.

Kenshin fell backwards as he tried to crawl away and he scrambled to his feet, making his way to Kaoru. He knelt by her side and started to lift her tenderly. Her blood stained his clothes, but he didn't care. She was still warm, which meant she was still alive, blood still flowed in her veins. Her eyes were closed and she had an expression of grief plastered on her delicate face.

"A…Akage…" She stuttered quietly.

"Kaoru, you're…!" He was on the verge of breaking down, all of this…It was too much, "Um…Just…Don't talk, okay…Save your strength…"

"It's a…a lotta…a lotta blood, isn't it…?" She winced in pain, "It hurts more than a few broken ribs…And they still hurt on top of this…Uhhh…" She looked over to the building where Enishi had been. He wasn't there, his bindings were on the ground. Kenshin whirled around with Kaoru in his arms. She had passed out again. But Kenshin saw Enishi, weeping over his sister's body, cradling her in his arms, rocking back and forth…

"Sis…Why, Sis…Nooo…Why Tomoe?" He sent a death glare Kenshin's way, "I thought she wasn't going to get hurt!" He was in a rage that Kenshin couldn't do anything about as he suddenly dropped his sister gently and ran off into the forest.

Kenshin was worried about this, but had no choice but to go back to Hiko and tell him what had happened. Enishi would surely tell the government about all this. That meant they had to get out now, as soon as possible. His mind switched to the waitress as he rushed back with Kaoru in his arms. Everything Kaoru had told her turned out to be lies…All this pain was for nothing…

Kaoru was dreaming of blood. So much blood. She saw it, she smelled it, she tasted it…Her dreams were polluted with it as she felt pangs of pain once and a while.

Kaoru felt a sharp stab in her side and forced her eyes to flutter open. But she couldn't see much, it was dark, her vision was blurred. She felt strong arms around her. She smelled something new, something that wasn't blood. Then she felt the arms set her down on a soft bed.

Kaoru tried to struggle but she couldn't move. She thought she heard someone say something but couldn't make it out. There were others. Something was poured down her throat. It tasted horrible. She scrunched up her face and swung her arms around her furiously, trying to push the people away, only to send more pain coarsing through her body. She winced and felt a soft hand on her forehead. It was cold, Kaoru swatted at the figures around her again.

Suddenly Kaoru felt weak. Whatever was poured down her throat must have been a poison. She felt her thoughts slip from her and her muscles going limp. She couldn't move, she couldn't see…She fell into an unpeaceful oblivion…

Kaoru awoke to stare into an unfamiliar ceiling. There was something heavy on her forehead. It was making something drip down her temples into her hair as well. She realized that it was a wet cloth. She reached up with limp arms to pull it off and, with difficulty, sat up straight. She looked around. Where was she? Was she kidnapped? This was bad…Where was Kenshin? She had to get out…

She managed to stand up and for a minute she thought she was going to pass out because everything went black and her head throbbed. She swayed on her feet but forced herself to stay conscious. She walked through this strange house until she found the door that led to outside. She looked around. She was in the middle of the country. She saw the beginnings of quite a large vegetable garden. There in the middle of it, working dedicatedly, was a man with bright red hair. She ran up to him, "Kenshin?"

He spun around to face her, "What are you doing out of bed? You're wounded!"

"What?" She asked confused. That's when she looked down at the bloody cloth wrapped arund her waist.

"That Megumi works for us now, along with the Sanosuke guy…Megumi visits often to check on you. She had to give you some medicine to make you sleep sometimes because you went a little crazy. I really think you should get back in—"

Kaoru stopped him by pulling him into a gentle hug, "You've been there for me. You saved me didn't you…?"

Kenshin's heart was beating fast at her touch and he got nervous by her hold on him. He said calmly, "You should be in bed…"

She let go of him and didn't look up at him, just stared at the ground and said, "I don't care what you say anymore, Kenshin…I…trust you…" And she turned from him and went back inside. She laid down on her futon, still not knowing where she was, but not caring, for she trusted Kenshin, and she knew that she was safe.

When Kaoru woke once again she saw Kenshin sitting not far from her by a fire that had a pot over it, eating rice, an extra bowl of it next to him.

"Kenshin…"

He didn't look toward her but merely said, "Megumi says that you are improving. Would you like some rice?"

"Kenshin, what's wrong?" Kaoru asked with a frightened tone on her voice.

"Nothing, you need rest. Do you want any rice?" Kenshin asked almost lifelessly.

"Kenshin, please come here…" She waited for him to get up reluctantly and sit down next to her futon.

"What…what happened, Kenshin? Where are we?"

"We had to scatter. We were moved here disguised as a couple and will live as farmers. We can only go to town to sell or buy goods. When Tomoe died Enishi ran off and may have told the whereabouts of Hiko's headquarters. We're in hiding now…"

Kaoru looked down and she knew Kenshin was not looking at her. Why wouldn't he…? "Kenshin?"

He didn't move, "Kenshin, look at me."

He finally looked up, "Tell me, what is wrong, Kenshin…"

"Tomoe is dead, you almost died…there's so much pain…" He looked away again. He felt something strange. He didn't feel pained by Tomoe's death that much anymore, but he felt like he was being ripped apart by something.

I think…I think I'm in love with her… He thought to himself. He didn't want to look at her because she told him again…That she trusted him. He didn't want to hurt her. That was the last thing in the world he wanted. She seemed so frail compared to him. He was a steely statue that no one could understand, while she was so open.

"Kaoru, I don't want you to get hurt. I was scared that day…You were talking as if you would never talk again. It frightened me. You…you can't die, Kaoru …I wouldn't be able to survive it…The sorrow…and the…the pain…"

Kenshin, the man Kaoru loved, was he really saying this? She could hardly believe it. She cupped her hand on the side of his face where there was no cloth that covering his newly made cross shaped wound. She then let her hand slide to his neck and gently pulled him so he leaned closer to her.

"Kaoru…" He quietly murmered her name, unsure of what he should do. Should he resist, or let her do whatever she was going to do?

"Shh…" She was staring into his golden eyes and his gaze was locked on her silver eyes. They were entrancing. He didn't know what she was going to do but he couldn't stop her, he couldn't do anything but sit and wait. He was paralized.

Kaoru leaned forward slightly. Since he wasn't backing away, she decided to do it. But she was afraid…She stopped short, before kissing him and only let her lips brush his gently. She waited to see what he would do, but he didn't do anything, only sat there, staring at her with softer eyes than she had ever seen from him.

Kenshin wanted her to kiss him now, but he didn't kiss her, he just waited until she kissed him instead. He was letting her kiss him because he realized that she was what he had wanted, the answer to his confusion from the very start.

Kaoru grabbed onto his lips with her own and pulled back gently, then paused again, searching his face for any kind of sign. There was none. So she went in again, the same as before, locking her lips onto his only slightly and then trying to bring his lips back with her's. This time he kissed her back, mimicking the pattern she had created by pressing his lips against hers and then attempting to pull them back gently. Their eyes were closed and they were locked together by their lips.

Kenshin put his hand on her waist as she had turned in her futon to face him and she wound her arms around his neck, not stopping the kiss it had taken her so long to get. And suddenly they were hungry for each other. Kenshin decided to deepen the kiss and Kaoru followed him in doing so. They explored each other's mouths, turning their heads from side to side. They kissed each other feverishly, not wanting to let go, ever.

Kaoru unwound her arms from his shoulders and let them slip to his loose gi. Her hands slid along his warm skin and massaged his back. His gi fell from his shoulders and left them bare. Kaoru guided his hand into the flap of her yukata by her own shoulder.

Then suddenly Kenshin pulled away and they panted for air as Kenshin said, "No, you're still hurt…" And he stood to get her bowl of rice. He set it down next to her and went ouside the small house. Kaoru looked down solemnly before she decided to get up and follow him. He was standing outside the door, staring up at the stars, gi back up on his shoulders.

She felt the pang of tears on her eyes and forced them to stay behind her eyelids when she closed them tightly. She walked up behind Kenshin and wrapped her arms around his stomach, resting her head on the nape of his neck. He didn't move, just bowed his head and closed his eyes.

"Don't trust me, Kaoru…" He said, almost in a whisper. She gasped and the tears threatened her once again, "Please…It'll only get you hurt. Tomoe trusted me, too…and I killed her…"

"I'm not Tomoe…" Kaoru said to him, "I can trust you without getting hurt…I…I can…" Her voice cracked and she started to cry, unwillingly, but non-stop. The tears flowed into his flaming red hair and soaked into his clothing.

Kenshin sighed gently, pained by her words and by his as well. He didn't know what to do anymore. Should he love her? Should he trust her as she trusted him? But as he thought this he realized…he did trust her…He knew that she would never betray him or try to stab him in the back. As she sobbed into his chest he felt the need to take care of her, to be there for her, to open his arms for her when she needed someone to cry on like she did right now…He wanted to hold her, but he didn't want anyone else to hurt her…Was this love? he pondered silently.

But then he thought about Tomoe. Had she loved him as well? The thought was pushed to the back of his mind as he thought, I wasn't able to protect Tomoe. I won't make the same mistake by letting Kaoru get hurt. This is true love. The love that I had for Tomoe was a fleeting hope. She couldn't have truly loved me, for I killed her true love. True love can only happen once.

Kenshin turned in her arms and held her, then he kissed her forehead. His embrace was able to sooth her tears to nothing and he let her pull away from him and she ran back inside. He tried to call out to her but he couldn't so he just stood there with his mouth open in mid-speech as she turned and left him. His arms dropped to his side and he sighed again.

Kaoru laid down on her futon and tried to fall asleep before he came back in, but he burst in a few seconds after she had. She pretended she was already asleep but he knew better.

"Kaoru…" He said quietly but desperately, "I'm sorry, Kaoru…I…I'm just afraid…because…I trust you too…and I've never trusted anyone before…" He fell to his knees next to her futon and for a second she thought he was about to cry but he wasn't. She sat up and this time she took him in her arms, embracing him tightly.

"But…" She started unsurely, "I don't just trust you, Kenshin…I love you…"

He started at this and looked up at her tear streaked face. He examined her features, delicate and solemn. She seemed to be waiting for something, an answer. But he was too afraid to admit that he loved her too. So he acted on instinct. He peered into her silver orbs and couldn't resist them. He let his eyes fall to her lips and there he planted his, softly, gently, and tenderly, and he let her do the same. They fell into each other, unable hold the barriers between them. Kaoru wrapped her arms around him once again and he clutched her waist.

Her hands entwined around his neck and into his hair. She pulled at the band that held it up until it came away and she tangled her fingers in it. His right hand slid up her back to her hair and he did the same with her ribbon then let her hair fall around his hand. She moaned almost silently into him and then pulled back, gasping for air and arching her neck as he continued to plant kisses down her jaw to her collarbone. She pulled his face up to hers and kissed him again.

And again she pulled his gi away from his shoulders stroked his back. He pulled her left leg around his thigh and held her close. She pulled her right leg closer as well and sat on his lap while she grabbed his hand and guided it into her yukata. She tugged his arms out of the gi completely and they kissed deeper.

Kaoru could no longer breathe so she pulled away but Kenshin laid open mouth kisses down to her chest and she moaned, pulling him closer and encouraged him to continue. She massaged his head and tangled her hands yet again into his silky hair. Kenshin let himself fall onto the futon and then rolled over on top of Kaoru, still planting a trail of kisses down her body, though avoiding her wound, her yukata now open. She stopped him short at her stomach and whispered, "Kenshin…"

He moved back up to her face and kissed her, exploring her mouth some more. Kaoru moaned into him and held him tight against her…

When niether of them could breathe they pulled back, "Kenshin…" Kaoru spoke softly, "I…need you…Please…never leave me…" The tears that had poured down her face only minutes ago were gone and Kaoru had new confidence in her love for Kenshin.

He over again on the futon so that he laid next to her. He stared at her unreadable face as she began to fall asleep. Then, slowly, his eyes began to shut as well…

Katsura was walking up to them as they worked diligently in their garden. They turned around simultaneously as he approached and stared at him until he stopped in front of the garden now full of healthy looking plants.

"You must be moved once again. They have completely found us out and they are looking for you. As you have probably known, your features are quite noticable, Battousai. Kaoru's probably safer than you, but nevertheless, you will both be moved to Tokyo and we will cover you up with backgrounds and get you jobs, supply you with money, food, shelter…But only on one condition, or you're on your own."

"What is this condition?" Kenshin asked calmly.

"Simply put down your swords. You must never kill again. Not for glory, not for bloodlust, not for duty…Never…"

Kaoru and Kenshin looked at each other and finally Kaoru said quietly, "Agreed…" After all, they couldn't kill anyone if they wanted to live quietly. Who would they kill? And why? It wouldn't be so hard.

"Good, then you should come with me so we can take you to Tokyo. Oh, and by the way, Takani Megumi and Sagara Sanosuke will be going to Tokyo with you. They are the only ones. We are scattering all of our assassins and workers to different places in Japan, such as Tokyo, Osaka, and so on…But that's all you need to know right now. We must hurry. Gather your things and we leave now."

Kenshin sat with Kaoru sleeping on his shoulder in a train booth across from Sanosuke and Megumi. Megumi had checked Kaoru's bandages as soon as they met each other on the train. Sanosuke shook his head at her worry and she slapped him saying that you never could be too careful and she had a nasty wound.

When the train rolled into Tokyo Katsura led them to a dojo that Kenshin and Kaoru were to live in. Megumi and Sanosuke were led to a quite large apartment and Megumi was showed to the clinic at which she were to work. Sanosuke told Katsura that he didn't need a job because he wanted to find one himself. Kaoru and Kenshin were to be dojo owners, Kaoru was to be the instructor, for Hiko didn't want Kenshin spreading his technique.

As days passed and Kaoru's Kamiya-Kasshin ryu dojo was advertised in the streets by flyers, but she didn't get any students. A murderer was wandering around Tokyo saying that he used the Kamiya-Kasshin style. He said his name was Battousai and he was destroying Kaoru and Kenshin with his impersonations.

Kaoru and Kenshin laid down one night, peering into each other's mysterious eyes. They laid facing each other, both of them laying on their sides and Kenshin put his hand on her face as she played with his red hair.

"Kenshin, we should vow."

"What?" He asked at her sudden statement.

"Well, I know you probably, just as I do, have a feeling of bloodlust now that someone is threatening the dojo…We can't kill…"

"This man, this imposter. He must die. Otherwise he shall go around and poison our names—"

"Kenshin, swear it. Swear to the great gods above that a human will never die by your hand ever again…"

And so they both made vows to atone for their past sins by protecting others and never killing another person again.

It turned out that the imposter that wa ruining the Kamiya-Kasshin style was a man by the name of Jin-E. Kaoru and Kenshin tracked him down and in the end Jin-E wound up dying by ritual suicide, unable to bear the fact that they would not kill him.

"Come on, now, Battousai, I've got your girl! Don't you want her back?" But Kaoru kicked his shin and turned in his grip then kneed him right between the legs. He grimaced and laughed, standing back upright. Kaoru and Kenshin held him off without killing him until Kenshin dilocated a joint in his arm. That's when he killed himself…

That night when Kenshin and Kaoru laid down to sleep, Kaoru was shocked to notice something. As she lay next to Kenshin and peered once again into his eyes, she noticed they were much different than the ones she was so used to.

"Kenshin…your eyes…" She whispered. They were a deep shade of violet and they were somehow kind and laughing. They weren't angry and violent pools of gold anymore…

"Your eyes as well, Kaoru, are different…" He said sleepily. And indeed, Kaoru's eyes had turned from steely silver to gentle, sapphire blue.

They slept peacefully that night. They suddenly didn't feel like assassins anymore. They felt at ease, as if they had never been assassins in the first place.

The next morning they went to town to buy food, but on the way back a boy attempted to pickpocket Kenshin, but Kenshin caught him in the process and apperently hurt the boy's pride by saying, if he needed the money that badly he could keep it. The boy lunged at Kenshin screaming all kinds of things out of rage when a girl with short inky black hair ran up to him.

"Yahiko-chan, please!" She shouted on the verge of tears, "Please, don't steal! You know I can't stand violence!"

"ARGH! Don't call me Yahiko-chan! Anything but –chan! I told you a million times! I'm not small and I'm not little! If I wanna steal so I can feed myself that's none of your damn business!"

"Look, we can both work at the Akabeko for money, Yahiko…kun! I saw that lady named Tai today and she said she would give us jobs at her restaurant!"

"I am NOT working there! She'll make me wear a goddamn ribbon in my hair! I won't!"

"Oh, Yahiko, it's better than stealing!"

Kaoru and Kenshin stood and stared as the argument continued until Tsubame got angry and walked off. Yahiko didn't even watch her go, he just crossed his arms and pouted. When he noticed the two ex-assassins staring at him he turned red yet again.

"What are you staring at!"

"I think you should come home with us. I can teach you Kamiya-Kasshin ryu! Would you like to be my student?" Kaoru asked pleasantly, seizing opportunity as quickly as possible.

Yahiko stood there with his mouth wide open, "(That was pretty random, but…)Maybe I should. I've always wanted to be stronger…Ever since my sister died. She died because I wasn't strong enough to protect her. I was such a fool…"

"Good, then you can stay in one of the spare rooms!"

"No way! I'm not gonna live with you!"

"We'll feed you!"

Yahiko sighed and followed then home. Over the next few months he trained hard and ate a lot. He grew a habit of calling Kaoru an ugly hag when he got mad at her, which would send Kaoru into a rage, leaving Yahiko in a heap on the floor and Kaoru standing over him with one of the bokkens she used, instead of swords for training, in her hand…

One night while Yahiko was visiting Tsubame at the Akabeko Kenshin and Kaoru sat down to dinner and they were quite silent. It was unnerving. When Kaoru got up to bring the dishes into the kitchen, Kenshin stopped her by grabbing her rist. He spun her around so she was facing him and stared her in the eyes.

Kaoru giggled, "What's wrong, Kenshin?"

He brushed his lips against hers and whipered into her lips, "Kaoru, will you…marry me?"

Kaoru's eyes filled with tears, "Kenshin…I…" She choked and smiled at him, "Of course I will…" He presented to her a ring that was quite simple but had surpassing beauty. She let tears flow silently down her rosy cheeks as he slipped it on her finger. Then she cupped his face in her hands and brought his lips to hers. She had been waiting for this moment for ever, and it finally came. She kissed him passionately and forgot all about the dishes.

Kaoru was finally got home from Megumi's and sat down by Kenshin to eat dinner.

"So what's wrong, Kaoru? You still look pale. In fact, you look even more pale than you did when you left…You're alright, aren't you?" Kenshin was concerned. Kaoru was sick again and that always made him nervous.

"No, no, Kenshin, I'm fine…Let's eat, shall we?" And they did. Yahiko was at the Akabeko again. He went there a lot.

After a few hours Kaoru and Kenshin were ready to go to sleep. They laid down on the futon and Kaoru peered into Kenshin's eyes. He peered into hers…

"Kaoru…What did Megumi say? I'm worried about you Kaoru…"

"Oh, Kenshin…Kenshin…I'm…I'm having your baby…!" Kaoru laughed and let tears spill from her eyes.

Kenshin gasped and smiled a wide grin and laughed with her. He then took her into his arms and kissed her deeply, "Is it for real? We…I…you…Kaoru, I love you…"

Kaoru chuckled and rolled over and laid on top of him, then cupped his face in her hands, making sure he was looking at her, "Kenshin…I love you too…Please, know that…always…" And with that she kissed him and he pushed her yukata off as she pulled him out of his. He rolled them over again and kissed her all the way down to her stomach and when he reached her stomach rested his head there, the knowledge of his child to be sending excitement through him. He kissed her flat stomach again and then brought his lips to hers………

Kenshin was tense. He could hear Kaoru screaming clearly in the next room, and heard her panting heavily in between screams. Sano and Yahiko sat rigid next to him, Tsubame was clutching tightly at the sleeve of Yahiko's gi. Everyone seemed to be figiting nervously and the fact that Megumi wouldn't allow anyone in the room with her and Kaoru was nerve racking.

Suddenly Megumi called for a large bowl of water and Kenshin rushed in the room with it as quick as possible. He set it next to Megumi and then knelt down next to Kaoru and grabbed her hand. She squeezed it tightly and he saw beads of sweat roll down her face as she shut her eyes tight and inhaled sharply. He grasped her hand with both of his and she let him, uncaring, only focusing on stopping her pain.

"Kenshin, I told you to stay out!" Megumi said, not noticing that he was ignoring her and trying the best he could to comfort his wife.

Megumi now called for towels and Sano ran in with nearly hundreds of them. Megumi complained about his carelessness but for once Sano didn't try to make a witty retort. It was probably because she was nervous herself that caused Megumi to be extra snappy this moment but it didn't matter.

"You're doing good, Kaoru, just hang in there…" Megumi muttered to Kaoru, "…Almost over, Kaoru…"

Kaoru gripped her blanket tightly with her free hand and Kenshin could smell the putrid scent of blood. He glanced briefly and quickly at the bulk of Kaoru's stomach. He clenched Kaoru's hand more tightly and his palm got as sweaty as her's was. Kenshin didn't even notice that Sano had left the room but it didn't matter. All that mattered was that Kaoru was okay, and right now she didn't look okay…

Her brows were furrowed and her teeth clenched as her chest rose and fell faster than Kenshin thought ever it had before. Then suddenly her face relaxed a bit and her panting began to recede to heavy breathing. She groaned in relaxation and sighed. Her grip on his hand, however, did not loosen as Megumi also sighed with relief.

"A boy…" She said softly. She cleaned and wrapped the baby in a clean towel and handed him to Kaoru. Kaoru was smiling now, a new smile, a motherly smile, at the bundle in her arms. Kenshin gazed down at the baby lovingly and Kaoru knew he would be an excelent father.

Kenshin and Kaoru glanced tiredly at each other, since Kaoru went into labor late in the middle of the night. Then they looked back at the baby in Kaoru's arms. He had barely any hair on his little head but what hair he did have was a bright red color like his father's.

Kaoru stared at the baby and thought, A name, he needs a name…

"Our beautiful baby, Kenji…" She said, and Kenshin smiled at her.

AN: Ok, that was not the last chapter! Oh, and sorry it was sooo extemely rushed. I'm sick of this story already…lol, sry…But anyway, there's going to be one more chapter(a very very very very short chapter) and then probably an epilogue. So hang in there, okay! I'm almost through with my horrible foul rambling about Kenshin and Kaoru. I hope I did the waff/limeyness okay, I don't think I do that stuff good for some reason…And again, I hope you can forgive me for rushing this, like with Jin-E expescially…and the whole Yahiko part. I just didn't feel up to writing it…sweat sorry, i'm sorry…ow! stop with those tomatoes, damn you! NO, wait! I didn't mean that! Come back!

Thank you reviewers and—OW! I said stop! Ack! OK, I'LL LEAVE!