My movement were precise, my whole concentration focussed on the task at hand. I folded my shirt in thirds, then in half, then carefully placed it into the bag. Repeat.

Hibiki had a little bit of complications since he was so premature, but with the help of Megumi and the other fantastic doctors here, after a week he – and I – were finally free to go home.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up at Kenshin. He gave me a small smile and gently pecked my lips. At that moment, I truly felt we were a married couple who just had their firstborn. Except, our baby wasn't coming with us or even staying in the country. Instead, he was flying to London with his mother within the week.

Just as I had been trying not to remember.

"London?" Everyone screamed, shock showing on everyone's faces. At least I knew I wasn't the only one who didn't know. Even Sano looked dumbfounded, his vendetta against Kenshin forgotten.

Hibiki wailed, and Megumi began to bounce up and down and shushing the babe. When he seemed to have calmed down slightly, she handed him off to a nurse and watched them disappear with worried eyes. She already seemed like a mother.

"Yes. I got a job offer, and I would be a fool to turn it down."

Sano took her hand, and I swear I wanted to cry when I saw his expression. Megumi was Sano's first real relationship after his junior high school sweetheart died in a car crash. I knew he missed Sayo to the day, but Megumi really helped him get over her death. "Meg, are you sure? When did you get it?"
She nodded her head, tears beginning to gather in her eyes. She took a deep breath and steeled herself, closing her eyes. When she reopened them, you couldn't find a trace of her tears. "I received it a few months ago, and I thought it was the best option. I knew I was getting too involved with all of you, and I'm selfish. I want Hibiki to grow up separately from his…parents." At that, she glanced at Kenshin and I.

I felt guilt well in my chest. This was all my fault! If only I hadn't been so needy, so pathetic…Kami, why? My decision to see Kenshin so long ago was coming and biting me in the butt again.

Megumi saw the expression on my face and rushed to my side. She kissed my forehead, and hugged me as I cried into her chest. "No, it's not your fault. It really isn't. Even if you and Kenshin had never met again, I would have still accepted the offer." She leaned back and brushed a tear from my cheek. "Understand: it was my ambition and selfishness that made this choice."

I nodded, but it didn't help. I knew a part of it must have been a result of my actions, too.

Megumi went around and hugged everyone, and tears began falling freely down everyone's faces. The only one who was conspicuously absent was Sano. That stupid brother of mine! Megumi looked around for him, but when she noticed he was gone, her face fell. At that moment in time, I really hated him. Even though he was really sweet and considerate earlier tonight, this really nullified his sweet older brother actions.

Kenshin realised my hand was shaking in anger, and took it. "What's wrong?"

"That baka!" I hissed. Kenshin knew who I was talking about, and he bent his head. Tears began streaming down my face again, and I wiped them away angrily. "Megumi needs him now, and he disappears!"

"I understand what he's feeling," Kenshin whispered.

My head snapped up at that. "What?"
He gave me a half-hearted smile. "If I heard you were moving away and didn't tell me anything, I'd be pissed, too. And I'd feel as if I was betrayed, used."

I bent my head, a frown on my face. I tried to put myself in Sano's shoes, but couldn't. He was just being stupid! But, a small part of me wanted to understand his feelings.

I shook my head to rid it of these thoughts. "Anyways, Kenshin…where were you?"
He gave me a confused look. "Oro?"

"Ah, during the birth. Sano was kicked out, but I don't remember you following us out of the car."

"Ah," he rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed. "I parked the car, and when I tried to enter the birthing room, the nurses wouldn't allow me. One of them was really rude."

I grinned at him. "I think I know who you're talking about. She tried to kick San out, I think."

He gave me a confused look. "But I saw him in the waiting room…"

"Yeah, Megumi threw him out."

"Ah," he said, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Then his face became sad again, and we both looked at Megumi. She was curled up on the couch, with Aoshi's arm around her. She looked exhausted. Her dark eyes met mine, and she gave me a wan smile. Even though Sano wasn't next to her, she seemed as if she was going to be ok.

Too bad her smile never reached her eyes.

I felt Kenshin's hand on my cheek, and looked up at him, surprised. He folded me into his arms, and I brought my hand to my face. I was shocked to feel wetness there. Why was I crying?

"Kaoru, if you really didn't want to part with Hibiki, you should tell Megumi that. I'm sure she'll abide to your wishes."

I jerked away from Kenshin and did something I never thought I would- I slapped him. Surprise and hurt flitted across his face in quick succession, but my jaw was set. "Do you really think that I would ever go back on my word? Ever? Plus, didn't I tell you? He's a Takani. Megumi mixed some of her genes in there. I suspect he'll begin to resemble her eventually."

Kenshin looked relieved, somewhat. "Ah. And here it thought we were giving away a child of ours, when we're perfectly capable of taking care of him ourselves…"

I laughed. "Who's capable? Last I checked we're both in school."

He grinned at me. "Looks like you forgot- I graduated already."

I staggered back, dumbfounded. "Seriously?"

He laughed. "Yeah. I'm trying to find some sort of work that involves a lot of travel, but it seems as if it's impossible. So I'm thinking of starting my own dojo and just travelling often, when I can."

"Well, wow. Kenshin, that's great!" I flew at him and hugged him, happy that he had found something that I'm sure he and Hiko could agree on. And also something that involved him staying where he was, and near me. That may have been a bit selfish, but I don't care.

He laughed as he lifted me. "Yeah. Hiko is really excited – he won't show me, but I know, and Misao is looking forward to people calling her 'sensei'."

"Would you do me a favour?" I asked, my mind returning to my baka twin again. "Could you employ Sano? He's a really great fighter."

Kenshin looked ponderous. "Well, I was actually thinking of something else for him…"

Sano was in his room, as I suspected he would be. He hadn't come to help me move out of the hospital, and hadn't welcomed me home. Yahiko was all abuzz with information about people stopping by and giving me well wishes (they didn't know Megumi adopted the baby already, my head hurts just thinking about the explanations I would need to say) and the gifts they had left (do I have to give these to Megumi?) but Sano was nowhere to be seen.

Baka brother.

I charged into his room, opening the door with a bang. He didn't even look up at me, only turned onto his side so his back would be to me. A vein twitched in my forehead, and I body slammed him. If no-one had noticed, I was really happy to not be toting around an extra six pounds…and more, considering all the crap that was also in my body, and the bit of fat I gained (ugh).

He sat up quickly, a scowl on his face. "What the hell, Kaoru?"
I gave him an innocent smile. "I can't celebrate me coming home?"

He growled, rolled his eyes and sank back into his bed. "Just, leave me alone."

I bit my lip. I guess Sano really was taking Megumi's departure really hard. I sighed and patted his back. "Hey Sano."

"What?"

"If Megumi wasn't leaving, what would you do?"

He didn't answer for such a long time, I thought he never would. I stood to leave, unwilling to push him on this. I felt a tug on the back of my shirt and looked at Sano, an eyebrow raised.

"I probably would have asked her to marry me," he answered, his face tinted pink. "But it doesn't matter now." He turned away from me, and I let him rest. He had a lot on his mind…and I think I just got why Kenshin had suggested what he had.

To say that Sano's funk affected the house's atmosphere was a severe understatement. I felt as if there was a thundercloud over the whole house for the week, and I chafed under Kenshin's orders to "let him be." Kami, I wanted to hit him so much! He was being really stupid.

Finally, Saturday came. Kenshin pulled up in front of our house, and Misao and Aoshi traipsed out. Tomorrow was the day Megumi and Hibiki officially moved to London, but she said she didn't want to see us tonight…which was why everyone else decided to have dinner at my house. I wasn't cooking, though. When I had suggested it, everyone freaked and Misao had literally pinned me down – as if pinning me down was going to stop me from continuing with the thought.

Aoshi and Kenshin greeted Yahiko and Sano, and went immediately into the kitchen. I had everything out already, so all that was left was for them to be cooked and prepared.

I followed after them, eager to see what they were going to do, when Aoshi noticed me. "No."

"Please? I promise I'll just look."

His serious blue eyes latched onto mine. "No."

I huffed, but walked out. Plus, tonight was all about Sano- he just didn't know it yet. Misao and Yahiko were doing their best to get him out of his room, coaxing, jibing and then downright insulting him, but he didn't budge.

I walked in calmly, giving Yahiko a thumbs up. I think he looked worried for a second, but I had already turned to face Sano, my hands on my hips.

"Ok, you stupid brother of mine. Get out of bed."

"Don't wanna."

"We have guests."

"I realised."

"Don't you want to eat?"

"If you're cooking, then no." I tried very hard not to hit him.

Through clenched teeth, I managed to say, "No, Kenshin and Aoshi are cooking."

"So what?"

"So, it's actually edible," Yahiko said behind me. I didn't hesitate to hit him.

Sano snorted, and I felt a bit of the concern I had felt over him in the past few days subside a little. If Sano was able to laugh, that means everything was going to get a little better, right?

I heard Kenshin announce dinner was ready, and extended a hand to Sano. "Come on. Dinner's served."

Sano looked at my hand and shook his head. "Nah, I'm not hungry."

"Sanosuke Kamiya is not hungry?" Misao shouted, stumbling back a few steps. "Whut?"

Sano gave her a sharp look. "So what? I'm not feeling well."

I bashed him on the head. "You're really annoying, you know that?" I yelled. I grabbed his ear and dragged him outside, and plopped him in front of his seat.

He began to argue with me, until he saw the piece of paper on his plate. "Wha-?" He opened it, and his eyes grew wide. "Guys, I can't do this."

I gave him a smile that I hoped was supportive and didn't show my sadness. "It's fine, really. You have been miserable these past few days."

"Does Megumi know?"

I managed to look sheepish. "No, it's a surprise for both of you."

"So you're just going to let me go to London?" He asked, eyebrow raised. "What about all the expenses around here?"

I crossed my arms over my chest. "I work, and Megumi said she'll pay for my medical school. Also, Yahiko's girlfriend has offered for him to be the busboy in the Akabeko. We'll be fine. Really."

"But I can't just leave you-"

"Then think of it this way. You're going to London to take care of your nephew. Megumi is an added bonus. Think of it as a mission." Kenshin interjected.

Sano seemed to contemplate it a little more. "Are you really ok with this?" He asked, hope alighting in his dark brown eyes.

I rolled my eyes and hugged him. "Think I would have organised all of this without being all right with it? Now, go. But make sure you come back."

I felt really proud of myself when I didn't cry that night. However, what crying I didn't do I made up in spades the next day, when he actually left. Of course, I never allowed him to see me crying. When he, Megumi and Hibiki boarded the transporter and disappeared in a flash of light, I was able to see them off with a smiling face.

But I cried the whole way home and throughout the whole night. Thank Kami Kenshin and Yahiko were there, or else I would have never been able to live through it.

And that was the last I saw of my twin for years.

Reviews are appreciated :D

Next chapter: the finale!