Disclaimer: We don't own Rurouni Kenshin! How many times are we gonna have to say this?

A/N (Yue): Yay! KENSHIN ANGST! Makes me happy! lol, this is written by 2 people! I get the guys, (who are sexy) and Amaya-chan gets the girls! (I have a hatred for anime girls . Amaya: so do I but I have issues with writing stories from boys' point of views Yue: shut up!) anyways… I MUST WRITE WITHOUT FURTHER ADO! Voila! The something chapter of Matsudai Setsuna!

A/N (Amaya): sorry it took so long (it's completely my fault if you want to know) and you can yell at me all you want. Anyways Ninjakage is embarrassed that Yue-san finished a chapter before her and apologizes again. So… R&R!

Forever In A Moment

Memories

Kenshin opened his eyes to see the room was much brighter than when he had closed them. Blinking to ward off the temporary blindness that happened often when someone is awakened in a bright room he started to sit up. He could hear sounds coming from the TV, which he automatically switched off, not wanting to pay a higher electricity bill than necessary.

Moving around on the sofa to a more comfortable position, to avoid cramps that would probably occur anyway from sleeping on the sofa, he realized that it was no longer early morning, or morning at all in fact. He checked the flashing numbers on the cable box of the TV. Indeed it was almost 1pm.Trying not the think about the fact that school would be over in a matter of hours he looked around, slightly confused, before he suddenly saw a face flash in front of his eyes.

Tomoe…

Kenshin suddenly remembered how he had fallen asleep on the sofa. He had had a dream, a memory more like, about Tomoe. Thinking about her again, and remembering that day made him feel like the world was ending and she was dying in front of his for the second time. That it was his fault again that she was dying for the second time.

He held his head in his hands, breathing quickening with every time he thought of her. He started to shake with silent sobs and he could only whisper her name over and over again, hardly noticing the salty tears that were making tracks down his face.

Tomoe, Tomoe, Tomoe, Tomoe…

Kenshin had not managed to drag himself from the sofa yet. It was nearing the end of a normal school day. Of course he would have had an extracurricular activity after. He wasn't the sort of person that would be lazy and not join any club or activity. He liked to help whenever he could. However he knew he wouldn't be going today.

Kenshin stretched out of the sofa, so that he was on his back, looking up at the ceiling. He knew he really should be calling Sano to assure him of his saneness and health. Sano would be very worried right now, at the least. Kaoru and Megumi must be worried too. He should call them too.

Kenshin just sighed and rolled back over; it wasn't worth the energy of getting up. He put his face into one of the remaining pillows on the sofa, trying to block out the feelings of guilt. He knew he should call his friends, but the phone just seemed to far away.

Memories of Tomoe were too fresh in his mind. He opened his eyes only to see pillow fabric. There was nothing to distract him from thoughts of her. Her laughing, her smile, her kissing him ,her being close to him, her excited, her happy, her dead with blood crawling across her face, her lifeless eyes, her funeral.

He gasped and sat up. No, he didn't want to remember that. It was too much. He had just gotten over it. Kenshin shook her head and finally stood up, legs numb from not moving.

He dragged himself into the kitchen; though he was not hungry he knew he must eat something to keep his energy up. Unsurprisingly the refrigerator was almost empty. Sano, no doubt, had gone through it. Â Digging in a random cupboard for some instant ramen that he had hid for emergencies like this he looked down and caught his reflection in a knife (no doubt, also left out by Sano, who was too lazy to put anything in the dishwasher, and he was often asked to do).

His eyes widened. There was something red and sticky on it (Sano was eating something with jam). His thoughts, however were not focused on the fact Sano was a lazy ass, or the fact that he now had to hide all his food from Sano now. His eyes widened and he just had time to gasp before something flashed before his eyes.

Blood, on his sword, on the ground, pooling around a newly dead body. Paper with only names, places and times scribbled on. Guns, swords, daggers, Tenchu... Tenchu... Tenchu... Dead bodies… lifeless corpses everywhere. Flashes of metal… gunshots… blood, blood, blood, blood. Faces, laughing, people with weapons coming towards him. He fought back, he could feel his anger, and he was sure this enemy would feel it too. He could hear someone screaming NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!

Opening his eyes, Kenshin found it hard to put his vision into focus. After a few minutes the tiles of his kitchen zoomed into focus. He found he was leaning against the kitchen counter. Instant ramen container lying on the ground, the knife was out of sight on the counter.

His memories. They just came flowing back. He hadn't thought of those things in years, since he quit, since he had wanted to repent for the killings. Those people's deaths left footprints on his heart, even though he had known nothing of them but their name and their threat to his government.

That face! It had been Idzuka, and another one that had been in his dream had been of course Shishio. The traitors to the government and all that he fought for. How sad that he had thought he was allied with these great people. He left soon after the attack… as soon as he fell for Tomoe.

Reaching up he gripped the counter and pulled himself up, finding himself slightly weak from his blackout. Shakily standing he picked up the instant ramen and set it in the microwave, beeping in the amount of time he wanted it to cook it.

He looked over to the answering machine he had in the kitchen. The button for his voicemails was flashing, alerting him of his missed called. He ignored it, and pulled out a spoon from the drawer to consume his ramen with.

'It could be Sano,' he thought, 'or Megumi, maybe even Kaoru, but probably not. They all might be worried about me for not coming to school. I don't even remember the last time I missed school. I bet Sano was thinking if it was even possible for me to miss school.'

He chuckled slightly and tossed the empty plastic container into the trash can and threw his spoon in the sink. Yeah, Sano would defiantly be thinking something like that. Trust his best friend to make him smile, even when he wasn't there.

He dragged himself to the bathroom, and turned on the shower. He promptly stripped, throwing his clothes all over the room before forcing himself under the spray.

As the warm water washed over him he pushed these memories into the back of his mind, but no matter how hard he tried, he knew that his sins would never wash away.

-O-

Kaoru sighed and opened her locker. The way Kenshin had acted yesterday was still bothering her and Kaoru wanted to talk to him really badly. She was worried about him and she wanted to find out what was wrong. The only problem was that he didn't come to school today.

However, all thoughts about Kenshin disappeared when she saw a woman walking down the hallway. Her long, black hair was held back in a braid, her green eyes were full of happiness, and a smile was plastered to her face as she expertly made her way through the mass of students leaving the building.

Kaoru frowned slightly, her forehead wrinkling up in anger as she continued to watch the familiar face move towards her. Suddenly she picked up her back pack and shoved her way through the hoards of people, on a collision coarser with her 'old acquaintance'. As Kaoru approached the woman's side, she reached out her hand and grabbed the woman's wrist before dragging her off to one of the less crowded hallways. At first the woman looked at Kaoru suspiciously but a smile quickly reappeared on her face as recognition made itself known in her eyes.

Kaoru turned around to face the woman once she was sure that they wouldn't be overheard. She could only see pure happiness in her voice while she was sure that her eyes were filled with worry, pain, sorrow, and maybe just a little bit of happiness. Don't get her wrong, she was very happy to see her 'nee-chan' and Kaoru affectionately called the woman in front of her. Makimachi Misao, for that was the woman's name, had taken care of Kaoru ever since her mother had fallen ill four years ago. Misao had been attending the local college and taken care of Kaoru as if she was family. Apparently her father thought that way too because Misao had suffered more than what she should have because of his wrath.

"Kaoru-chan!"

"Nee-chan!"

A sixteen year old Kaoru eagerly ran down the school steps and towards the woman sitting in the silver convertible right outside the school. Kaoru happily opened the door to the passenger seat and slid into the car. She buckled her seatbelt as Misao pulled the car out into the road. Kaoru was excited because, not only was school going to be over in a month but, Misao's birthday was today and she had a wonderful present for her. It was a high quality kunai with Misao's name engraved on it. Kaoru knew that Misao liked marshal arts and weaponry and she hoped that this would something that Misao needed.

They pulled up in front of Kaoru's house. It was a big house though not big enough to be considered a mansion. Like most houses in the vicinity it was painted white and was two stories tall. Kaoru and Misao waked up the front steps happily. Just as Misao was about to place her hand on the door knob the door was opened from the inside.

Standing in the hallway, beer bottle in hand, was Kaoru's father. As usual his black hair was in a disarray as it stuck out in a thousand different directions. He glared at the two girls before him before opening his right hand so that the object inside it was visible to everyone.

"Why did you waste your money on this?" he asked Kaoru, anger evident in his voice.

"It's Misao's birthday today," Kaoru replied while taking a step away from her father.

"How many times do I have to tell you that weapons are not allowed in the house!"

Kaoru watched in horror as he raised his hand. She felt hands wrap around her body and pull her backwards as the blade cut her stomach. As the blade was raised again Kaoru felt herself being pushed behind a body.

"Run Kaoru!" Misao shouted, blood oozing out of her arm as the blade raised itself again.

Her body on autopilot, Kaoru turned around and ran. Her legs never stopped moving along the familiar path while her mind was in turmoil, multiple thoughts becoming one, incomprehensible blob.

Kaoru felt her legs slowing down before stopping in front of a familiar sight. The water crashed down on the rocks below after as it fell off its familiar path. Kaoru felt her legs fold beneath her as she watched the beautiful, yet dangerous, sight before her. That was her father, a perfect father and husband in public. In private he was a monster, a demon of its leash.

Kaoru sat there for hours watching the water fall. She didn't even notice when arms wrapped around her and the sweet voice telling her everything was okay. All she could think about was how her demon of a father was hurting her and everyone around her.

Four months later she ran away from home.

"Oh Kaoru! I was so worried about you! Especially after what happened to your mother!" Misao exclaimed as she grabbed Kaoru into a tight hug, snapping Kaoru out of her memories.

"I'm fine Misao, really! Although right now I'm having trouble breathing," Kaoru gasped out and Misao quickly relinquished her hold on Kaoru.

"It's good to finally see you!" Misao said as she jumped up and down. Kaoru sweatdropped. No matter how long she had been around Misao she would never get used to the fact that she didn't act her age.

"I'm perfectly fine! Jesus! People would think you're my mother or something!"

Misao grinned at the annoyed teenager in front of her. Kaoru hadn't changed one bit.

"Phew! I was really worried! Especially after I heard on news that your father had disappeared and that your mother was de-"

Misao's eyes went wide and she clapped a hand to her mouth as Kaoru stared at her in curiosity and worry.

"Misao… what happened to my mother?"

"You know they think your father might have gone to-"

"Misao!"

Misao stopped talking and looked at the girl in front of her. She sighed and looked out the window before answering Kaoru's question.

"Kaoru… your mother's dead."