Author's Note: (sigh) The last chapter has finally come. I hope everyone enjoys reading as much as I did writing.

Thanks so much for the wonderful reviews and the support. I can never fully express my gratitude to: Reignashii, punKrocKergrl, enroute, bluerelic, Royal blueKitsune, sapphireracoongal, crazy fanfic lover, Childlike Empress, MikaylaMae, Anonymous but very interested (thanks so much for all of your reviews), whoknoez, jbox, Threedaysunrise, fashionista, I Heart Edward Cullen, skenshingumi, Rayvn, superlazygirl, toxiclollipop, JadeLightning-Wolf, unknown beedee, Super Sheba, ixchen, Valaroma, JMai, Jasmine blossom625, sulou, inuwolf04, and ola.

There's a song that I found randomly one day that matches very well with 'A Soft Hope', this last chapter especially. It's called 'Far Away' by Nickleback. If you're able to listen to it, I recommend it. I'm also putting an entry in my LJ soon (well, hopefully soon...) on what other songs were helpful with writing this since I constantly listen to music as I write. So look for that if you're interested...

Meanings:

Thanks to I Heart Edward Cullen, I realized that all my readers might not be as up on Renegnecy terms as I am. Especially with the word 'ton', which I use frequently. The ton meant the upper levels of London society in the Regency period. Ton comes from the French word meaning tone, as used in the phrase bon ton - good manners and fashionable style. (taken from Wikipedia) So when I use it in the story, I'm only referring, in mass, to the upper crust of society. I hope that clears some uncertainties up. Sorry for not putting that up sooner...

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

A Soft Hope

Chapter 8

"Waiting and Watching"

2 years later, 1823

London Docks

The wind was fierce as it swept across the choppy waters of the ocean and slipped over the stern of the mighty merchant ship. The heavy beat of the waves could be heard against the sturdy wood as Kenshin stood on the deck in front of the railing, his arms crossed over his chest. As he gazed out across the open ocean, the crew bustled around behind him hurriedly, unloading the varied cargo from the hold.

Though a few years had passed since he had last sailed into this particular port, the familiarity of it made it seem as if it had been only yesterday when he had last stood on the deck of a ship, overlooking the memorable blue of the London docks. Kenshin was surprised to find that it felt good to admire this particular view once more. It really had been too long.

"Captain? We're almost finished," a young sailor stated behind him.

Kenshin turned slowly and nodded silently to the man to acknowledge him. "Is Mr. Sagara still on board?"

"I'm not sure, sir. I'll find out."

Kenshin watched as the other man hurried off, disappearing amidst the chaotic crowd of his crewmates. The sailor had been correct by saying that almost all of the cargo seemed to have been unloaded. The only pressing matters that seemed to be left were to leave the ship in working order, and for the crew to clear out their own effects.

Glancing up at the sky, Kenshin surmised that their arrival had come at an opportune time. Cloud cover was extremely heavy and rain threatened to fall at any moment. The descending blackness urged the scrambling sailors to work in an accelerated pace. Sighing, Kenshin turned his vision away from the overcast sky just in time to watch as Sanosuke appeared from the right, coming up the stairs leading down to the hold of the ship.

His face was covered with grime, and his brown shirt was drenched with sweat. He wore a red headband around his forehead to keep his wet hair from his face and to stop his perspiration from stinging his eyes. He came to a stop next to Kenshin and leaned heavily back against the railing, sucking in a deep replenishing breath and wiping his forearm across his face.

"I need lie down somewhere," Sanosuke muttered. "I don't think I've ever been more tired in my life."

Kenshin raised an eyebrow, and Sanosuke grinned at his wry expression.

"Okay, well maybe not. But, still…I'm damn tired."

"No one's stopping you from leaving."

"And abandon the clearing of the ship to these amateurs?" He snorted and shook his head with mock disbelief. "I think not, my friend."

"I'm sure Aoshi appreciates your efforts."

"He better," he retorted softly. Glancing over at Kenshin's face, he frowned and furrowed his brow. "Did you need me for something?"

Sighing, Kenshin lifted a shoulder with slight indifference while saying, "I sent a runner to Aoshi's residence to tell him of our arrival. I plan on leaving in a few minutes to go to my townhouse in Mayfair. I need to make sure my uncle hasn't exacted irreparable damage on it."

Sanosuke smirked and lowered his head. "Good luck with that." He was silent for a moment as he mulled over something internally. Lifting his head slowly, he speared Kenshin with a inquiring gaze. "Are you going to Aoshi's party tonight?"

"Is it tonight?" Kenshin murmured, seemingly oblivious to the current date.

"We arrived just in time for the festivities."

"I'm honestly not sure if I'll have the energy or the willpower to attend such a function."

"If you do, give him my regards," Sanosuke replied, pushing himself off the rail and clearing his throat reflexively. "I've got a preordained date with a certain lady doctor."

"She's not going to be happy that you broke your hand while attempting to dissolve a drunken brawl," Kenshin replied, smiling as he watched his friend back away with a sheepish expression in his face.

"Don't remind me. I'm still trying to think up some extravagant excuse…"

"…that she won't believe?"

He sighed. "A man has to try, huh?"

Kenshin hummed softly in accord, watching as Sanosuke turned and raised a hand in farewell. "See you later, Cap," he shouted over his shoulder. He headed directly back to the hold of the ship and disappeared underneath the wooden deck. By then, at least half of the crew had dispersed, and the deck was beginning to become eerily quiet with inactivity.

It was with a weary intake of breath that Kenshin moved from in front of the railing and walked across the deck to the captain's quarters so he could gather together the supplies he wished to take home with him. There were only a few objects that he made to sure to take, and that was only because they were of sentimental value. He fully intended to return later that week to inspect the progress of loading the ship with the next trading run's provisions.

It wasn't hard for him to hail a hired hack to take him clear across London and to the outskirts of the city to where the titled and wealthy dominated. The ride was quiet and uneventful, and all Kenshin was able to do was stare blankly at the passing scenery, and take in the well-known backdrop of the city. It was at least half an hour before they rolled onto the glamorous streets of the upper crust of London, passing the fashionably dressed members of the ton. It was at the height of the afternoon, so the walkways of shops were full of shopping women hoping to purchase their next stunning acquisition. A short while later, the carriage rolled to a stop in front of the designated townhouse. Kenshin stepped down lightly and handed the driver the fare.

He moved slowly up the stairs toward the sturdy green door, his gaze heavy with a sense of slight foreboding. His knock reverberated and the butler was there almost instantaneously. The older servant must have been forewarned of Kenshin's probable arrival, because he remained stoically indifferent as he ushered the true and long absent owner of the abode inside. Kenshin was quick to politely dismiss him, opting to make his way through his own house instead of being led around like a mere visitor.

Quietly, he made his way down the hall, his footsteps hushed by the valuable Persian carpet. Kenshin intended to head straight upstairs to his bedroom, but as he passed the open doorway of the parlor, he heard a distinctive rumble of amusement that he knew could only come from his uncle. Half of him was urged to continue forward, while the other more curious and polite side held him in place and pushed forward the impulse to enter the room. He halted with indecision and finally sighed as he moved toward the doorway. But as he entered the room a few seconds later, he almost regretted the action immediately.

Hiko sat in a chair by the cold hearth with a newspaper in his hands that he read by the light of the nearby window. His lips were quirked with a smile Kenshin remembered seeing only rarely, and he wasn't surprised to find his own eyebrows rise in question at the atypical expression.

Kenshin had only taken a few steps into the room when his uncle looked up, watching him with keen eyes. His lips were still curved in a half smirk, but his eyes narrowed and he cocked his head to the side.

"I was wondering if you'd come in to see me, or scurry upstairs."

Kenshin frowned as he moved to sit in a chair adjacent to his uncle. "Well, here I am," he mumbled crossly.

"Yes…"

"It's good to see you, again," Kenshin returned gruffly after a moment of silence.

"I should hope so. One should have respect for the man who raised him."

Kenshin's only response was to stare moodily at his uncle, his mouth straightened in an uncharacteristically sardonic line. He watched as Hiko folded his newspaper and set it aside. Clasping his hands in his lap, he leaned back in the chair comfortably and quirked a brow.

"Are you setting off again soon?" Hiko asked bluntly, spearing Kenshin with a knowing glare.

"Yes."

"I see. I had actually hoped you'd stay a while."

"I promised Aoshi I'd captain one more trade run. And, then…I'll return to stay for a while."

Hiko grunted in acknowledgement and muttered something under his breath that Kenshin didn't quite catch. It was very likely uncomplimentary.

Any comment Kenshin had wished to retort with in response to Hiko's blatant rudeness was interrupted as the butler rolled in a refreshment tray with tea and biscuits.

"Ah, just in time, Charles. I was beginning to become famished," Hiko burst out with unveiled pleasure as he eyed the steaming beverage and accompanying food. "Kenshin eat. You could use some help in fattening up. You're tiny the way it is."

The last thing Kenshin wished to do was to imbibe on food that would invariably keep him in the presence of his overbearing relative any longer than was necessary, but he couldn't find within himself the rudeness to decline, so instead of biting out a negative response, Kenshin wordlessly filled a proffered teacup with tea and took a tentative sip while keeping his eyes on his uncle.

Kenshin found that they fell into the recognizable silence that had always followed them throughout the years, beginning at the time they had first met each other when he had been eight. A time had come during their relationship when words weren't really necessary and sometimes an utter bore, so the two men usually lapsed into a wordless exchange that itself spoke volumes. Some things, Kenshin was not surprised to find, never changed. And it was refreshing to know that.

Kenshin averted his gaze for a moment from the silent frame of his former guardian and caught sight of a set of objects that slightly baffled him.

A pair of white, lace gloves sat in the middle of the table next to Hiko's chair, and they looked so out of place in the masculine room that it was almost laughable.

And it was out of a strange, overwhelming need to ruffle his uncle's feathers that Kenshin uttered with perverse curiosity, "Those belong to a lady friend of yours?"

"Their owner is a Miss Kaoru Kamiya," Hiko replied as he jammed half a biscuit into his mouth.

Kenshin choked on his tea and clattered the delicate china loudly as he fumbled to put it safety down. "What?" he burst out with obvious shock.

"You heard me, boy. Don't sit there sputtering like a halfwit. She left them during her last visit nearly a week ago. I've been meaning to have one of the staff take them to her, but I never seem to remember."

"What do you mean her last visit?"

"Does it gall you that a young woman likes to come and see a elder, accomplished man such as myself?"

"Uncle," Kenshin practically growled, his hands clenching the arms of the chair tightly.

Hiko raised a questioning brow and watched Kenshin's face with amusement. "I was wondering if you'd recognize her name."

"Why wouldn't I? What kind of statement is that?"

He shrugged. "She claimed to be an acquaintance of yours. I can see now that she wasn't lying."

"How long?"

"How long what?"

Kenshin gritted his teeth. "How long has she been coming to see you?"

"About 10 months. She comes almost every other week. Brings a nice bottle of whiskey with her as well. Smart girl."

"Why?" Kenshin asked, slumping slightly against the back of the chair.

"Because of you, of course."

Kenshin's gaze snapped up and he glared at his uncle. "She said as much?"

"Now I always knew you were stupid, but this cuts the cake, nephew. Have you swallowed too much saltwater recently?"

"I never imagined she'd - "

"She is quite tenacious. Took me a while to get used to her. Barged right in here so often it was hard to keep her away, though," Hiko set down his teacup and grabbed a cloth napkin to wipe his hands. "I did have a good time telling her about you, though. She was extremely attentive when your childhood was the topic of conversation."

Kenshin was honestly afraid to ask what horrors of his boyhood treks at sea his uncle had divulged to the young woman. Hiko needed no encouragement, though, for he hurried on.

"She was very amused about that incident where you got that jellyfish stuck in your trousers and couldn't sit for a week."

An unbidden wave of red flushed Kenshin's neck.

"Oh, and that time when you were so burnt by the sun you looked like a lobster," Hiko said with a chuckle. Watching Kenshin's face, he paused for a moment. He seemed to be suddenly caught by a passing thought for his amusement gradually decreased and his eyes cleared with perceptiveness. He pursed his lips for a moment and speared Kenshin with an intuitive glare. "Did you know she's received five proposals of marriage this past year? She's refused them all, silly chit."

Kenshin suddenly felt as if he couldn't breath. He dropped his gaze from his uncle's and let his hands slip from the armrests of the chair. These past two years he had almost convinced himself that despite Kaoru's apparent unwavering determination and loyalty toward him, he had read more into her actions than he should have. It was honestly too much to hope for that he had found someone who could look behind the faults of his past and welcome the persona he attained in the years following his sins. Kenshin had never met a woman so baffling, so utterly sure of what she wanted, and so completely steadfast in her resolution.

Kenshin felt the sudden need to be alone. These weren't thoughts he wanted to mull over in his mind while in the imperious presence of the man who had raised him.

"I told her you would be returning to London shortly during her last visit. The next day she quite surprised me by showing up again with a package firmly gripped in her hands. She wanted me to give it to you when you came home."

Kenshin stood up immediately, his pulse quickening. "Where is it?"

Ignoring the question, Hiko said, "It's obviously a painting of some sort. I don't know why she diddles away her time doing such a useless hobby. Other women of the ton are scandalized that she lives alone in her townhouse with only a staff of servants with her. And the fact that she paints is another black mark against her. Of course the silly woman is completely unaffected by it all," he muttered, sighing and halting in his tirade. Hiko stared at Kenshin, watching as the younger man matched his stare unwaveringly, his attention only directed to one thing. "I had the upstairs maid place it in your bedroom."

Kenshin quickly turned on his heel and strode out of the room, leaving his uncle to his machinations. It didn't take him long to make his way to his second-story bedroom, and push open the door hurriedly, almost forgetting to shut and lock it behind him. The package was standing upright near the hearth, covering with brown paper and tied with twine. Hiko had been correct in assuming that it was a painting. The large rectangular shape could hardly be proven to be anything else.

The fire that had powered his hurried movements up the stairs had gradually dampened and it was almost with hesitant steps that Kenshin walked over to the covered painting, afraid to unveil the image beneath.

He reached out a hand and ran his fingers across the top. Care had been taken in wrapping this piece of art, and intuitively Kenshin knew that beneath the paper would be an image that would take his breath away. She wouldn't have given it to him if it were a mediocre attempt at the wondrous.

There wasn't a day that went by where he didn't think of Kaoru…of her smile, of her voice, of the feel of her presence next to him. She was inescapable with her singular persona and her quiet beauty. When he closed his eyes, she was there. When he stared out across the horizon of the ocean, he saw the swimming depths of her eyes. When he looked up at the stars, he could feel her hand cradled within his. If he was claimed at night by the raging fury of his nightmares and awoke drenched with a pressing sweat, he only had to think of her, and some of the pressure decreased, and the pounding of his heart lessened.

Any thoughts of believing his feelings for her were a fleeting fancy had been washed away long ago. It wasn't hard to realize how much a part of his subconscious Kaoru had taken over. And instead of passing time dampening the sensations swirling within him, the encompassing emotions only seemed to intensify with every day, every minute…every second.

She had completely captured him without even meaning to. He should have realized she'd ruin him for everyone and everything after being in her captivating presence for those first few whirlwind minutes when she had almost barreled over him with her horse. Kaoru had quite literally turned his life upside down.

It was with a heavy sigh that Kenshin slipped his fingers underneath the confining twine and slid them down to untie the knot. Next came the concealing brown paper, which he made sure to remove with the utmost care. Once the paper had been taken away, Kenshin tossed it to the side and stepped back to get a more comprehensive look at Kaoru's work.

He had been right. It did take his breath away. But, he was so surprised by the subject that he found he had to suddenly sit down. Eyes wide, they traveled over every stroke, every slip of color brushed onto the canvas. He was completely mesmerized by the artwork before him. The most starling aspect, though, was the fact that he was the subject.

Kaoru had painted him standing on the shore of a beach, his body facing the rolling tide of the sea, the wind pulling at the strands of his swept back crimson hair. There was a poignant calmness to his features that spoke of survival of a deep tribulation, and his stance was one of uncertain finality. Kaoru had captured everything about the sea he loved - the depth, the colors, the mysteriousness. She had pulled out the most obvious and subtle elements and painted them together to form the fullest and quite honestly the most captivating piece of art he had ever laid eyes on.

He stared at himself, depicted before the waters that had been his entire life, and remembered the words she had spoken to him that night as they sat under the stars before the ocean water.

"I don't think I'll ever paint another portrait again. I'm not sure if I have the courage to place so much emotion into another piece of art once more. It's just too utterly painful."

A note had floated down, apparently having been placed inside the wrapping of the painting. Kenshin leaned down, and grabbed it while remaining seated. Gripping it tightly in his hand, his eyes scanned Kaoru's familiar penmanship.

Kenshin,

I've titled it Poignant Waves. If you can find the time, I'd love to know what you think of it.

Simply Yours,

Kaoru

He read it a second time, and then glanced up at the painting again, his heart heavy with an extensive range of tangled emotions. He was motionless for a moment before he closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands.

"Kaoru! Kaoru! Oh, you have to help me with this. I don't know what I'm doing. I think I'm going mad."

The loud commotion drew Kaoru's attention from her current task, causing her to look up from the arrangement of flowers she had been helping put together with one of the housemaids. As she stared at the anxiety pinched face of her best friend, Kaoru bit her lip to keep from smiling.

"Oh, don't be such a ninny," Kaoru admonished fondly, straightening from her stooped position and pushing an errant strand of dark hair from her eyes. "Calm down and think rationally."

Misao frowned immediately. She quirked a sardonic eyebrow and planted her hands firmly on her hips as she watched Kaoru slowly place a white rose into the decorative vase. "I will walk over there and dump those flowers onto the floor if you do not come with me now. I'm at my wit's end. Sophie is driving me nuts."

The fretful glint in Misao's eyes affirmed her sudden proclamation of destruction and Kaoru held back a sigh. She offered a calming smile to the maid next to her and handed her the last white rose to be added. "The flower arrangement is now left up to you, Kate. I'm sorry to leave you in the middle of a job, but there are obviously problems that I have to attend to."

"I'm quite alright, Miss Kamiya. Thank you kindly for your help."

With a parting nod of her head, Kaoru stepped around the table and walked unhurriedly across the room to stand next to her frazzled friend.

"Get rid of Sophie for me," Misao burst out, her eyes pleading as she clenched her hands tightly at her sides.

"What has the poor maid done to offend you?"

Misao arched a brow defiantly. "Poor maid? I can't think with her trying to tell me what to wear, how to style my hair, or how to act. Apparently I slouch, too. Did you know that, Kaoru? I'm a sloucher!"

"Oh, for goodness sake," Kaoru muttered, grabbing a hold of Misao's arm and dragging her away from the room and down the hall. "Shouldn't you be on cloud nine right now? Unflappable because you're so blissfully happy?"

"I would be if Sophie would stop breathing down my neck," Misao replied almost hysterically. "She's like a bloody dragon, snorting fire from her nostrils."

Kaoru stopped in the middle of the hallway and placed both hands on Misao's upper arms. Shaking her slightly, she admonished, "It's the night of your engagement party. Smile and stop acting like a madwoman. Where has my sensible best friend gone?"

"She's been killed by the dragon," Misao replied breathily.

Rolling her eyes heavenward, Kaoru pushed Misao back toward a chair resting against the wall adjacent to the door of her bedroom. "Sit. I'll be back in moment."

Misao sat down heavily in the designated chair and remained motionless as Kaoru disappeared into the bedroom. It was only a minute later that the door opened and Sophie hurried out, an expression of pure pity on her face as she glanced at Misao before walking down the hall. Kaoru stepped out right after the maid, and peered down at her friend with a prideful half-smirk on her lips.

At that point, Misao could have cared less what tactics Kaoru had assimilated to get rid of the annoying maid, but whatever she had done, the offending woman was gone. Blissfully gone. And quite suddenly, Misao felt her anxiety dissolve and all she was left with an unusual anticipation that twisted knots in her stomach.

Standing, she followed her friend into her room and walked over to the place where three chosen gown laid spread out on the bed so that she might be able to study them better.

"What color do you think he'd like the best?" Kaoru asked, patiently waiting next to the door as she slowly closed it behind her. Misao studied her gowns quizzically, her brow pinched with thought.

Stepping over to one in particular and running the tips of her fingers against the silky material, Misao replied softly, "The jade one." Lifting her gaze to Kaoru, Misao sighed with obvious relief. "I'll wear the jade one."

Kaoru smiled in response and moved across the room to help Misao get ready for her night.

By the time night rolled around, Misao had completely taken a hold of her raging emotions and contained them with a remarkable zeal. There was such an amazing difference between the calm and content woman who welcomed the night and the aggressive, haggard one that ruled the afternoon, and Kaoru couldn't help but be amused by her friend's radical behavior. It was directly after the fall of darkness that the women left Misao's residence and headed to that of her fiancé's, the host of the happy gathering.

Once in attendance, Kaoru stayed by Misao's side until it she felt that her presence wasn't necessary. Kaoru was content to stand back and watch her friend revel in the happiness, which enfolded her mind and body, giving her a distinct and beautiful glow. Her contentment shone in her eyes and her smile was wonderfully bright. Though Misao's fiancé was not as outwardly exhilarated by the evening, there was a particular protectiveness about Aoshi that could never be claimed as indifference. If Kaoru wasn't mistaken, the silent man felt every bit as deeply for Misao as she felt for him.

Throughout the night, Kaoru tried to keep her dance card moderately full, because even though she truly did want to dance during the full evening, it was most definitely not the pastime she wished to spend the entire night performing.

Time passed quickly during the busy occasion and it was two hours later when the activities of the night had taken their tiring toll on Kaoru, her feet had plagued with discomfort. Taking a break from the dance floor, she began to weave her way through the crowd of partygoers to the refreshment table where lemonade was the offered beverage. Kaoru took a full glass from the woman pouring and thanked her graciously.

Glancing at the door as she raised the glass of lemonade to her lips, Kaoru immediately froze when a flash of red caught the corner of her eye. These feelings of anxious hopefulness had coursed through her quite a few times over the past two years. Her heart would catch and she'd hold her breath out of the slim hope that it was him. All those instances had been predictable disappointments and as Kaoru turned her gaze with veiled trepidation, it was almost certain that this time it would not be her redhead as usual.

When Kaoru's gaze finally found the root of her internal dilemma, her lips parted with unbelieving astonishment, and she uttered a soft sound of disbelief. She had been fully aware he would be returning to London soon, but she had never let herself entertain the thought that she might actually see him. Oh, she had fervently hoped, but she never dared to actually believe.

Deep sensations of longing hit her with a whirlwind of affection. Everything she had ever felt for him was intensified at that moment, making her realize that despite their time apart, her feelings had never waned, and had in fact grown in potency. Kaoru swallowed with difficulty.

She found it hard to think as she stared at him, lost in the familiarity of his features, his appearance and his movements. He was tanner than when she had seen him before, blatantly showing how much time he spent on the deck of the ship he captained. He took the same care he had always taken with dressing, which was very little. Oh, his clothes were nice and well kept, but his hair was slightly tangled and quite easily showed Kenshin's attitude of indifference toward it. There was something about his posture, though, that had changed. She couldn't quite put her finger on it as she tried to discern if it was related to a prevailing emotion locked within him.

He seemed to be searching through the mass of people for something, his eyes narrow and intuitive as they slid over the crowded surroundings. It wasn't until he abruptly stilled when he caught sight of her that Kaoru dumbly realized he had been looking for her. Her.

When their eyes locked, she felt a jolt of awareness travel down her spine. Every noise and every nuance slowly began to fade away, leaving only a mass circling colors to surround her as she studied him unabashedly. As she stared at him, time seemed to slow into a gradual crawl, and she was lost in his gaze.

And then he moved as if to come towards her, but was stopped abruptly when Aoshi appeared at his side and tore his attention away from her. Kaoru expelled her breath disappointingly, and belatedly realized she hadn't known she had been holding it. Lowering her gaze, Kaoru worried her bottom lip with her teeth.

"I believe I have the next dance, Miss Kamiya," a deep baritone voice said from in front of her. Kaoru lifted her head quickly and let out a small gasp of surprise. "Oh, Lord Derriby." The young man was correct of course. On this particular slot of her dancing card, his name had been scrawled quite neatly. "Of course," Kaoru replied, unable to refuse. She held out her hand and watched as he took it to lead her to the dance floor.

She lost sight of Kenshin after that as she twirled mindlessly on the ballroom floor. Throughout the dance, she continued to look over her partner's shoulder, hoping to catch one more fleeting glimpse him, but it was almost as if he had disappeared.

When the dance ended, she retired to the sidelines of the ballroom against the wall next to the chaperones of the young debutantes. Kaoru quickly tuned out their nonsensical gossip and narrowed her gaze, half afraid that Kenshin had left the party after his initial greeting with Aoshi. Was there really anything else keeping him there? Oh, she sincerely hoped so…

At the slight tugging of her skirts, Kaoru looked down with wide eyes, now tinted with a soft light of puzzlement. A young boy who looked to be about five years old stood next to her with an adorably curious expression on his innocent features. A natural smile curved Kaoru's lips as she knelt down to peer into his inquiring green gaze more easily.

"Can I help you, young sir?" she questioned politely.

Wordlessly, he reached inside his trouser pocket and pulled out a small, folded piece of paper. Interest automatically piqued, Kaoru took the offered note gently from the small boy's outstretched fingers and lifted her brows.

"For me?" she asked softly.

He responded with an enthusiastic nod.

"Thank you," Kaoru murmured while unfolding the paper and smoothing the small creases so the scrawled writing could be read with ease.

Meet me on the terrace in 5 minutes.

K.

Her heart did an automatic flip as a flurry of butterflies burst with uncertain restlessness in her stomach. She would have known that handwriting anywhere. Refolding the paper, Kaoru quickly looked at the little boy once more. Having made sure that she read the note, he shuffled his feet, nodded in farewell, and moved away from her toward the crowd. Kaoru stood slowly while clutching the note tightly in her hand.

Gaze scanning the ballroom, she was still unable to locate his familiar form. Kaoru hesitated for a moment before deciding that the most convenient plan of action would be to make her way to the terrace now. It hardly made any sense for her to meander around the outskirts of the dance floor. Besides, the possibility of being caught by some unforeseen matter or person was too great, and at the moment, she was quite viciously clutched with the need to breathe in fresh air.

The terrace, unfortunately, was on the opposite side of the ballroom so it took some meticulous maneuvering to pass unchecked though the merry flood of people. A few polite nods and terse greetings were all she could muster and it was with a deep sigh of the utmost relief that she arrived at one of the numerous open doorways leading to the relative solitude of the terrace. The moment Kaoru stepped out of the ballroom and into the hushed darkness of the night, a cool and refreshing breeze covered her.

Kaoru let her eyes scan the long, open space, noticing immediately that two couples were also in attendance, spaced appropriately apart on the south side. Walking over to the edge, Kaoru placed her hand on the polished marble railing, running it along the smooth length as she slowly made her way to the north corner. She glanced momentarily at the trimmed and manicured garden before turning around and facing the open doorway closest to her.

Light streamed from inside the well-lit ballroom, creating a halo of warmth to her right. The illumination bathed her form with pale shadows that flickered gently over her skin. Music carried through the opening and filled the moist air with melodious composure. Flashes of color from other ladies' dresses could be seen as they paraded by on the arms of their suitors, waltzing about with uncontained enthusiasm.

Kaoru blinked suddenly as a form filled the light ridden doorway, becoming silhouetted before features became clear with a startling clarity as the man moved farther out into the night and away from the glow's bright cleansing. Kaoru tilted her head to the side as she watched Kenshin near her, his eyes catching hers and holding her gaze with a determination that staggered her.

She remembered clearly the time when he had surprised her on the balcony at the country ball that they had both attended a little over two years ago, and then proceeded to dance with her while cloaked by the night. It was easy to recall the emotions that had crossed her mind during that time - the anxiousness, the uncertainly, the beginnings of a deeper sensation that began as an ache in her heart and spread slowly throughout her body. Those jumbled feelings had been novel at the time, almost startling with their untested and mystifying implications. Kaoru hadn't known what to think, or how to react, so she pushed them aside only to realize their true meaning at a later date.

Now as she stared at him, the smooth vacillations of light slipping over his shaded features, Kaoru felt comfortable and assured as she felt her love for him well inside her heart and spread like wildfire within her. She had to suppress the urge to reach out and slip her hands through his overlong red bangs and brush her fingers over the tanned skin of his face. Kaoru kept her arms straight next to her sides, hiding her hands in the voluminous folds of her maroon ball gown.

As she studied him, she noticed his eyes traveled over her form much in the same way hers had him, and an involuntary shiver of delight raised goosebumps on her exposed skin. His lips parted and then he spoke. It felt wonderful to hear his voice again.

"I got your painting," he told her softly.

A look of pure pleasure covered her face and an expectant, yet demurely tentative smile touched her lips. "What do you think of it?"

"It is nothing like I have ever laid eyes on." Kaoru watched as he paused, frowning at her with a mixture of wonder and puzzlement in his gaze. "I thought you said you would probably never paint another portrait again."

Kaoru cocked her to the side. "I changed my mind."

"But…why me?"

A knowing smile widened on her lips, and she responded clearly, "Because it couldn't have been anyone else."

"What is so special about me?"

"Everything," she murmured, stepping closer to him and unexpectedly reaching out her hand to grasp his forearm. The warmth of her touch seared through his heavy clothing. "There isn't anything that is not different or unique about you. I could only paint the person who meant the most to me in the world, and ever since that summer two years ago, you've completely filled that place in my soul."

That seemed to cover Kenshin with a contemplative shell, for his amethyst gaze darkened and flashed a rich amber light that seared bright spokes in his gaze. His lips were pulled into a meditative line as he stared at her features. He appeared to be lost wholly in his thoughts, and the last thing she wanted was for him to withdraw from her completely.

"Did you know that I cajoled your uncle into taking me down to the docks and giving me a tour of one of the ships?"

He blinked at her for a moment before uttering a soft, but deadly, "What?" He covered the hand she had wrapped around his forearm, his fingers grasping hers tightly. "Did anything happen?" he asked, obviously fearful something dangerous had befallen her under his uncle's care.

"No," Kaoru replied with a quick quirk of the lips. "But, really. Who in their right mind would attack someone as large and intimidating as Hiko? The trip was very insightful, though. He even offered to let me climb the rigging a little bit…" Kenshin's eyes narrowed warningly and Kaoru felt a shiver of delight slide down her spine. "…but I declined. The last thing I wanted was a hoard of men staring up my skirts."

The oddest expression covered his face, and made him appear as if he had swallowed something foul. Maybe his sudden discomfort stemmed from the desire to physically hurt his uncle?

"You should take me on your boat."

"Ship," he corrected automatically.

Kaoru smiled slowly. "Ship," she murmured. "I've never been sailing before."

"Are you sure you'd want me there?"

"Unconditionally sure."

He leaned his head back slowly, a look of severe internal reflection marring his face. He reached out sightlessly, grasped her upper arms and pulled her toward him to where she stood inches from him. He lowered his head slowly, opening his eyes and pinning her with the most agonizingly serious stare. Something about his expression made her swallow as her heart pounded with expectation and curiosity. He kept lowering his head until his forehead came to rest on top of hers, his eyes still trained intimately with her own.

"Kenshin, what are you doing here?"

He was silent for a full, tense minute. "I realized today that I need a place of belonging."

It was with bated breath that she uttered,"And where is that?"

"With you," he answered simply. Kenshin paused, noticeably uncertain as to how she would respond. "That is, if you wish it. I know it's been two years."

"I said I would wait, didn't I? Are you trying to call me fickle?"

The first hint of amusement touched his lips and Kaoru could discern a sprouting of hope within his staid gaze.

"I could never call you fickle," he responded heavily, reaching up a hand to slide along her cheek. "I'm not sure how good I'm going to be at this," Kenshin continued roughly.

Kaoru leaned against his steady frame. "Trust me." She could see in his eyes that he did.

"Thank you, Kaoru."

"For what?"

"For waking me up and showing me a glimpse of a life beyond the madness."

A sigh of utter gratification shuddered through her slim frame, and Kaoru felt a heavy relief spread wonderfully through her limbs. A shining smile slipped slowly over her lips as her arms snaked up his chest and wrapped tightly around his shoulders. Palms pressed against his upper back underneath his neck, Kaoru stopped her lips a mere half an inch from touching his.

"I'll always be here for you. No matter what. Never doubt that, Kenshin."

Kenshin closed that small gap and pressed his lips softly against hers as his hands circled her waist. "I'll never doubt it," he murmured softly before kissing her again with a pressing desire that seared his stomach. "I don't know what I did to deserve you."

Smiling against his lips, Kaoru replied, "Silly man. You think too much. Just kiss me, please."

And he did. With desperation. With longing. With possessiveness. Pulling Kaoru's body to his, Kenshin finally claimed her as his own - emotionally and physically. He felt her shiver against his frame as she welcomed his intensity. Her mouth was liquid flame against his, igniting a blazing passion that had long remained dormant within him. Kaoru molded seamlessly to him, burying herself in the warmth of soul and window of pleasure that he offered.

With difficulty, Kenshin pulled away from her the slightest amount, breathing unsteadily, while letting his gaze peruse hers.

A soft smile pulled at his lips.

In her sapphire eyes, he found acceptance.

It was all he would ever need.

Lowering his head again, he buried his face in the curve of her neck.

"Welcome home," he heard her murmur softly.

And he realized with heavy relief at her words…he really was home.

Ah-ha! Those of you who speculated that she'd paint him were right...congradulations. (wink) Thanks so much for reading everyone. Hope you enjoyed!