Fanfic by Blueroseulan

November 26, 2005

AN: Oh dear… you guys are in for some DRAMA! Hmmm… Winks winks oh well, after all, this is the second to the last chappie sobs

RK doesn't belong to me.

Please review!

K

N

K

Kenshin didn't know why, but for the next few days, he felt tensed and nervous about something. He didn't know what the reason was; it was just like feeling the presence of rain before the onslaught of the storm. For nights, he lay still, alert and listening, ki high and ready to jump at any intruders. Kaoru had assured him, quieted his own fears by her own words of actions and soothing gestures, but it wasn't enough. It was never enough to drive off the nagging feeling in his chest.

On one particular afternoon, he had seen a figure running away from his house from the corner of his eye. That had been enough for him to realize that someone was keeping an eye on both of them and probably, planning to attack them, moreover seize them in a surprise attack. Hastily shaking a sleeping Kaoru awake at the porch, a feeling of overwhelming dread and terror seized his chest as he grabbed a few thick clothes and stuffed it inside a sack. She had questioned him, but she had somehow felt the panic that was rising on his throat and she had kept silent, allowing him to drag her deeper into the woods.

But as fate would have it, the pair had not yet gone farther into the thick forest when the man suddenly stopped cold in his feet, breath knocked off his throat.

He could sense someone; or rather he could sense them.

They had hidden their ki before, but now, it was as if they had purposely heightened their kis to alert him of their presence. He was gripped with fear and trepidation. If he was alone, he could well fight them off, leave them dead and escape. But she was with him, and he couldn't afford her getting hurt, not with her condition, not with her situation.

"Kaoru, run." He hissed between his breath. Though he would have known, she would rather stay behind.

"No, I'm staying here with you. "

Though he would like to argue, it wasn't really the most convenient of times to start a petty fight and his eyes widened as he saw someone step in front of him.

"Well well well.. I told you; you wouldn't be seeing the last of me Himura."

"KATSURA!" he spat out, vile present in his tone. He was already shaking, not with terror but with frenzied rage.

"Himura, it's a shame we meet this way… I've told you that you're nothing but a monster, made for war and living a simple life is just not apt to your mechanism have I told you not?" he hollered sarcastically

"So it's you who told him about that crappy piece of shit. It's you who've told him all that bull!" Someone yelled.

Startled, he caught sight of a woman standing beside the hitokiri. She was beautiful, he had to admit, and they made a striking pair.

"Oh… I see miss lovely in the corner… got a fiery spirit eh? But wait… you look familiar… too familiar for my liking." He hissed, tentatively encircling her, eyes roving towards her lithe form.

"Aha! You're the Bluerose… the star prostitute of the Red Dragon Teahouse… Hmmm…" he muttered, trying to touch her skin, greedy lustful eyes turning to her. "It's a pity I didn't get the chance to bed you… but that would come later…" he snarled, inhaling the scent of jasmine that clung to her tresses.

At once, the blade of a katana firmly found its way on his throat.

"Touch my woman and die." The hitokiri Battousai hissed.

The older man was taken aback. What's this? The Hitokiri Battousai had married a whore?

"Himura? I thought you had a better taste when it came to women? I never thought you'd find earthly pleasure with such a dirty, filthy prostitute!" he spat out.

She gasped and hearing her do so was the last of his binding. Control shattering, he shouted an estranged kiai and charged for the man. In a few moments, it was over, Battousai emerging as victorious and the bloodied body of Katsura lying motionless on the floor.

As soon as the Ishin members saw their master fall to the ground, they all faced the standing couple to charge. As quickly as his reflexes can, Kenshin grabbed Kaoru in the waist and fled as fast as his lightning quick steps could carry him.

Their distance was far, but he felt her growing weakness. Her coughing had returned, accompanied by the pooling of blood in her throat. Looking behind, he judged that they were in a safe distance and slowed down. Laying her in between the widely spread roots of an oak tree, he was startled with what he saw.

Her face was as white as linen sheet, with only the rich dark color of blood contrasting against it. Her eyes, dull before were now clouded with pain as tears leaked out, a sign of her hidden pain. She'd cough blood, stop, and gasp for breath and the coughing would start all over again. It seemed that the incident earlier had taken its toll on her body, making her weak and very much vulnerable. But he could not afford to settle now. That would mean giving both of their lives up. No, he wanted to leave her in a place somewhat peaceful and out of danger before he could face the remnants of his shattered past. He made a move to carry her once more, when a feeble hand stopped him.

"Ken-shin… don't…" she gasped, her breath becoming shorter. "Don't... Do this… anymore…. Leave me… here…" she whispered, eyes shutting close and tears involuntarily falling.

"Kaoru! What in the name of hell are you talking about! I can't afford to leave you here!" He almost yelled his voice three notches higher. He didn't expect her to say those words, and he was really taken aback.

"I… I'm growing… weak…I'm just going to slow you down…" she panted, coughs coming back again and blood making its way in its stead.

He then heard something rustle near the thick foliage of leaves that surrounded them, but he paid no heed to it, his attention more focused on her failing health. He was desperate; he knew that she was somewhat right. She was never going to make it… She had become too weak to even stand up…But if he tried…

And then all of a sudden, there was a deafening shot followed by a blood-curling scream.

"KENSHIN!"

Things just happened too fast and before he knew it, he was suddenly on the floor, Kaoru's form lying heavily on top of him. As he turned to reach out for her, his fingers were dipped into a sticky coating. Turning to look at it, he was staggered with what he saw.

It was her blood.

His heart suddenly stopped beating, his senses turning void and his mind abruptly going blank.

She had saved him.

She had heard the gunfire coming. Heard it before he did, and she had used her own body to serve as his shield and protect the bullet from penetrating exactly at the center of his chest.

He suddenly went numb.

She had saved him.

She had saved him.

It was a repeating mantra all over his head while he regained consciousness of his self-being. She was injured far worst than he had thought so, shrapnel of the bullet slightly protruding from her blood coated back. Her right shoulder was held in an odd angle and then and there did he realize that the bullet had penetrated her shoulder bone.

At once, a lump formed itself on his throat and liquid films of water had started to run on his dry cheek.

He looked around in time to see the attacker scurry in the bushes. The man was totally frightened…too frightened to do anymore harm.

But it doesn't matter any more…

She was still conscious, much to his relief; though one could never measure the tremendous pain she was experiencing right now. Her eyes were filled with tears and she was sputtering blood.

It was too morbid for her own sake.

There was too much blood. On her dress, on her face, skin, even her hair was coated with the sticky liquid. The faint metallic taste of the coppery fluid was fresh on his tongue as he held her shivering form.

"Ken—shin…." She murmured, eyes opening slightly.

"I'm here… love…" his voice was shaking, breaking into shushed whispers as tears fell down his face to plop gently on hers.

"Ken—shin…" His name had never sounded so endearing… and at the same time cruel to his ears.

"Rest… koi… I'm going to find you a doctor… and he's going to heal you… I.. promise…" he trailed off, knowing fully well how terrible a lie he had bitten out.

She smiled inspite of her numbing pain and it only served to fuel his desperation and hopelessness.

"Ken—shin… remember… our… promise?"

He closed his eyes, uncertain if his mind was still clear to think of any other coherent thought than her dying form in his hands.

"You… Agreed… That… you… won't be sad… when… I'm gone…" she murmured, in between light sucks of breath.

He tried to stifle a sob unwilling to make her feel that they were both indeed doomed. But the sound came out as a strained, animalistic howl, making him only more anguished.

"I… promise you… anata… that… even in the next world… I will still love you…" she whispered, sobs finally coming out. "I… promise you… that I will always love you… even after death…" it was catching up on her too. She didn't want to leave… she still wanted to live. Her sobs were pitiful and he could only gaze in morbid fascination as her tears began to mingle with the blood on her face.

"I… love… you… Himura… Kenshin…" she said, her remaining strength slowly ebbing away.

"I love you too Kaoru! I love you! I swear! Please… don't leave me Kaoru! Please oh gods! I beg of you…" he cried, embracing her form.

"Live Kenshin… live for me…" she whispered in his ears, breathing his scent for the last time.

"Kaoru… Kaoru… why must everything…" But as if for the last time, she had again gently cut him off, her bloody finger resting on his lips reminding him of the many times she had done so.

"Hush… love…kiss me…" she gently chided.

He had no other choice but to comply. And as his lips finally touched her shivering ones for the last time, his mind flew back to all the things they had shared, from their first meeting to all the people they had met and gone off. Everything started to filter his mind, like an old film suddenly coming back to life again.

"I will wait for you…"

She had managed to say those words, before he felt her grip slacken, eyes fluttering close and her final breath caressing his skin.

For a moment he just sat there, unmoving, unflinching, but when it dawned on him that he was only holding a mere shell of her once vibrant soul, he started to sob, then cry, and he broke down, body collapsing to the ground, holding the body of his wife, cradling it in his arms like as if doing so would bring her spirit back.

And from high in the heavens above, his scream of anguish, pain, torment and suffering ripped the skies echoing across the firmament.

TBC…

Please review!