Author's Notes:

Disclaimer: I do not own RK or any of the characters; if I did I would do a jig in the middle of the street and be very happy.

I'm not so sure that I really like this chapter. In fact, I'm pretty sure that I hate it. I probably could have done a lot better, but I was tired and I felt like it needed to come to an end. I dunno. Maybe it's not so bad. R&R and let me know what you think!

To everyone that has reviewed so far, thank you very much and I hope you like it. I am posting as fast as I can. Please, keep up the good work. I so love to read your thoughts. And so, on to the next chapter! Enjoy!

Kenshin:

I think I slept for a total of maybe of two hours. It's not that I wasn't tired, because I was. Correction, I am tired. It's just that my brain wouldn't shut off for long enough for me to really fall asleep, or stay that way anyway. First off, I can't believe that right at this very moment you are sleeping soundly with your back against my bare chest and my arm around your waist. I won't lie; I've imagined us being in this very scenario, but never in a hundred years did I actually think we would be. You just looked so sincere, so utterly open and unguarded that I couldn't refuse. I didn't want to, really. Even if I didn't get much sleep I can't say that I didn't enjoy spending the night with you in my arms. I just wish it were under different circumstances.

Your hair smells of jasmine. I love that smell. Have I ever told you that? Of course not. When would I have? Why would I have? I've left so many things unsaid, thinking that you already knew or that you didn't need to know. How blind I've been, how cold and unfeeling you must think I am. I'm not doing it to hurt you, Kaoru, I'm really not. It's just that I'm afraid. That's right, me, the man who was once the most feared man in all of Japan. I have so many enemies, so many people that would do anything to hurt me. Just like the man who attacked you. If they ever got their hands on you I don't know what I would do. I can't risk you losing you – do you understand? I don't think I could live if something were to ever happen to you. I can barely handle what is happening to you now; what if they were to get their hands on you, corrupt you in ways that I couldn't change? What then? At least now I have some way of helping you.

"Did you even go to sleep?"

Your voice is soft and still a little thick, which is how I know that you just woke up. How you knew I was awake, however, is a mystery.

"Yes. I haven't been awake long."

"Liar."

Damn it, Kaoru, how did you come to know me so well? You can't even see my face and you know that I'm lying.

"I got about two hours," I answer honestly, tired of trying to hide the truth from you

"Why?" You ask

"My brain wouldn't be quiet long enough."

"What were you thinking about?"

For just a moment I find myself ready to spit out yet another half-truth, ready to tell you some sort of fib. It's not worth it – you're going to know that I'm lying anyway, and I think I finally realized that you deserve more. Well, that's not true; I always knew that you deserved more; I just didn't know how to tell you all these things. I didn't know if I had the courage.

"Everything," I answer on a sigh, "Everything that has happened and everything that is coming our way. Mostly, though, I was thinking of this. Of us, laying here just as we are."

"And what were you thinking about it?"

Are you not going to let me get away without making me tell you everything?

"Kaoru, we shouldn't go there. I have so many enemies, so many people that could …"

"Come after me?" You finish the sentence for me, and then turn to your other side to face me, "It's a little late for that, Kenshin. And I think that I should have some say in this, don't you? Shouldn't it be my choice whether we go there or not? I'm fully aware of the danger, I always have been. So why don't you give me the choice to decide where we go and where we stop."

I have no reply. You're right. In my blinding desire to protect you I have been robbing you of your right to choose. You are an adult, fully capable of making your own decisions, and it is time that I let you do just that. We can't go on like this forever, with me hiding all these things and you pretending like it doesn't bother you. You deserve better, and, frankly, I'm sick of it. I want to be honest with you – and if you are aware of the dangers and still accept what it means to be with me, then who am I to stop you? I guess I will just have to keep a closer eye on you.

"I was thinking about how much I want to spend every night like this with you," I say, not looking away from you, "And I was thinking of how terrified I am of what this is doing to you. Then the thought crossed my mind of how selfish I am for thinking about this now when you need my help, when no one is sure what is going to happen. My soul bleeds for the loss of that part of you that knew nothing of another man's blood, and even as I try to help you I am eaten alive by my old anger, my old beast."

You say nothing for several long moments, but you don't take your eyes from my face. You don't look surprised or frightened, but your face does seem to have a little more color than yesterday. What are you thinking? Did I share too much? Maybe I should have just lied and made up some story about how I was trying to figure out how that man got into the dojo. Well, that wouldn't be a total lie, since there was a point in the night when that thought was prominent in my mind.

"Why now?" You query

That's a good question, and one that I really don't want to answer. It's selfish, really, and probably a horrible way to feel.

"Do you want the truth? The honest, bare truth?"

"Yes," You answer without hesitation

"Very well. I know this sounds horrible, but it's because I'm not as afraid of you now. I'm not as afraid of your purity, and I don't feel as if you're so much higher than I am now. You always seemed like such an angel, such an unreachable angel that I was afraid to even try. Is that terrible of me?"

You shake your head no.

"I figured it was something like that. Honestly, I feel closer to you too. I feel as though I understand your soul now, as if I can really relate to the anger and guilt that you feel. Part of me wishes that I didn't, because this isn't the way that I wanted to understand. But I guess maybe I was meant to."

"If I could change it, Kaoru, you know I would, in a heartbeat."

"I know. But enough of that. Tell me more of what you spent all night thinking about?"

You really aren't going to let me get away without telling you everything.

"Are you sure that now is a good time to talk about this?"

"Kenshin, it's early in the morning, we're the only ones awake. And I've waited long enough already."

"You're right. I'll tell you. I thought about how wonderful you smell, just like fresh cut jasmine in the spring. And how cute it is when you snore."

"I do not snore!" You protest

"You most certainly do!"

Thinking I was out of my mind for at least the thousandth time in the last four days, I finally acted on an urge. I leaned my head down the few inches that separated us and softly brushed my lips against yours, reveling in the electric surges that it sends down my spine. Kissing you is unlike anything I have ever felt before – it's absolutely delicious, simultaneously calming and stimulating. Why haven't I done this before? You're probably thinking the same thing, aren't you? I don't blame you.

It's over seconds later, and I slowly open my eyes to see your reaction. Your eyes are still closed, but you don't look angry or disappointed. I'm afraid to say anything, afraid that maybe that was a bad idea and you are mad at me.

"Kaoru?" I ask gently, "Are you okay?"

"Why haven't you done that before?"

I can't help but laugh at that. Great minds think alike, I guess.

"So you aren't mad at me then? That wasn't the wrong thing to do?"

"No," You say, giggling slightly, "That wasn't the wrong thing to do. But … does this mean we're together?"

"Yeah, I guess it does. Is that okay? We'll take things slow, I promise. And we won't tell anyone just yet."

"That sounds good," You answer, smiling at me

"We better get up and get ready, before the others do," I say, kissing your forehead, "We've got another day to get through."

You nod in agreement and stretch against me. It's going to be a good day – and with a little luck, so will the rest of them. I know that it won't be easy, but together we will make it through this. You're a strong person; we're going to be okay, all of us. If I could change all of this, I would. I never wanted you to go through this. If there was any other way, any way at all, I would have found it. But that obviously wasn't for me to decide.

You're going to be okay, Kaoru, I silently swore, I will protect you with the every last breath in my body. No one will ever hurt you again – and you'll never have to make a sacrifice like that again.

Fini

A/N: This isn't exactly the last chapter, since there is going to be an epilogue. There are a few more things that I need to add closure too, so that will all be in the prologue. Was this chapter longer than any of the others? Did you like it? R&R please!