AN: This is it, the final chapter! I hope you enjoy it, and let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, I wouldn't be writing this if I did.

Always and Forever

By: Mika Saito

Epilogue

-6 months later-

Kaoru flipped through the mail aimlessly. It was bills mostly, all except one plain white envelope addressed to her.

"I wonder who it's from..." She mused, tossing the rest on the table in front of Kenshin and keeping the white envelope.

"What is that?" Kenshin asked, flipping through the rest of the mail.

"I don't know," she shrugged, slipping into a seat next to him, "we'll see in a minute though." Quietly she picked up the letter opener and opened the envelope. She dropped the utensil on the table and pulled a piece of folded paper from opening she'd created. Kaoru unfolded it and scanned the writing.

"It's from Enishi," she said, sounding surprised. "He's getting married."

"To who?" Kenshin asked, surprised. He pushed the bills away and focused on Kaoru.

"A woman by the name of Tae. He says here that they were childhood friends," Kaoru smiled, offering the paper to Kenshin. "Almost sounds like us," she mused as Kenshin read the letter.

"I'm glad he's happy," he tossed the letter on the table.

"So am I."

-3 months later-

"You may kiss the bride." The priest smiled at the bride and groom as they leaned in for a gentle kiss.

"I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Yukishiro Enishi," he announced to the small group that had been invited to the wedding. Close friends and family only, as Tae had wanted.

"Congratulations," Kaoru told the couple an hour later at the reception.

"Thank you, Kaoru-san," Tae responded, blushing.

"Thanks, Kaoru," Enishi pulled her into a hug. "How are you and Kenshin doing?" He asked.

"We're good. Just dating at the moment," she told him with a wistful smile.

"Just dating?" Enishi seemed surprised.

"Yeah. We were apart for five years, Kenshin thought we should take some time to get to know each other before taking it further."

"Makes sense," Enishi nodded. "You seem happier now," he smiled knowingly.

"I am..."

-9 months later-

"Come on, Kaoru, Kenshin's waiting on you!" Megumi yelled up the stairs, tapping her foot impatiently on the ground.

"It's all right, I'm actually early," Kenshin chuckled.

"I know, I just like harassing her."

"I'd like it if you didn't harass her too much today, Megumi."

"You're going to ask her tonight?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"If things go as planned, yes."

"That's great! And about damn time to."

Kenshin opened his mouth to respond when Kaoru came bounding down the stairs, dressed in a dark blue, knee length dress that matched her eyes.

"I'm ready," she said, smiling brightly.

"Let's go then," Kenshin returned her smile, offering her his hand.

"Don't wait up for me, Megumi," Kaoru smiled at the older woman as she took his hand and stepped out the door.

"I don't think you'll be home tonight..." Megumi said once the door was closed behind the couple.

"Why's that?" Sano asked, surprising her. She turned and looked at him; he was leaning against the doorframe of the doorway leading into the kitchen.

"Kenshin's planning on proposing tonight."

"Thank you, Kenshin," Kaoru smiled up at the red haired man.

"The night's not over yet," he told her, returning the smile with a small one of his own as he took her left hand in his.

She opened her mouth to say something when she felt something cold slip over her ring finger. Looking down she saw a silver ring with a heart shaped sapphire.

"Kenshin?" She questioned, looking up in time to see him drop to one knee in front of her.

"Kaoru, will you marry me?" His hopeful amethyst eyes locked onto hers.

"Yes," she threw herself into his arms, wrapping her own securely around his neck.

-10 years later-

"Mom, how did you and Dad get together?" A nine-year-old boy asked Kaoru as he watched her wash the breakfast dishes.

"It's a long story," she told him with a smile.

-The End-

AN: Yay! After almost two and a half years (only a few weeks short of) it's finally complete! I hope you all enjoyed it, I know I certainly had fun writing it, even if it was hard finding time to work on it sometimes.

Thank you to those who reviewed the last chapter:

Kristy-chan, GogoPenguin, Mikki G, sapphireracoongal, xSyaoranSakurax, xx Screaming Infidelities

Also, thank you to everyone who reviewed during the course of the entire story:

animebdoll, anonymous, Anonymous but very interested, Chibi Reli, DeadlyDragon12, Desanity Rin, Eternal Spring89, Ellavv31, Fishee, gabyhyatt, GogoPenguin, gravi addict, half-breed-demon-fox, Hitokiri Hisao Yukihime, inu-death-demon, Jasmine blossom625, Kaoru-Kitty, kaoru kamiya, kawaii96, keena, ken, Kendokawaii00, Kristy-chan, Mars Mistress, Mikki G, Miss Goke, Moonlight Star Phoenix, noneedforprozac27, Prince Aoshi, Ran Kudo, reiko-chan, sapphireracoongal, shinta, Shinta-FAn, softbalchick181, Sunshine of my life, Threedaysunrise, xSyaoranSakurax, xx Screaming Infidelities.