After what felt like a long break but was only really two something months in total, I'm back.

I had something really important to deal with. A close family member passed away, you see. I don't think anyone really knows how to deal with it when it happens. I surely didn't. But things are starting to get better. I feel better. It still doesn't feel real, though and I think most of the time I try to push it out of my mind because when I do start to think about it again it drives me insane. Now that I said that all I have to conclude this appropriately.

Waheguru.

Side note: Thank you, royal blue kitsune.

Disclaimers: I don't own Kenshin. Viz and Nobuhiro do.

CHAPTER 26

The gang, as Sano kept persistently calling them, were all seated around Kenshin's black lacquered coffee table. He'd also taken it upon himself to give Megumi a pretentious speech that consisted of warning her that once she was in she was there till the end. After that brief ceremony, which she kept nodding unenthusiastically throughout, they began to fill their newcomer in. She was abnormally calm upon hearing all of Kenshin's confessions including those of Kaoru and his dark background. "I always thought you were an idiot in high school. There was just something about you," she finally said. When the story crossed through Enishi's path he said no more. Only then did the curiosity in her arise at the missing conclusion. "And then?" She placed her mug back onto the coaster and folded her arms, waiting expectantly for the grand finale.

"Like I mentioned earlier, it's none of my business to talk of Kaoru's personal life."

"Uh, after now, I think you're well enough a part of her personal life," Megumi coolly put in. Kenshin could find no immediate reply. She had a point.

They were both thoroughly surprised then to hear Kaoru step in before the tension escalated. The whole time she had been sitting silently, leaning against Kenshin's solid form, but now she was propped up all by herself. Wincing only slightly in pain, it directly reminded her that Megumi had given a helping hand. Of course she didn't know that Kenshin had to literally hold his sword to her back in order to get it all started, but that detail was better left off alone. It was a silent, mutual agreement amongst the other three. "I can't say that I trust you entirely but it really does seem like Kenshin and Sano do, therefore I won't hesitate to tell you the rest," Kaoru said to the maroon eyed woman who was now staring at her.

Sano looked down at his hands while Kenshin continually stroked Kaoru's long hair tenderly. Raising her brows apprehensively, Megumi continued to stare at her, unaffected. And so Kaoru spoke of everything that happened to her. Upon hearing what Enishi exactly did to her, Megumi's features noticeably tightened across her face and Sano violently cracked his knuckles. Kenshin's own hand traveled down and began massaging her shoulder through his borrowed shirt.

Kaoru felt as if she had become a changed person. Normally she would have been flustered and highly embarrassed to admit everything but right now she couldn't have cared less. Sano and Kenshin had been there with her through everything and if Megumi dared to say something back to her she knew both would step up to defend her.

Something unidentifiable flashed through the pensive eyes of the woman that was seated across from her on the other couch. "Kaoru, would you like to accompany me to the kitchen? I'd like another cup of tea."

She looked unsure for a moment and then shook all doubts out of her head. It was just the kitchen and she would only be a few feet away from Kenshin. She nodded and stood up slowly, reaching over the table to get her own mug but Kenshin quickly stopped her and did it himself. "I'm alright, honestly," she assured him lightly and accepted it with a sincere smile. "Like hell you are," he muttered under his breath, his hands rubbing up and down her arms protectively.

Sano watched and waited till they both disappeared safely into the kitchen before turning back to his friend. They began to discuss the present situation but he had the feeling that Kenshin was not completely all there. And he wasn't really. Instead, he was trying to focus on what the women in the kitchen were discussing but Megumi was speaking in a very low tone. She doesn't want to be overheard, Kenshin thought suspiciously. He could almost feel a growl creeping up his throat. If she says ANYTHING to Kaoru I'll…

You'll what? He felt an invisible hand jerk around his collar. For god's sake Kenshin, get a bloody hold of yourself. That is the same woman that saved Kaoru's life… God what's gotten into me? Absently he rubbed his open palm across his scarred cheek.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he answered Sano.

"Like hell there isn't." His friend leaned forward, cautiously balancing himself on the edge of the seat. "You think you can fool everyone else but you've forgotten that I know you much too well. Ever since you came back with jou-chan you've been acting weird. Even your eyes are more… shiftier. I think I have an idea about what's going on but I hope to god that I'm wrong."

A surge of anger flew through Kenshin. "You don't know ANYTHING," he almost shouted. Instantly he was taken aback.

What the hell…

"I knew it. Kenshin, you need to get control of yourself. I just KNEW that this would happen." He took a deep, forced breath of air and continued. "You said you could deal with it," he concluded flatly.

"I will, I can."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Kenshin replied and threw himself back against the couch. He was beginning to feel irritated with where this conversation was leading. That and the sudden need for a stiff drink.

"You better. A lot of things are riding on your ass at this moment and if you fuck anything up, you won't be screwing just yourself over. Jou-chan's in this as much as you are, don't you forget that." Now that seemed to shut his best friend up. Sano was sure he was listening, although he was trying his best to not look like it. He exhaled and ran his fingers through his messy hair. This is much worse than I expected…

Behind the living room, in the kitchen, Megumi stood over the stove with her back coldly towards Kaoru. Or at least that's how the latter girl felt.

She invited me back here with her and now she's all quiet again. This feels so uncomfortably weird. Feeling that enough was enough, Kaoru asked, "Why did you want to bring me into the kitchen?"

"Because," the other girl paused, carefully tipping the pot over so that the hot liquid filled the cup perfectly. As she turned around she was met with a very curious gaze. "We need to discuss a couple things. I'm going to get straight to the point so don't think of this as me just being crude, okay?"

Kaoru nodded and sucked in her breath making her eyes open up real wide.

"Did you have unprotected sex with Enishi?"

Immediately the response she got was of Kaoru turning her face downwards and away.

Shame and embarrassment, Megumi noted thoughtfully. Out loud, she said, "I'll take that as a yes."

"It's a yes and a no," Kaoru quickly put in firmly as if to anxiously prove Megumi wrong. "The first time yes, the second time no."

Megumi's lips parted in surprise. If she hadn't trained herself to be so superficial all the time, she was sure she would've dropped her cup.

"The second time?" She hurriedly whispered with her eyes jerking back and forth like a typewriter realigning itself. Kaoru quickly put in another reply that was so fast that it took Megumi a couple seconds to actually comprehend it.

"Kenshindoesn'tknowpleasedon'ttellhim."

"Wait wait," she paused, and moved her hand to her forehead, rubbing at the wrinkles of worry. "You didn't tell him?" Kaoru scoffed at Megumi's obvious disbelief. As obvious as it was, she was thinking that the answer to THAT should have been obvious! "Of course not! He's already got enough worries!" She huffed back, meeting Megumi's tigress like stance. The taller woman sighed then and placed her mug down onto the counter once more. "I'm going to book an appointment for you sometime soon to come see me at the clinic. This is very important, and no," she added while reading Kaoru's anxious expression, "It cannot be put off. You are coming in for an examination whether you like it or not." Even so she still protested. "But I took these pills that are supposed to—"

"THAT is only ONE of my concerns among many others. For those, the percent isn't exactly perfect. Almost but not quite there. No excuses," she firmly told the slighter girl in a hardened tone. Kaoru seemed to want to decline again but shook her head, knowing in advance that it wasn't going to be worth it. Megumi is a doctor, or well is going to be one pretty soon enough, she corrected herself. I guess I should trust that she really does know more about this kind of stuff than I do. Plus she's volunteering… and she's being kind to me. This feels weird.

"Why…" she trailed off as Megumi took her cup from her hands and began to promptly re-fill it. "Why are you being nice to me?"

Megumi blinked a couple times before coming up with a response. "Because Ken-san is someone who is really dear to me. It's also very apparent that you are someone who is dear to him; therefore I will look after you. I know of your situation and you have no one else to turn to. I wouldn't be that cruel to backhand you when you need help." Spinning on her heel, she picked up the teapot and walked towards the sink to refill it. "Enishi-kun was my best friend's brother, and he was like a brother to me."

Anger was building up inside Kaoru. How dare she go and take his side after everything he's done an—

"But what he did was inconceivably wrong. I don't care if you threatened him with a gun, he should not have done what he did."

"What about Tomoe?"

"You were practically like her rival even though you didn't realize it."

Granted that she did not know Megumi well enough, she was still able to pick up the bitter tone that had entered her voice.

"That's the problem with you though. So naïvely young that she doesn't even realize what she's doing." She paused and turned around, waving a hand in the air for emphasis. "It's like an innocent child accidentally trampling through flowers, caught up in a game with her friends. The act is so simplistic and could have been prevented but how can you scold a misinformed child? It wasn't her fault. But then, you'd just want to blame her and say that she should have known better. It's always easier to do that than to sit down and understand the complexity of even the easiest situations."

Her words seemed to make sense to Kaoru. The exact meaning that Megumi had tried to get across did reach its destination. Kaoru just simply could not think of anything to say back. It didn't deserve a reply really. The wounds were still open but Megumi was overlooking that and giving Kaoru a chance. It was a very generous act on her behalf. "Thanks Megumi. I know you're doing your best and I do appreciate that."

The other girl silently handed back her mug and gestured for Kaoru to head back to the living room. It was a silent acceptance. And for Kaoru, that was more than good enough.

Tension was in the air as she made her way back to both of the young men. Instantly they withdrew from their conversation they were engaged in and quietly looked up to Kaoru, who felt awfully awkward for walking into the middle of it. Not being able to hold it inside, she voiced her thoughts. "Did I interrupt you guys?" Sano quickly shook his head but Kaoru turned to Kenshin and offered again. "I can go back to the kitchen if you want."

"No, it's fine. Here, come sit down," Kenshin patted at the free space beside him. Kaoru peered over the top of her cup as she took a light sip, still standing in front of Sano. "You know, Kenshin, if you don't mind I think I'd like to just lie down. I'm feeling rather tired…"

Sparks of red shot across his eyes.

"Why didn't you say so? Kaoru, if you were tired you didn't have to stay up and talk to Megumi about anything!"

His emotions were getting the better of him but Sano was all too familiar with it. This was very much like the old days but in a sense here Kenshin was still able to love and care. How long before it got obsessive, he had no idea, but was quite sure it was on the verge of getting there, no doubt. Hitokiri Battosai always had a streak of insanity in him. A lot of it would start off with compulsion. Sano rubbed at his tired eyes. He didn't even want to begin to think of how much work Kenshin had ahead of himself. The last thing everyone needed was for the old Kenshin to come back in full effect. It would be a big, bloody mess and for Kaoru, the damage would be horrific. No, he needs to fight the ghosts of his past instead of giving in and accepting defeat. Kenshin shouldn't give up without a fight. And I'm going to make sure I'm there every step he takes, pushing him in the right direction.

Megumi came back into the living room just as Kenshin was guiding a protesting Kaoru towards his bedroom.

"I guess we should get going anyways, kitsune," Sano yawned and stared at the clock on the wall. "Holy shit, it's nearly four." Megumi flared her nostrils and gave him the normal attitude that she always did. It was pretty much a natural reflex. That man sitting on the couch so languidly annoyed her, yet at the same time she found that she couldn't live without him no matter how many other guys she tried to get with. Finding boyfriends wasn't exactly a problem since they always seemed to be dropping off roses, leaving small letters at the front desk, or even faking an illness just to catch a glimpse of her model like body clad in the doctor's uniform. But no matter how sweet he turned out to be or how great the sex was, her heart would always find itself craving that stupid rooster head. Secretly and yet pathetically, she found herself pretending sometimes that…that it was really Sano that was making love to her. That idiot has no idea how good looking he is. If he lacks one thing, it's a brain, she thought furiously. Girls would swoon in and out of his path like drunken flies, yet he would continue to walk by with a goofy grin, oblivious to his manly charms that could cast a spell.He'd broken up a lot of her relationships without even being physically involved. Ha, imagine that, Megumi spitefully laughed to herself. "You go if you want," she snubbed him, her feelings bursting out into her voice. "I have to discuss a few things with Ken-san still." Sano scratched his head and looked up at her with a bewildered expression. I thought we were actually making progress here, he reasoned. "Well, what's on your mind?" He casually asked and ignored the catty tone that she continued to use. "Tomoe's funeral arrangements," she briskly replied and turned her head the other way, acting as if the information was none of Sano's business.

Kenshin reappeared from the hall and stopped as he overheard.

"You've arranged it, Megumi-dono?" She straightened up and spoke almost in a professional manner as if discussing a matter with a patient. "Yes I have Ken-san. It'll take place two days from now at the Namiko Memorial Center. It's about an hour's drive from here and the ceremony starts at one p.m." Megumi rummaged through his entertainment system cabinet and found a pen. She quickly wrote down the details on a scrap paper provided by Kenshin, and then told him that she was calling it a night. Sano followed after her, put his shoes on right beside her and almost kissed Kenshin on the cheek just as she had done. Thankfully, he caught himself in time and he could've sworn that Kenshin's eyes were about to pop out of his head. "I'm tired," he grunted. Smacking Kenshin on the back instead, he mumbled something and closed the door lightly behind him. Even through all the wood and drywall, Kenshin could still make out Megumi's sharp tone. He shook his head and sighed when it died away, assuming the two of them were continuing their brawl in the elevator. He slowly trailed back to the living room. Disliking messes very much, he soundlessly placed all their tea cups into the kitchen sink but decided to leave the washing till tomorrow. At least they're out of the way, he sighed. Fatigue was beginning to overrun his body. Sleep was practically calling out to him now. As he trudged onwards towards the bathroom, he paused in his doorway, admiring the beautiful sight that caught his eyes.

The still form of Kaoru sprawled across his bed in such an unladylike way caused him to smile warmly. She had helped herself to some pajamas, which Kenshin found to look absolutely adorable on her. His black t-shirt and red boxer shorts never looked that good on him. Large in size, they covered her body well but she looked so comfortable; the faint smile on her lips still showing through her sleep. Feeling overly optimistic and falsely happy with the world, Kenshin proceeded down the hall to use the spare washroom.

When he returned he stripped off his shirt and pants and exchanged them for a cut off tee, and shorts. Carefully, so that he did not disturb her, Kenshin slipped underneath the blanket and rested his body beside Kaoru's. Soon after that he fell asleep in peace, knowing that her warm body was just within arm's reach.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sometime in the middle of the night, in the middle of Kaoru's hazy sleep, someone's voice broke through and she awoke with a start. Someone is shouting, her ears realized and immediately she looked over to the figure beside her.

Kenshin was crying out, saying something that she couldn't exactly make out, but whatever it was she knew it was deeply terrifying him. Acting quickly, she cupped her hands around his smooth face and told him that everything was alright, he was only just dreaming. With surprise, she saw that he was beyond hearing, he simply gave no response of any sort. Too deep in, she thought and anxiously shook his shoulders in another attempt to awaken him. Motion in his body was restricted, save for his mouth which was open and gasping for air while shouting out incoherently.

In another world, Kenshin was trapped in a nightmare that had no way out.

There were corpses everywhere and they were all murmuring the same accusation. Some even managed to laugh while coordinating themselves to stalk slowly after him. After much persistence, Kenshin gave up and finally turned to face them. The ones he had killed without mercy. They were back and coming to collect their revenge once and for all. Since they were beyond the physical world, they often haunted his dreams, the one place where even for a brief period of time they could claim a small piece of victory.

Moving his hand to his sword, Kenshin recoiled as if he'd touched a hot coal.

"Kaoru?" he whispered in shock after finding her standing there behind him, her smooth hand tracing the sheath that sat content at his hip. Her twilight blue eyes ignored his physical presence and she continued with her intimate caress, stroking the cool, unmarred wood.

"Kaoru, stop it," he told her when he observed the many dead that were coming closer and closer by each second.

But she did not.

Her hand worked skillfully, innocently, while dancing upwards till it brushed against the black hilt.

"That's enough fooling around Kaoru!" Even using strength to shout, hoping to scare her off, proved futile. With the same eerie muteness, and slow dazed movements, she ignored him and curled her pale fingers around the hilt. Shadowed creases appeared on the surface of her knuckles as she tightened her grip.

"Don't…"

In one instant the blade was pulled free, the sharp point now pressing up against his chest, directly over his heart. Not wavering at all, she kept it straight but her eyes would not meet his.

"What are you— DON'T!"

Everything occurred in slow motion. He felt as if he were out of his body, watching from above as Kaoru smiled devilishly, an ill expression splayed across her face, one that he could never have imagined seeing, while she rammed the blade deep inside his body.

A moment before he should have died he woke up with a start, much like Kaoru had. Instinctively, both his hands went around the intruders arms and he squeezed tightly, enjoying the small gasps that his prey made.

What is he doing!

Kaoru's mind was flashing off red warning signals before she even saw his eyes fly open. She felt her body spasm within his inhumanly strong grasp and she slowly lifted her eyes to meet his. No longer were they that calming shade of amethyst that almost always made her think of wild lavender, so much so that she could even swear that he smelled of it. Instead, they had been overcome with a terrible shade of amber, a color that made Kaoru fearful and reminded her that he was capable of anything, EVERYTHING, when his sanity slipped. And right now he was doing the most unthinkable thing to her.

He's hurting me, she realized, this is his intention. Kenshin means to seriously hurt me! After everything that we've survived through, I was meant to die by his hands alone?

She felt him force her back down against her share of the pillows while his body came up, hovering over while she tried to break the hold by digging her fingernails deep into the tender flesh of his wrist. When he finally spoke audibly, understandably, she snapped her head up to meet his furious, golden eyes. In a voice not exactly his own, he growled down menacingly at the struggling body he held pinned beneath his own.

"I told you not to touch it."

Kaoru's lovely sad face paled, her eyes widened. The long mane of red hair was smothering her face and she could barely breathe.

"Ken…..shin…" she jaggedly spoke through his crushing grip.

I can't fight back…

Her eyelids fluttered as she continued to gasp uncontrollably.

A thunderbolt full of sheer electricity slammed into Kenshin's body and the next second Kaoru faintly watched through half closed lids as his form suddenly flew away from hers. Both of them were now trembling terribly, staring at one another but Kaoru found that it was her that was making the little painful moans.

Like a very good movie effect, she found his eyes slowly shifting back into the lively lavender that she had grown to love. Sitting back, absolutely speechless, Kaoru's chest heaved as if it were on the brink of exploding. But her attention was cautiously fixed on Kenshin, fear plainly visible in her humongous eyes.

To him, the silence was murderous. It was too unnatural, and he was much too aware of what he had done. "Kaoru?" he called hesitantly towards the frozen figure and reached a hand. He quickly withdrew when she shrank back as if he were an infectious disease. Staring back down at his own calloused hand that he had offered, he began to say, "I… I… it's happening all over again. Oh god Kaoru, I'm so sorry," he struggled with the words now, though no tears came to his eyes. Feeling much too ashamed to even cry, Kenshin watched helplessly as her body continued to heave as if fearing that all of the air on the earth was suddenly going to just disappear.

"When you killed Satoshi, you did it for me didn't you?"

His head lifted up to look her in the eyes directly.

"Hai," he answered right away without a second's delay.

"And you were already barely hanging on, suffering through a withdrawal, if you'd like to call it that?"

"Yes," he answered this hesitantly.

His eyes could only just stare. He was unsure of where this conversation was leading to and why these particular points had to go through him for verification.

Placing her face in her hands, Kenshin barely caught the muffled whisper that he guessed was not meant for his ears to pick up.

"What have I done to you…?"

He was there, arms wrapped around her own, pulling her into a tight, reassuring embrace, trying to quell her worries.

"I knew what I was getting myself into."

"Did you also know that once you gave in you'd try to kill me as well?"

Her response ripped his heart into two uneven pieces. The warmth around her body fell away and Kenshin looked down away from her. God, he thought, startled when she caught him off guard. Both of her hands were on his arms and she was shaking him wildly. Doesn't she understand that I'm on the edge here? Hasn't she seen me respond in action enough times to know not to just grab me and start shaking me like this?

"I'm not safe around you, am I? You can't love me while you're like this, can you?" Her curled fingertips clenched onto his sleeves and slowly slid downwards, as did her receding hope. "Love?" Kenshin scoffed and smiled bitterly. "My girlfriend was only murdered a few days ago and here you're on about love?" He felt a sharp pain in his head and winced. Somethingin his mind that was supposed to have been pushed away had awoken quietly, undetected, and had freed itself all on its own.

Oooh, I think that you might've just hurt the little sparrow's feelings. Nice one though, I must commend you for that…spontaneous little remark. You're becoming more and more like a man. Like me.

It was Battosai's turn to gloat and dance upon Kenshin's shocked feelings. I've mentioned it many times over in the past but I'll remind you once again; it is inevitable. Battosai shrugged and leered over Kenshin's internal thoughts.

Right away he covered his mouth with his hand, wishing to god that he could take back what he'd said but seeing Kaoru's eyes soften with hurt, he knew it was beyond late. This is a war that cannot be won with the innocent people that I care about staying so close to me.

Oh, but I like this one a lot, Battosai put in. Send her away and I'll hunt her back down. Even if you think you wouldn't, I know I would enjoy the company of Ms. Kamiya Kaoru for a little while longer. Can't you just imagine the feel of her silky thick locks rubbing against your fingertips? Or the way she smiles warmly at you and how you can see the reflection of yourself within those sparkling blue eyes? The feeling it gives is worth killing anyone for.

What about that night when you reveled in parting those smooth, shapely thighs and gave it all to her? When her eyes fluttered, when her body arched and she cried for more, begging for you to take her like the wild temptress that she is? The woman you want her to be. You're innocent little bird may be too much for you, but I assure you this much, I am far more able to handle her like a man with perfected precision. The things she's only DREAMED of…

"Shut the hell up!" Kenshin yelled. Engrossed with the voice in his mind, he failed to see Kaoru jump up and slowly retreat backwards.

Aw, Battosai began sarcastically, I think you scared Tomo— Oh my apologies, I mean Kaoru. How rude of me. I almost forgot the other one was dead.

Ahh, my memory isn't serving me right these days. It's been much too long having been trapped away. I was so used to that one that I almost forgot. A mistake that will never happen again, I assure you that, if you would allow me to get re-acquainted with that raven haired goddess. I promise to spot the differences next time…

Kenshin hastily blocked out the rest of what he was about to hear by answering back to Kaoru's earlier question. "I don't know, Kaoru. Right now I can't think straight but the one thing I know for sure is that I need you here with me!"

"No!" She shouted back. "I won't stay! How can you say that? You tried to hurt me!"

"It was a NIGHTMARE Kaoru!"

She pointed her finger at him and shook her head, tears spraying onto the carpet. "You told me that you'd protect me but how can you when you've become the enemy?"

Silence clouded the room. Kaoru hated the uneasy hesitance of it. The answer her heart wanted to hear was for Kenshin to say that he loved her and that everything in the end would be fine. This was supposed to be the end; they were supposed to be alright. Both were free from their chains, but of course she hadn't expected him to forget Tomoe like that. A wound of that kind would take it's time to properly heal. Seconds after she had her conclusive thoughts, Kenshin was still silent. She could take no more of his lost expression, so she fled the room.

Kenshin called out after her but when she didn't respond the third time around, he stalked over to the living room.

"Just please stay here with me. At least for tonight!" He pleaded with every ounce of his pitiful self. "I know I hurt you but that was never my intent. It never was and it never is. I care about you a lot and I feel that the only way I can overcome this is by having you around. You're the only thing I have left."

She made out the slight thudding when he approached her, amongst her viciously beating heart. Solid warm arms wrapped themselves around her, encasing her like a molding to his body.

Kaoru paused in the middle of folding her soiled clothes. They slipped easily out of her grasp and dropped to the floor as her own eyes shut unwillingly.

"I'm scared Kenshin," she admitted quietly.

"So am I," he whispered back.

Tenderly with precise movements he bent his head and pressed his lips against the back of her neck. Delighting in the fact that he had captured a sigh from her, he tightened the embrace and rested his face against her smooth cool skin.

Kaoru had a horde of mixed emotions that were tumbling through her body, some making her nervous system whack out while others tried to bury themselves in the mini niches, naively hiding and enjoying the moment. They wanted her to believe that everything was going to be just fine. But Kenshin is really a wildcard here. Anytime, any part that he feels he needs to take up he will and he can't control it. The Hitokiri in him is once more speaking out and trying to win his soul. This… this whole situation sounds so unreal and hysterical but it would be wrong of me to leave him now when he's suffering the most. Everyone faces some hard trials at least once in their life and to the rest of the world it's so hard to explain what you have to endure. Kenshin understood my pain, god, he wanted to share the burden with me!

The final line here is that everyone has their own unique problems and Kenshin's is just really really different, but it does not separate us in the least bit. Let's just hope and pray that he's right when he says he needs me.

She wondered if he could read her mind when he muffled apologies against her hair, heavily, for his earlier behavior. "It's alright Kenshin. And," she trailed off, turning her face slightly so that their cheeks met. "We will try to do this together." He released her but kept his hands at her hips so that he could turn her around. "It's not going to be easy," he remarked and solemnly spoke deep into her eyes. "I know, I've already gotten a taste of what it's going to be like. But we'll do this," she hurriedly added on. "We have to." He smiled then. Bringing her hand up to his lips, he tenderly kissed it, and Kaoru had no objection. She was glad he hadn't picked her lips or anything because it would have been awfully awkward. He knows that you idiot, she reminded herself.

Hand in hand they walked back to his bedroom. Like a watchful angel, Kenshin pulled the blanket back allowing Kaoru to lie down first. After, he sat on the bed himself, but instead of lying down he chose to sit up against the head board. Kaoru's body curled up closely to his, her back facing towards his side. He found himself reaching out and smoothing his hand up and down her back, as if coaxing and calming a baby to sleep. It worked like a charm. She was out within several minutes.

And then he was left all alone in the conscious world to fight the devil of the past that haunted him inside.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I'm going to stop saying, 'Oh one more chapter, or no two more left…' because every time I do that it just doesn't work out. The end is near though; I'll tell you that much with assurance.

For the past couple months I've just been trying to edit the whole story out and I finally completed it earlier today. So to my readers, if you would like to, please go back and re-read stuff. I've edited a LOT. Thanks in advance. I've also been a review whore, too, asking for comments on the changes but alas no one has bothered to. 'Yeah whatever,' to you too:p

Anyways, onto my individual thank you's. And Phi-dono, you didn't review last time. I was sad. I missed your input : (

Crewel: Aw, you are much too kind with your words. I'm very, VERY happy that you liked the last chapter and the interaction between Megumi, Sano, and Kenshin. I really hope that you enjoy this chapter as well. There's some Megumi in it this time around too. Thank you so much for your sweet review. It really made me feel nice when I was feeling sad and down. Thank you, muah:x

Reignashii: I'm just going to stop altogether about asking for you to post your story up. Back at school again, huh? How fun. Thanks for your review, hun. Allll of 'em since you've been reviewing since like FOREVER! You're awesome. : )

Tameka-tanuki-jouchan: Haven't seen you around for awhile. I guess you're busy and what not but it'd be nice to see you around again soon : ) Thanks for the comments on the last chapter. Yeah Megumi can be a cow. I have fun writing her up like that. For some reason my fingers just typed her out like that. Ah well. Thanks again ; )

animeguzman: Hey ya, and sorry for taking so long to update. Hehe, of course Kaoru lives. If she died the story would be completely worthless. Kenshin would be a loner and he'd be depressed for the rest of his sad little life. Of course Kaoru has to live because as long as those two are around together nothing will ever be normal. There'll always be some drama to the story. Thanks for your review!

kenshinlover2002: Your review left an interesting image for mind. I just imagined Megumi attacking Kaoru while she was unconscious. But then Kenshin would obviously interject and separate them, but still. I guess it'd be natural for Megumi to be furious. I still kept her 'coolness' in this chapter. It wouldn't be normal for her to be all 'happy happy' around Kaoru, plus the mood still needs to be blah because of Tomoe's death. Thanks for the constant reviews! Much appreciate!

DragonBlade666: Hehe, you can tell your Chibi Battosai army to back down 'cause the new chapter is here! Or maybe not. I wouldn't mind Chibi Battosai. Or wait, maybe I would. I'd like the real version, not the chibi ; ) I really liked how your review hit the nail on the head. Yes, Kenshin will be changing and it's not all for the good. Thanks for your review: ) Oh yes, you're the person I emailed about the good stories to read right? Hehe I had to go back to your review and re-read it cause I was thinking, Oh shoot, I forgot to tell this person some stories,' but never mind. I already did didn't I? Hehe.

Immortal-Blood: Hey! Thanks for reviewing on the last chapter. Hmmm, yeah. There wouldn't be a point in bringing Satoshi back. It'd just make everything really stupid, and there are already other characters around to start up shit if they really want. Cough, ENISHI, cough. Lol, nice that you commented on my stupid sense of humor. I thought the security thingy bit was stupid but argh, I can't write funny scenes. Thanks for reviewing!

anime pixie: Oh no! I hope your computer is virus-free now! Virus's can be a pain in the you know where. Thanks for reviewing!

Wolf Jade: Why thank you for the apology but it's not needed, hon. It's oki for not reviewing last time : ) But I want to thank you for reviewing this time! What concert did you happen to see? Well, I'm glad I could make SOMEONE laugh. Personally I have the hardest times writing 'funny' stuff and that part took me FOREVER. But it makes me feel somewhat useful to know that you found it funny. I'm so glad, phew! Hey, and don't compare stories! Whatever, everyone does their best and that's all that matters, right? I'm sure it'll kick ass, and yeah, I suppose it's about time if you've been reading Kenshin fics for that long! All the best with that and thank you for reviewing!

Chibi Binasu-chan: Thanks for the offer!

royal blueKitsune: Lol, yeah you said it. Kenshin is an idiot. Or well, it isn't really his fault is it? Well they have to suffer anyways so too bad. Thanks for the support and the reviews : )

Hanabira: Lol, looks like you wanted to claw out pretty much all the character's eyes out in this one. That's funny. Yeah, not many people seem to really like Enishi. I do, though. He's twisted and he just needs some love. Huggles him. Oooh, I love Linay's stories too. She's the all time greatest, I swear. Thanks for the review!

Sims are awsome: Hey ya ; ) Thanks for the review : )

Pixel-the-evil-fairy: Wheee, I'm glad you liked that security bit and I appreciate it that you found it funny too. Thanks for the review: )

Sally: Aw, thanks for the comments and the praise. Much appreciated, as always! Thank you for reviewing : )

sprinkles73: Just quoting you here, 'More please!' That sounds like me and dessert, lol. Glad you liked the last chapter, and I hope you enjoy this one as well. Thanks for the review!

starrydreamz: I am very, well, how to put this..? Blown away? By your lovely comments! Thanks for those; it's a major ego inflator. Totally! Thanks so much! I appreciate readers like you a lot! Thank you for reviewing: )

Silent Tears of Agony: School is brutality. I'm not currently enrolled in anything at the moment but my boyfriend is and man, I know the pain everyone goes through. Classes can just be plain time consuming. I don't want to think of life if I ever have to go back, which I AM planning to do… sometime ; ) No no, and don't worry, I know you're not telling me how to write the story. It's good to get feedback and different views, and to see what people want to read. As for adding more K/K, I don't think it'll harshly go into another rated 'M' scene. As you can see after this chapter it just won't work. You'll still see them around a lot as the attention will be focused on them but not in a romantic way so much. Thanks for reviewing: )

MiraResQNU: Wow, I totally didn't deserve half of what you said. Really, you are much too kind. Thank you, though. You know, when I went back and started doing a complete re-haul of things, I looked back and cringed at everything. I was so embarrassed with a lot of the stuff I had written. I can say now with more confidence that I'm happier but there is always room for improvement. Comma's are my issue. No, it wasn't mean or anything of you to say that. I know I have a problem. I seriously have been meaning to actually sit down and look over grammar books or stuff on the net (and this is when I wish I had paid more attention back in high school), but instead I've been looking at the stories I read on here and figuring it out on my own. I should seriously figure out how to do it right, and thanks for pointing that out. Lol, I totally know the feeling when you can't stop reading a story. I was like that with Linay's 'Broken Pieces'. I had work the next morning but I didn't have the heart to stop reading and when I finally got back from work the first thing I did was run to the computer and finished reading her story. Kind of weird. I totally know what you mean but now it's like AW! You did that with my story! Well thanks for that, lol. I appreciate you losing your precious sleep time just to read this ; ) I loved your review and thank you very much for it! ; )

kara mcpherson: Your internet usage secret is safe with me. I won't tell your principal or faculty or whoever is in charge, hehe ; ) Thanks for reviewing!

tiffany: Sorry for taking forever on this chapter but I hope you like it! Thanks for the review!

Special thanks to the ones that have me added to their 'alert' lists and 'fave' lists even though ninety percent don't review. No I won't give it up; I won't shut up about that. Nonetheless, I suppose you deserve some love too. Thank you.

Take care everyone, and I will be updating on a semi-regular basis from now on.

Thank you!

-Eternal