Chapter 3 is here, enjoy all! Maybe a little Seisouhen spoilerage. Obviously I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or it wouldn't be half so popular as it is, so don't sue me!

Chapter 3

"Aah, Megumi, that was great!" Sano rubbed his stomach appreciatively as he layed back on the floor, comfortably bloated. An empty dish was on the table in front of him. Megumi had brought an assortment of sushi as well as rice balls and sweet potatoes. "You should start coming by more often."

"Yeah, anytime Kaoru feels like cooking is fine." Yahiko chimed in as he licked his fingers and searched the table with hawk-like vision for any crumbs he might have missed.

"Well, if Ken-san invited me . . ." Megumi let the sentence hang as she looked flirtatiously at Kenshin.

"Megumi-dono, it's not really my place . . ." Kenshin said uncomfortably, casting a look at Kaoru, whose eyes were burning.

"Right you are Kenshin," Kaoru ground out. "If anyone invites Megumi-san it'll be ME. Which reminds me, instead of telling Sanosuke you're coming next time, I'd appreciate it if you'd tell the OWNER of the house you were stopping by."

Megumi gave one of her cunning laughs. "Oh, I would have but I thought you were going to be shopping all day so I thought I'd come and keep Ken-san company. He needs a mature woman to talk with every now and then."

"That's not really necessary, Kaoru-dono is excellent company," Kenshin said, not convincingly enough for Kaoru.

"Kenshin! You asked her to come over while I was gone?" Kaoru practically screeched. "What would you talk to her about that you can't tell me?!"

"S-sessha said no such thing!" Kenshin protested, looking back and forth between the two woman, one smiling craftily the other grinding her teeth with barely restrained fury. "Sano! Help me out here!" He said in a stage whisper.

"You mean Sano was in on it too?" Kaoru shouted this time, face ablaze. "Sanosuke, you no-good traitor! I can't believe I let you come here all the time! Go find someplace else to sleep tonight!"

"Woah, Jou-chan, Kenshin didn't say anything like that!" Sano felt he better back his friend up or he'd wind up sleeping by the river, and that wasn't a happy prospect now that it was colder. "I'm the one that said Megumi may stop by, remember?"

Kaoru sniffed. "Oh. That's right." She gave Megumi a sudden death look.

"Don't look at me like that just because you acted like an immature child and made the wrong assumptions," Megumi said, voice strict.

Kaoru lowered her head. "You're right, I did assume the wrong thing. I'm sorry Megumi-san. And really, you are welcome here anytime, I just–I don't know, so much has happened today, I'm not thinking." Kaoru smiled suddenly. "How about we all go look at the stars? They're beautiful this time of year."

"Ooh, that sounds nice," Megumi said, back to her coy self. "Come on Ken-san, let's go look for the cow-herd. Hohoho!"

Bad idea, Kaoru thought to herself as Megumi drug an oro-ing Kenshin out the door. "Kenshin, would you come help me get some blankets?" She asked, smiling sweetly at Megumi when Kenshin gave an over-enthusiastic hai and slipped from Megumi's arm.

Kaoru glared angrily as they walked to get the blankets. "I can't believe you're flirting with her Kenshin."

"I'm not flirting with her, she's flirting with me," Kenshin defended himself, hoping his sentence didn't lead Kaoru to the wrong conclusion. He needn't have worried. Kaoru was too busy thanking the gods that Kenshin wasn't interested in Megumi to assume anything else. She'd never heard Kenshin flat out say that Megumi flirted with him; usually he just played along and acted like he didn't know what was going on.

"Well, I guess you could see it that way . . ." Kaoru assented, and although her words suggested she still doubted Kenshin, her reply had been so quick that Kenshin knew she believed him and wasn't reading anything else into the matter. He breathed a silent sigh of relief.

They arrived at the ship-shape drawers that held the majority of Kaoru's possessions, and Kaoru pulled out several blankets, dumping them in Kenshin's arms. "Here bring these out, I'm going to get the sweet potatoes that Megumi-san brought. They're perfect in the fall!" Kaoru noticed the way Kenshin's eyes lit up at the mention of Megumi's sweet potatoes. They never did that when she mentioned food she had cooked, Kaoru thought with no little amount of jealousy.

"Hai!" Kenshin called agreeably as he shuffled his way to the back.

Kaoru sighed as he left. Why couldn't she cook like Megumi-san? Or be able to flirt like her? Or possess just a tenth of her beauty? Or-? She sighed again and went to the kitchen to get the sweet potatoes. Megumi had insisted on saving them for after supper, and neither Sano nor Yahiko had been thrilled about that but Kaoru had agreed with her. Sweet potatoes were best by themselves. And besides, the two pigs of the household would have finished them off before anyone else had a chance to smell them if they'd been served with supper.

Thinking of the treat that was in the kitchen put Kaoru in a slightly better mood, and she hummed happily to herself. The morning hadn't started off so great but Kenshin seemed to be in light spirits about the visit, so things couldn't be that bad. Most probably the whole Bright Revolution would blow over and nobody would be the worse for it, except for the people who had already been killed. Kaoru didn't like to brush off people's lives so easily but Japan had its share of murders too and at least a few murders were better than thousands of people being assassinated for a cause. Yes, it was just a skirmish, a last futile resistance to the Meiji government.

Reaching this decision, Kaoru screamed. It wasn't because of an enlightening moment she'd just experienced, it was that she had just entered the kitchen and seen a strange cloaked man wearing a sword at his side who looked about as friendly as Saitou Hajime standing next to her stove.

Shock wore off, and Kaoru grabbed a ladle from the wall and held it in front of her unwaveringly. "You! What right do you have to come sneaking into my house at night? Who are you?!" She took a step forward threateningly. The tall well-built man held his hands up in a reassuring gesture, and although the hard look in his eyes didn't change, his face seemed kind.

"I mean you no harm, don't worry. I'm sorry I had to come in unannounced like this, it's just that I fear I may be followed and I couldn't let anyone see me here." He glanced behind him as if to double-check that he had arrived alone.

"Who are you?" Kaoru demanded, still keeping a tight grip on her makeshift shinai.

The man answered willingly enough. "I'm looking for an acquaintance of mine who I was told lived here, Himura Kenshin. Is he staying with you?"

Although he hadn't threatened her or Kenshin, the man still hadn't answered her question, and Kaoru was still suspicious. "Maybe, depends on who wants to see him." She couldn't have been more confused when the man gave a heart-felt smile and laughed.

"Ah, I'm sorry, you've asked me that several times haven't you? I'm Kogoro, Katsura Kogoro." Katsura gave a small bow which Kaoru returned hesitantly, lowering her 'shinai' but keeping it in hand.

"Katsura-san, please excuse my, uh, reaction, it's just I'm not used to seeing people pop in at odd hours."

"Nothing I shouldn't have expected," Katsura waved away her apology.

"What do you want to see Kenshin for?" Kaoru asked and the answer dawned on her as soon as she finished the question. "Katsura-san, you're the one who brought Kenshin to Kyoto!" She exclaimed.

"I am ashamed to say it, yes," Katsura said. "I never thought about the destruction it would do to his soul, but he was so eager and we were so desperate . . ." Katsura trailed off. "Anyways, I must speak with him. Is he here now?"

As if he'd heard the question, Kenshin came bursting through the door, followed closely by Sano, Yahiko and Megumi. He scanned the room quickly after seeing Kaoru looked unhurt. "Kaoru-dono! Is something wro–?" Kenshin froze, choking on his last word as his eyes lit on Katsura, standing silently right where Kaoru had found him.

"K-Katsura-san–" Kenshin had expected Katsura to show up sometime, but not so soon. He should have guessed it would be tonight though, after hearing Kawaji's petition that morning. Katsura had probably been spying on them the entire time.

"Himura, we need to talk," Katsura strode past Kaoru.

"Aah," Kenshin agreed, turning to follow Katsura.

"Ken-san . . ."

"Hey! Aren't you gonna say goodbye?!" Kaoru shouted after them as she realized they were leaving.

"Guess not," Sano said as the two disappeared from sight.

"Geez! What were you doing trying to scare us like that!" Yahiko said reprovingly as he returned his shinai to his back. "I thought someone was trying to rob us or something!"

"Well for all I knew he was!" Kaoru retorted.

"Katsura eh?" Sano muttered, rubbing his chin. "Yeah, that's the guy Kenshin was telling us about earlier."

"He didn't tell me about him!" Yahiko interjected.

"Or me," Megumi added, eyes narrowed.

"Kids don't needa know about this sort of stuff." Sano waved his hand in a get lost gesture.

"I don't think I have to remind you that I'm not a child Sanosuke?" Megumi's voice had a dangerous edge to it.

"I wasn't talking to you," Sano muttered, trying to ignore the furious young samurai who was kicking his shins.

"If I'm gonna help then I needa know!" Yahiko said adamantly. "So spill it, who was that guy?" Scowling, he waited for Sano to quit looking at him as if he were hopeless and explain.

"We're listening, anytime you're ready," Megumi prompted. Sano remained obstinately silent. "You're not protecting Ken-san by not telling us," Megumi said impatiently.

Sano growled in defeat. "Look, I don't any more than you. Katsura's one of Kenshin's buddies from the revolution. I think it was his commander."

"Waaaaw," Yahiko was looking awed. "Still, he can't beat Kenshin's shishou."

Sano rolled his eyes at that comment. "Keh, that stuck-up bastard. Thinks the world can't live without him."

"Master Hiko wasn't so bad," Kaoru cut in.

"I concur with Tanuki-chan," Megumi said as a starry look entered her eyes. She and Kaoru exchanged a look, giggling.

"At least he knows how to treat a girl," They said in unison, before dissolving into laughter.

Sano smirked as well. "Yeah, butter 'em up before he eats 'em." He ducked as Kaoru swung at him with the ladle that had suddenly reappeared in her hand.

"Sanosuke, that's DISGUSTING!" She shouted as Sano ducked her swing. Yahiko laughed for a full minute before stopping dead and asking seriously, "Whadda you mean Sano?" Sano winked and gave him a secretive smile.

"I'll let ya know when you need some help with Tsubame," He assured the young swordsman.

"SANOSUKE!!" Kaoru brandished her ladle.

Katsura walked with urgency in his stride, quickly moving past the well-lit restaurants and stalls that were still open. He took several turns along as they walked, Kenshin knew it was to throw off anyone who might be following them, and didn't speak or look at Kenshin. Regardless, Kenshin followed him closely, eyes slightly narrowed and hand near his sakabatou. Katsura was still being as cautious as ever, and rightly so.

If Katsura was indeed the leader of the new group of revolutionists, Heaven's Judges, there would be many eager to target him if compensated by the government. If Katsura was even involved, to say nothing of being a leader.

At last, Katsura turned abruptly down a dim alley, slipping into one of the shabbier looking residences a few meters down. It was only then, after carefully peering out a curtained window and determining nothing was amiss, that he slipped off the low hat he'd been wearing and threw his cape back, smiling at Kenshin. "Himura, how nice to see you again. I wondered what would become of you, after the revolution."

Kenshin didn't return the smile. "It's been a while Katsura-san, nice to see you too. However, I'm sure you've heard about the Bright Revolution and Heaven's Judges–" Kenshin paused, waiting to see if Katsura would offer anything. He didn't, so the rurouni continued. "And after coming in unannounced tonight and scaring Kaoru-dono and everyone else half to death, I have to ask you," Kenshin looked Katsura in the eye. "Are you in any way involved in this?"

Katsura was silent for a moment, holding Kenshin's steely gaze. "I'm glad to see you found someone to help you forget Himura," He said finally. "To tell the truth, I wondered if you would make it. Not alive I mean, I had no doubt you would survive physically, you were the best there was, but mentally," Katsura tapped his head. "Many of the best hitokiri we had to dispose of because they couldn't handle it. And they were grown men."

"Enough!" Kenshin let his hand rest on his sword. "Are you or are you not plotting against the government of Japan?"

Katsura sat heavily in a chair and waved Kenshin to another. "I assume that girl is your wife Himura?" He asked. "Have you a family?"

Kenshin was thrown for a loop. "Oro?" He said, trying to discover how Katsura had come to that conclusion and failing. "Iya, merely a good friend who I owe much to. I have done my best to protect her and all she holds dear though. Why?"

Katsura smiled, a reminiscent smile. "She seemed to care deeply about you."

"Aah, Kaoru-dono does seem to worry about this one a lot," Kenshin said thoughtfully. He frowned suddenly and looked at Katsura. "Just where are you going with this?"

Katsura shook his head. "Never mind. I thought maybe you could understand. But I guess not." He looked at the ground hopelessly. "You see Himura, I'm in a bit of a predicament. You remember Ikumatsu?"

Kenshin blinked. "The geisha you always requested?" He had seen her a few times. She had been very pretty and Kenshin had always suspected that she liked Katsura. Apparently the feeling had been mutual because Katsura always called for her.

"Yes, that's her." Katsura affirmed. "Well, she and I were married after I left Choushuu." He watched Kenshin carefully. "Much like you and Tomoe-san." Katsura saw pain flash in Kenshin's eyes, quickly replaced by a forced calm. He'd thought as much, Kenshin still completely and fully blamed himself for the girl's death. "We had a happy life living in Osaka." He smiled proudly. "I have two sons and a daughter now. My oldest just turned ten."

"Congratulations." Kenshin offered softly.

"Thank you." Katsura stopped for a minute and Kenshin waited for him to continue. "Six months ago I was approached by a man, Hiyama Hibito. He said he represented Kitano province. It's in the South," Katsura explained when Kenshin stared blankly. "He offered me a job as Captain, to train a group of soldiers. When I asked him for what cause the government wished to do this, he was shady about the details. When I discovered later that it was for the Heaven's Judges, I told Hiyama that I refused to fight for his cause. I told him that the war was over, that now was a time of peace. My one goal of successfully abolishing the Shogunate had been carried out. I said I needed to look out for my family now and had no wish to get involved in another battle." Katsura ran his fingers through his once-dark hair, now streaked with grey.

"He threatened you?" Kenshin asked in understanding.

Katsura nodded. "He said I had no choice. If I didn't accept his offer, I may soon find that I had no family to care for. Then he said that the government was becoming suspicious of me. They suspect that one of the former Ishin is residing in Osaka. Himura, what do I do?! If I don't join it's a race between them and the government to kill my family! If I do join, my family is in danger of being killed by the government anyway!" Katsura stood restlessly and walked to the window.

Kenshin stood with folded arms, brow furrowed as he stared down at the floor.

"I thought-" Katsura turned from the window to face Kenshin. "I thought maybe if I could find you, you could do something."

Kenshin heard the desperation in his tone, and he regretted what he had to tell the man. "Katsura-san, I'm honored you thought of me, but I don't kill anymore."

Katsura held his hands up to stop him. "I know and I'm not asking you to. I've heard how you've been protecting people. You're a legend even now Himura. All I ask is that you help protect my family. I can't back out of the Heaven's Judges now, what's done is done but at least I can give my family the best protection there is. Will you help me Himura?" It was asked as a simple question.

Kenshin finally offered a smile. "I'll be happy to help Katsura-san."

Katsura heaved a sigh. "Himura, you save my life again,"

"But in return," Kenshin continued, "I need you to give me all the information you can about Heaven's Judges. I promised to help the police put an end to this before it gets any more dangerous."

"A spy then?" Katsura looked thoughtful. "Alright, I'll do what I can." He gave a fierce grin. "For old times, Himura."

"Old times . . ." Kenshin echoed, grasping Katsura's outstretched hand.

It was much later that night when Kenshin returned to the Kamiya dojo. Megumi had left and Yahiko, although he had desperately tried to stay awake until Kenshin came back, was sound asleep slumped against a wall.

Sanosuke had told Kaoru that he would stay until Kenshin got back, to make sure no unwanted visitors welcomed themselves. The two of them were sitting in the dining room now; Kaoru was staring anxiously at the table, wondering if Katsura was trying to get Kenshin away from everyone so he could kill him and Sano was watching the clock, brooding as he chewed a fish bone, convinced that Kenshin had left to do something without him.

When Kenshin walked into the house, saying 'tadaima' quietly, they both sprang up, relief evident. Sano's fish bone stuck out as he grinned. "Kenshin!" Kenshin went to join them, pulling his sakabatou from his hakama and laying it on the floor.

"Kenshin! You're okay!" Kaoru sat down heavily, glad her suspicions had been incorrect. She looked up again a second later. "What did Katsura want?"

Kenshin looked up to find them both staring at him and answered shortly, "Katsura wanted my assistance in some personal matters. I offered to help him."

"Personal matters?" Kaoru and Sano said together.

Kenshin's face turned red as he noticed their incredulous looks. "Oro! N-not that! His family has been threatened by Heaven's Judges, and he wants someone to look after them."

"He got the right person then," Sano declared. He frowned suddenly. "Wait a minute, does that mean-? Katsura's a member of them then?"

"Aah,"

"Kenshin!" Sano's voice rose with disbelief. "You-you agreed to help Heaven's Judges? What the hell are you thinking?! You can't help those bastards! They're just trying to-!"

"Sano!" Kenshin said sharply. "Don't talk about things you don't understand!"

Sano's fist came crashing down on the table and Kaoru jumped. In the corner, Yahiko drew a shuddering breath and continued to sleep. "You think I don't understand? Well lemme tell you something, I understand just fine! I understand that one of my best friends has just agreed to go kill again, all for some long-last comrade-in-arms! Cheh, I thought better of you Kenshin!" Sano crossed his arms as he turned, eyes closed.

"Sanosuke!" Kaoru cried aghast.

Kenshin's eyes flashed. "As I said, don't speak of things you don't understand. I'm not going to kill anyone, and I did not join the Heaven's Judges."

Kaoru relaxed noticeably as Sano blinked, rage gone as if doused with water. "You're not? You didn't?"

"I'm protecting Katsura-san's family. He was threatened into joining the Heaven's Judges and now he fears for his family's life. He agreed to give me information about their actions in return."

"Oh," Sano said dumbly. "Kenshin, I'm sorry. I thought–it just seemed like–yeah, sorry." He stared down at the table, unable to meet Kenshin's gaze.

"Don't worry about it." Kenshin assured. "I have a favor to ask, Sano,"

Sano brightened, ready to make up for his mistake. "Yeah?"

"Some of the men Katsura told me had joined, I think you know them. If you could keep an eye open when you're at the gambling house I would appreciate it."

"Sure thing Kenshin. I'll stop by tomorrow and see what I can get. Say, Jou-chan, it's kind of late, do you mind if I stay here, just for the night?" Sano gave a faultless grin.

"If you don't mind working tomorrow!" Kaoru said. "And I mean it! I can't be expected to do everything around here."

"All you had to do was ask," Sano said agreeably. "Night you two." He ambled off, whistling.

Kaoru turned to Kenshin who didn't look so serious anymore, just tired. "Kenshin why don't you go to bed too? You can tell me about Katsura-san in the morning, ne?" She gave a bright smile. Kenshin looked at her and gave the smile that Kaoru hated, the one that said he didn't deserve the happiness in his life.

"That I will," He said, rising with sword in hand. "Goodnight, Kaoru-dono."

"Good night Kenshin." Kaoru watched him go, face sad. He had done so much for her, for all of their friends. He had saved all of Japan! Why did he feel that he never did enough? That he had to burden himself with everyone's problems? Kenshin would have taken the whole world on his shoulders and still not considered himself worthy of forgiveness, Kaoru thought. Why didn't he understand that he had plenty of people that loved him and were willing to help him? Kaoru remembered what Yahiko had told her, when Kenshin had fought Aoshi for the first time at Takeda Kanryuu's mansion. Yahiko had thought Kenshin had been killed by Aoshi. "I said that even if I died, Aoshi was gonna pay!" Kaoru remembered Yahiko telling her. "Kenshin told me that what I said meant a lot to him, that it gave him the strength to get up." Still thinking of Kenshin, Kaoru stood to go to bed herself.

Name notes: Ken-san is a rather flirtatious way of addressing Kenshin, becasue Megumi abbreviates his name. Viz translates it as "dear Ken", blah, I don't care for that much. Tanuki-chan is Megumi and various other's nickname for Kaoru. Tanuki is a Japanese mythical creature that eats a lot, looks kind of like a racoon. If you've ever played Super Mario 3, you know what I'm talking about. Yeah for Tanuki suits! Basically, it's kind of an insult, but since Megumi adds "chan" it's less biting.

Self-address notes: Kenshin calls himself "sessha" as a rurouni, which pretty much means "this unworthy one." I thought it just added some funniness to the moment to use "sessha" there. As with "de gozaru", I try to use this where I think it emphasizes Kenshin's attitude. When Kenshin's Battousai, he uses "ore". I think this is really interesting, and if you notice when he goes back to train with Hiko just before he fights Shishio, he uses "ore" although he's not Battousai (okay, that had nothing to do with this story but I find Kenshin's complex personality very interesting!)

iya - an informal "no"

oro - okay, you know this now, right?

tadaima - I'm back, I'm home

Um, okay, I realize that Katsura Kogoro was real and actually died soon after the Meiji Restoration began, however I really wanted him in my story. Artistic license is a wonderful thing. And I have taken a LOT of it with the whole Katsura issue. I've seen Katsura's wife's name as both Ikumatsu and Ikomatsu, I think Ikumatsu is correct but feel free to yell at me if this is wrong.

Good, bad . . .? I'm sorry for the long notes! Please review!! And thanks to all who have!

Hitokiri-san: Saitou, hm, he may make an appearance. play suspenseful music