I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Ohkami is a friend of mine, ohkamimajin. This is based on an RP that Ohkami, I, and a few other people did a few years ago. In this fic, Saito is not married. Thank you to FairyMage and ohkamimajin for reviewing! All reviews are responded to on my xanga account. Reviews are welcome, flames mean more s'mores! A double line means flash back. Single line means scene change.

I looked down into Souzou's eyes. My heart was beating wildly and I didn't know what to do. A lump was in my throat and I couldn't speak.

"I…" My voice gave out.

"Souzou." Kenshin moved in between us.

"Yes?" Souzou looked a little annoyed about being interrupted.

"Ten years is a long time."

"Kenshin." I whispered. "Thank you, but I need to alone with Souzou."

"Alright." He patted my shoulder before dragging Ohkami out of the garden.

"So now we're alone." Souzou smiled and pulled me to stand.

"Souzou." I couldn't look in his eyes.

"What is it?" He gently lifted my chin so I was looking in his eyes.

"Ten years is a very long time. Why didn't you come find me? Why wait so long?"

"I couldn't come forward, everyone thought I was dead. I had to wait until the ruckus following the defeat of the Sekiho was over. Everyone didn't need to know I was still alive."

"Damn it Souzou." Tears were starting to form in my eyes. "You should have told me."

"What?"

"You were dead, I moved on."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm sorry Souzou. You were dead for ten years, I found someone else a couple weeks ago."

"I see." There was hurt in his voice. "Well, who is the lucky guy?"

"Izumi!" Saito's voice echoed through the garden.

My heart stopped. I saw him come running through the garden towards us. Souzou stepped in front of me, his hand of the hilt of his sword.

"What are you doing here?" He growled at Saito.

"Are you alright Izumi?" Saito asked me, putting his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Souzou, Hajime." I stepped in between them. "Please don't do this."

"You mean?" Souzou looked furious.

"Come Izumi." Saito tried to get between us.

Suddenly, Souzou drew his sword. The two of them began fighting, and I had to jump back in order to not get hit.

"Stop! Please!" I yelled, trying to make them stop.

Suddenly, there was a flash of silver and both Saito and Souzou were standing back, breathing heavily and clutching their sides. Kenshin stood between them, sword drawn. Slowly, he stood up and put his blade back in its sabot. He glared at both of them before moving toward me.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly.

"Fine." I whispered, brushing back tears.

"Get out of here." He pushed me toward where Ohkami stood.

I felt Ohkami put her arm around my shoulder and she led me to a room on the other side of the palace. Once I'd gotten inside I sat on a bed and smiled at Ohkami.

"You should really go." I said. "That whole Orb of Death thing is going to get complicated. You need to find out as much about it as you can."

"You need me here." Ohkami protested.

"Go, I'll be fine." I faked a smile.

"Alright." Ohkami seemed uncertain. "Just call if you need me."

"I will."

As soon as Ohkami closed the door, tears started to stream down my face. I flopped down on the bed and let them fall. The door opened again, but I didn't bother looking. The person sat down on the bed next to me. Glancing over I saw it was Kenshin.

"It's alright Izumi." He pulled me to him.

I silently cried into his chest for a while. Finally, I composed myself enough to look at him. A small smile came over his face as he wiped a tear from my face.

"This is getting even more complicated isn't it?" I nodded in agreement. "You're just going to have to tell Souzou that you're in love with Saito."

"That's not the problem." I looked toward the door. "I'm still in love with Souzou. And I'm in love with Hajime. Damn it, I never should have come here."

"I hate to say it, but this is probably a good thing."

"What the hell are you talking about Kenshin?"

"You never got to tell Souzou how you really felt before he was killed did you? Maybe this is the time."

"How can I do that? I mean; I love Hajime too."

"Since when did you start to call Saito by his first name?"

"Kenshin, please."

"Take a walk in the gardens, it'll help you think."

"Thank you."

The sun was setting as I walked among the flowers in the garden. Everything around me looked beautiful, as if it had all been pulled out of one of the paintings I'd seen in the Kyoto shops. Somehow, I found my way to what looked like a beach. As I stood on a cliff overlooking the surf, I heard Ohkami's voice. Looking down, I saw her and Sano in an embrace.

A small smile came over my face. Ah, true love. How cute.

"I love you." Ohkami's voice was carried to me on the wind.

"I love you too." Sano's voice followed her.

The two love birds pulled from their hug to look in each other's eyes. A pang of longing surfaced in my stomach. Then, Ohkami and Sano slowly leaned toward each other and kissed.

"True love's kiss is a powerful thing, isn't it Izumi?" Souzou said from behind me.

"What are you doing here?" My voice was filled with uncertainty.

"Am I not allowed to watch the sunset?" He stood next to me.

"Don't play games with me."

"I never would Izumi. I love you."

"Ten years Souzou, ten years."

"Time doesn't matter here."

"It does to me. You were dead. Why couldn't you have contacted me?"

"It was too dangerous."

"There are hundreds of ways to send messages Souzou, you know that."

"Izumi." I could hear frustration in his voice.

"Bite me." I growled, turning and heading toward the castle.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me to him. I pushed against his chest, trying to get away, but he held me tight. Suddenly, he kissed me. Everything around me seemed to disappear and I couldn't' believe what was happening.

I hadn't been kissed like that in a long time; I felt like I was walking on air. We had to part finally because both of us were running out of air. A sense of guilt washed over me and I turned my head to look at the ocean. Souzou put his hand under my chin and moved it so I was looking at him.

"I love you Izumi." He whispered before kissing me again.

Suddenly, he broke the kiss off and walked away, leaving me there on the cliff. Slowly, I brought my hand up to my lips, trying to make sure that it wasn't a dream; that the kiss had really happened. It hadn't seemed real, like I was kissing him in a dream, and that he wasn't really alive, just in my imagination.

I stared at him as he made his way back into the castle. One part of me just wanted to run up and hold him. Another part told me to run up to him and pummel him with a rock for betraying me like that. A sigh of exasperation escaped my lips.

"Awe, poor human." Neko's sadistic voice came from behind me.

"What the hell do you want?" I growled, turning to face her.

"I want nothing." She grinned evilly and started to walk around me, as if trying to figure out what part of her prey she should eat first.

"Then why the hell were you spying on me?"

"It is not illegal to eavesdrop. Besides, why would I allow the greatest hunter of them all to fall in love with a pathetic human girl?"

"Hunter?"

"Didn't you know? Or did the Souzou the Great forget to tell you about his past?"

"Bite me." I realized I didn't know nearly as much about Souzou than he knew about me and I was a little hesitant, Neko saw it and took her chance to strike.

"That's right, you were just a poor little girl that he took in. You have nothing."

"Like hell I don't."

"He knows everything about you, and you know nothing of him."

"Liar."

"Oh really? Tell me, what do you know of your boyfriend Souzou Sagara?"

"Well, I…"

"Just as I thought. You were too busy with your 'training' to be concerned with him."

"Why do you care so much you bitch?"

"Because it is always fun to torture humans."

"You know what, burn in hell!" I screamed at her before I ran toward the castle.

Tears blinded me and I didn't know where I was going. Then again, I really didn't care, as long as I was away from that bitch Neko. Eventually I found myself in what looked like an abandoned room somewhere in the castle. I let the tears fall as I curled up in a corner.

Then, I felt a pair of arms embrace me and pick me up. Whoever it was carried me to my room and laid me on the bed. They pulled me to their chest and I cried into it. Slowly, I began to realize who it was.

"Jime?" I whispered, looking up through the tears.

"Shh Izumi." He gently brushed away my tears. "It's alright."

"But." My voice was hoarse. "You shouldn't be here."

"Why not?" He pulled me closer to him.

"Because I…"

"Because what? I know you love Sagara and as much as I hate what he's done to you, I love you enough to let you go."

"But I thought-"

"Don't think Izumi. A wise man once said 'We would often be sorry if our wishes were gratified.' If my wish to have you was granted, then you would spend the rest of your life thinking about that man, you would never truly be mine. All I want now is for you to be happy."

"Thank you." I whispered into his chest.

Suddenly, there was a ruckus outside of my room. Both Hajime and I looked up as the doors to my room burst open. Ohkami ran in followed by Kenshin. They both looked very upset.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"That creep from last night is back." Ohkami panted. "He's pulling shit everywhere."

"We need to go." Kenshin looked around. "He could be anywhere."

"What are you so worried about?" I got up from the bed. "We can handle whoever it is."

"He's here for you Izumi." Ohkami's voice was grave.

"What? Why?"

"I don't know, let's just get you out of here." Kenshin pulled me from the bed.

"Izumi, thank Kami!" Souzou ran into the room and hugged me tight. "I thought he had gotten you."

"Who?" I pushed him back.

"Why Lord Kuri." He replied as if it was the most obvious thing.

"Well, let's just go see this Lord Kuri." I headed toward the door.

"You can't." Several people said at once.

"What has gotten into all of you?" I kept walking to the door. "What are you worried about?"

"You're not well." Ohkami said, moving toward me. "You must get back to bed old friend and let the men take care of this. We don't need to be fighting."

"Back off." I growled, drawing my sword. "Who the hell are you and what have you done to my friends?"

"What are you talking about Kitsune?" Kenshin asked innocently, taking a step toward me.

"First of all idiots." I pointed my sword at Kenshin's throat. "Kenshin never called me Kitsune. Second Ohkami never called me old friend. And third, Ohkami thrives on fights.""Very clever little one." An evil voice echoed through the room. "You have seen through my masquerade."

"Look buddy. I'm not in a good mood today. Why don't you just show yourself so I can kick your ass?"

"I think not young one. However, I will release your friends, for now. You, on the other hand, I'm far more interested in."

A chill ran down my spine. Suddenly, I felt something lift me up and throw me to the other side of the room. I hit the wall with a thud and fell into a bunch of pots. There was a crash and pain radiated through my whole back. Everything slowly became fuzzy and eventually went black.

A/N: I've been working on this for a while and decided to get it out. Hope everyone likes.