A/N: Hiya! I am getting out of my normal orderof things with my stories. I can't think of anything for one and I have this planned out. This is the ;ast chapter so I hope you enjoyed reading this story. Thank you to anyone who reviewed. I appreciated it alot. Well, your getting tired of my constant babbling. I better get started.

Epilogue- The Truth

A few weeks had gone by. Kenshin was now free of the binds of what he had been accused and was living with Hiko. It was only temporarily until he found an apartment of his own. He didn't live with Kaoru, but they were going out. It was very useful considering they saw each other frequently at work. Then again, who wouldn't see Kenshin. He had taken Enishi's place. He was, after all, Enishi's competition twelve years ago.

Everyone was joyed that he was the boss. He was kind and respected the opinions of the people he worked with, friends or not.

Oh, and whatever happened to Enishi? He is serving his time in a criminal assylum as Kenshin was. Though it was proven that Kenshin was very mentaly fit. Enishi on the other hand...

Kenshin stared out the window of his office. The day was dull as it always seemed. Then again, grey skys always made the day pretty dull. He turned his head away. It was around two-thirty and Kaoru would be getting out of her news report. He stood and started out of the office. Soujiro was at the door. " Hello Himura-san. Are you taking a break?" he asked.

" Hello Sou. For the time being," Kenshin answered. Soujiro gave a nod and watched him as he made it to the elevator. He was headed to the first floor. That was where everyone was going no doubt. Kenshin hurried out looking around the room. Several people filed into the room, Kaoru at the back. She was lauging.

" Kenshin. Nice to see you," Kaoru said. She put her arms around his neck reaching up to kiss him. Kenshin kissed her back and smiled.

" It's very nice to see you too Kaoru-dono, that it is," Kenshin responded. The room was looking at them like they were a romance movie. Sanosuke had began to chuckle.

" Well, my buddy's got a girl. Finally. I thought that I would have to play matchmaker with you two," Sanosuke confessed as he placed his arm around Kenshin's shoulder. Kaoru began to pull him away Sanosuke barely letting him go. Kaoru pulled him to a set of chairs and smiled at him.

" So how you holding up boss?" Kaoru asked. kenshin leaned back and said.

" Well, besides something on me going off every five minutes, being cooped up in a room and barely seeing anyone.." he said. Kaoru was giggling at him as he turned his head back to her. " Besides that I'm just dandy," Kenshin said. Kaoru hugged around him. St that moment a little buzzer went off. " See. No privacy I tell ya," he said standing. He gave her a finger telling her it would only be a moment. Kaoru sat and watched as he walked away. She excepted that what he now was he was occupied a lot of the time. He did still find those places to take Kaoru to the movie or go out to dinner. He wasn't the type to cancel on her due to something that popped up. That was Enishi.

Another thing that Kaoru was pleased at was that Kenshin was steady with her. He didn't want to rush into anything. He said that it was like that with Tomoe. That it had taken him a long time to propose to her because he wanted her comfortable too. Kaoru was very happy to have a man like Kenshin. He was one to make sure that she was safe and that she was enjoying what they were doing.

She sat and watched as he came back up to her and sat down. " Gomen Kaoru-dono. I didn't mean for that to happen," he said.

" No need to apologize Kenshin. It's okay," she said and leaned on his shoulder. Kaoru looked up to Megumi and smiled at her. She had been watching them.

" Hello Megumi-dono," Kenshin said. She gave a smile and sat down.

" Look Ken-san," she started. " We all have noticed that you're here late and that you and Kaoru don't get that much time together. So, we've all pitched in an idea that you two can leave early. I already have everything cancel so you really have no choice," Megumi stated. Kenshin nodded and Kaoru came closer to him.

" Was this your idea Kaoru-dono?" he asked. She nodded. " Well, if you already have everything planned Megumi-dono," he said. She nodded. " Will you be alright without us?" he asked. Megumi nodded and started to push them out the door. They were hand and hand.

" Well be fine and so will the station. Get time to know each other. Go somewhere. Everything will be fine," she was doing all to reassure thing would be safe. Kenshin could tell with the confidence in her voice that things would be.

He looked down to Kaoru who smiled to him. " Is there been somewhere you want to go?" he asked sitting on the pavement.

" That lake that you have at the house. I want to have a little dinner there," Kaoru said. Kenshin smiled and excepted her idea. He led her to his car and started it up.

Later that might after the little picnic they had Kenshin and Kaoru lay by the bank of the lake laughing and smiling and having the most utterably wonderful time. Kenshin was just pleased to see her so happy. She was next to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek again. " Well Kenshin. I've had the time of my life just sitting here," Kaoru confessed as she sat up. Kenshin propped himself on his elbows, "but there had been something I've wanted to know," she said and came closer her hand running on his scarred cheek. Kenshin smiled to her and answered.

" What is it that you want to know Kaoru-dono?" he asked. Kaoru had moved her hands to his shirt and started to undo buttons.

" I want to know what happened twelve years ago. And I don't want you to leave out any details. I may be a girl, but I can handle grusome things," she had unbuttoned most of the button's on his shirt and saw his bare chest. She looked to his right shoulder and saw a a thin light line. She started to trace it and Kenshin turned around as she did removing his shirt. There was a scar that started at his shoulder and slid three-fourths down his back. It was an ugly scar. It was a scar that a knife made and that was obvious. Kaoru's smile started to turn at the sight of the scar and Kenshin's once happy face had turned gloomy.

" Kaoru-dono," he said. " This is a story that I have a hard time handling just imagining it. But, if you wish..." Kenshin said. " I warn you though, you had asked," Kenshin turned aroud and started to button up his shirt.

" It was suppose to be a happy day. Practically six months after me and Tomoe were wed..."

twelve years back...

The day was a bright and sunny one. Tomoe sat at the table flipping through a magazine. Kenshin lie in the bedroom trying to catch a wink of sleep after he had a whole night without it. He had been gone a while.

Tomoe shot her head up at the sound of someone knocking. She stood. It was a firm knock. She started to walk over rubbing out the invisible wrinkles in her jeans. It was rare that she wore anything but a dress, but today she decided it would be a good idea.

She got to the door and loked out the peep hole. There was a disorted figure of Enishi looking in. Tomoe unlatched the door and opened it. Enishi smiled at her and walked in. " Hey brother. What brings you here?" she asked in an exstatic way. Enishi hugged around her and held tight.

" Oh I thought that I'd drop by and see how my sister was doing. I was hoping to take you and your new hubby to lunch," Enishi said. Tomoe looked to the hallway that had the bedroom door shut.

" We can't. Kenshin hasn't been sleeping too well and he needs rest. I'm glad you stopped by I needed to talk to you about a few things," Tomoe said. Enishi kept his hands behind his back and walked behind his sister with this wicked smile cast on his face.

"Oh? Really? I wanted to talk to you about several things as well," Enishi said and Tomoe turned to him.

" Isn't that a coincidence?" she said. " Well, then why don't you start brother?" she suggested. Enishi had started to move his hand from behind his back and raise it as Tomoe turned. A red blob dashed and grasped around Tomoe. The knife that Enishi had held up sliced down his back The blood had began to stain his white shirt. Kenshin looked over his shoulder to Enishi who still gave a smile to him.

" I thought that you said he was asleep," Enishi said. Tomoe was looking in fright, the face frozen as she looked at her brother.

" W- wha- what's wrong with you?" she asked looking at him with wide-eyes.

" What's wrong with you!" he yelled and tried to slice again. Kenshin shifted and got a slash on his left cheek tha went horizantal.

" Kenshin!" Tomoe yelled out. His blood dripped onto her face. His was scrunched in pain. " Kenshin are you alright?" he didn't answer and looked at the table. There was a knife there and he picked it up.

" I will protect you," Kenshin said strongly. She looked up to him her eyes fillled with tears. Tomoe barely had any sense of what was going on. She watched Kenshin as he turned and her feet followed his. That was all that she was doing. She knew that Kenshin was trying with all his might to protect her. She also knew that Kenshin was the type that kept his word. Or at least tried.

He had been slashed again on the face. It crossed over the first mark on his face. The blood began to ooze down his face as he looked at Enishi with anger. " What is wrong witn you?" Kenshin asked. He knew that Enishi was not all that fond of him, but Tomoe? What was wrong with Tomoe? They were flesh and blood after all. Kenshin continued to spin and move Tomoe out of the way of Enishi's wrath. He had been cut on the wirst that held his knife and it was making it hard to keep grasp. His blood lose was also making his vision blurry and it hard to keep on his feet. Kenshin was still able to nick Enishi a few times on the arm or the chest. Nothing though compared to the cuts that he had.

Kenshin turned the wrong way only once and Enishi took the advantage. Kenshin was forcing his arm to move up, but it wasn't fast enough and Tomoe had her throat slit. Kenshin started to become teary as he stumbled back. He finally fell Tomoe safe in his arms and hit the leg of the table staying on it. His blood seeped to the ground and he dropped the knife. There was no use in holding it anymore. His arms rested around Tomoe and he looked at Enishi with bleery eyes. He also had no choice but to listen to Tomoe gurgle and choke on her on blood. She looked at Enishi as well. Her head was rested on Kenshin's chest.

Enishi kneeled to the and Kenshin grit his teeth. He wanted to growl but he was too weak to do so. Enishi had taken Tomoe's chin and held her face to his. " I am so sorry dear," he said witha laugh. " But you became a whore when you married this man," he let Tomoe's chin fall to her chest as he walked out the door and Kenshin listened as he put on this fake act of being frightened and saying Kenshin was the one that had tried to kill them. He closed his eyes and started to cry.

normal time--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kaoru looked in horror to Kenshin as she rested on his chest. She was thinking as she lay on his chest. " That is the whole truth Kaoru-dono. I left nothing of the murder out," Kenshin said. His voice still rather gloomy. The sun had started to set and Kaoru watched as Kenshin's foot moved around in the water. it was causing ripple effects.

Kaoru started to speak as she figured something out. " So he thought that Tomoe didn't deserve you?" Kaoru asked. Kenshin nodded as he watched the water.

" He thought I was too low. He said that I was a farm-boy and that Tomoe was in too high a class to fall in love with someone like me. She was pretty high and had alot of money. He couldn't except that she fell in love with someone that was so low, considering she had so many men fawning over her," Kenshin said. He listened as Kaoru yawned and snuggled in his arms.

" I see," she said and started to close her eyes. Even though it as real hard to think about Kaoru understood. He was jealous that Tomoe could fall in love so easily.

Kenshin watched her as the sun sank over the horizan. He gave a smile and sighed. He took his foot out from the chilling water and place them under him. He laid Kaoru down and he laid next to her thinking. He thought back to the moment as he fell asleep.

Tomoe rested in his arms as Enishi left and she looked to him. Her blood was staining his shirt and she strained to look at his face. Kenshin struggled a smile and she started to speak.

" Kenshin, I love you. You know that right?" she asked. Her voice was very, very raspy. Kenshin watched her as she spoke again. " I want to tell you something. This comes from my heart," she said and tears ran down her cheeks. " I won't ma...make it. But, if you do I want you to know something," she said and started to blink in and out of consciousness. That was how Kenshin was as well. " I want you to know that if you find someone else that you truely love like you loved me. I want you to make sure that you love that girl like you love me," Tomoe said. She extended her hand and touched hid left cheek the blood smearing. " I want you to promise me," but Kenshin never said a word and her head fell to her chest in death.

Kenshin turned over to Kaoru who was sound asleep. He looked at her for a moment. He didn't have to tell her the whole truth. She just wanted the murder.

The moment that he lost Tomoe was one of the hardest that he had ever faced. He looked to Kaoru. That moment that he never said anything as Tomoe slipped away. That was something that he regretted more than ot being able to protect her. He kissed Kaoru on the cheek and looked to the stars as he said.

" I promise,"

A/N: Awwwwwwwwwwwwww.. what a cute ending. And you got what had truely happened. Well, I hope you enjoyed my fic! KenSan out!