A/n: hi guys, I think I'll been busy, mostly because I've been through a sad part of my life, so I guess this chapter will be a little bit sad. Anyway I hope you guys review, Thanx to be with me throughout this story and for your support.

All the WORds in italic are memories

Thanks To:

Antica: Thanks, I just hope my imagination never ends or I'll be screwed XDD

Horsegirl: Thanks, I'll appreciate your consideration with me and my poor brain.

Kenshinlover 2002: Yeah I was glad too, he's gonna be a great dad.

Tauren Palandin: Tnaks Chino, I know it's hard, and about that part I think it was cool too, thanks and remember that… no hay reviews todos caca solo nada q escribir XDD

And thanks to the ones that red but did not left a review (just hope someday you'll leave oneXDD)

The two assassins

Chapter 22: Regrets

It hurt like hell, sometimes he wondered if he was going to be able to be without her, to wake up every morning knowing that he let escape the most important thing in his life. Mostly regret than hatred filled his heart. One chapter of his life was a bout to end.

He had never been loved the way she did, he had learned since so young to keep his pains to himself not counting with the support of his parents, he had caged himself into, dealing with all his pains and thoughts, till she appeared in his life, because it had been her the only one to enter in his heart and touch it, the only one who made him feel naked, like if he could never keep a secret from her, the only one to bring him peace in his solitude.

Time had slipped through his fingers like water, a distant promise made so long ago had vanished leaving the painful thought of guilt. Day after day he thought of the best moment to declare his love to her, and being young the tomorrow was never a problem. Little did he know that someday it was going to be too late with no time for mistakes nor turning back.

He was laying on his bed, it was dim dark, arms crossed behind his neck, thinking of old times, when everything was so easy, when saying "I love you·" was not taken too seriously and holding a girls hand didn't mean too much.

Flashes Back………………………………...

"are we going to marry someday?" asked a 7 years old Kaoru who was playing with some stuffed animals, her dress twisted and dirty for all the time she had spent on the soil

"Marry?" asked also a 7 years old Soujiro "I guess" he said turning a bit red, he had felt attracted to her since the moment he had seen her. Of course that in a way a child feels it.

"Mmm… I suppose you're right, I mean you're the only boy I know" KAoru said they kept staring at each other like if it was the way it was supposed to be "Wanna play something?" she asked. Soujiro smiled at her, it was only with her that he truly meant his smiles.

Soujiro was not precisely the most lucky guy, his parents were never there for him, they always were traveling or making businesses so they never had time for him. Practically Soujiro had grown at the Kamiya Manor, and with the time he had become a respectful teenager.

He had never forget that day, not even when he had left Japan for a couples of years, that childish conversations had become his reason to live and breathe, to love and hate, loneliness sometimes overtook him when he was far away from her, he called her almost everyday just to check on her, as she was the only person who really had taken care of him through all of these years.

………………………………

It was a raining day at home and no one was there besides him, Somehow Soujiro always made her to cheer up, even though neither had said a single word. That afternoon they were both laying on her bed, listening the water falling from the sky, thousands of drops shaped like tears were crashing against her window, the soothing sound made them both sleepy. He was holding her between his arms, hoping to never let go and made him wonder how longer could he resist to tell her how much he loved and longed for her without chicken out? There were not going to be words to express the way he felt about her that was for sure, yet he stayed calmed watching her sleepy face, slowly falling asleep while he stared at her trying to memorize each curve on her delicate body.

His fingers were buried in her raven hair caressing her as soft as he could, he smiled to himself, When was it going to be the day she would finally be his and his alone? That promise of telling her someday was well kept in his heart hoping for the opportune moment to come.

She had always seen him as a brother and nothing more, a long kiss on the cheek a sof punch in the arm, a tear when he had left and a smile when he came back.

She didn't dare to open her eyes, but she felt his soft caress on her head, the soft peck on her forehead and some words whispered to her ear. She decided to let him continue, it was that day when she heard him cry unable to give him comfort, it had been the day when he had been sincere to herself when he had thought she had been sleeping, he had told her his fears, his thoughts, his suffers, but when he was getting to the part when he was going to confess her the way he felt about her, he had backed off, still with the hope he could tell her properly someday. .

………………………………

"What do you think a bout it Souji?" asked Misao who kept reading the flyer on her hands.

"I don't know It may be good, it's just that everyone is crazy and I don't know what strange idea they will came up with now" he replied, Kaoru and misao were walking to his side down the high school corridors .

"I know, remember last year's Prom?" Kaoru asked

"Course, it was something like Star trek, right?" asked Soujiro and cocked her head at her.

"That was a zillion years ago, I don't know why they can't get over it" said Misao who turned her head towards them waiting for them to answer

"Anyway I think I might go" said Kaoru who then walked away.

The Prom dance was just a week away, kaoru had already received a lot of invitations from a thousand times, but she had turned them down. Meanwhile Soujiro was preparing himself to ask her if she wanted to go with him.

The week had passed so fast she had accepted, of course that Soujiro was more than happy with her answer and today was going to be day he was going to get her home and take her to the prom dance.

He was so nervous that he had entered his car and had forgotten the keys inside of the house. A minutes late after he solved that problem he parked his red Aston Martin in front of her house. He stepped out of the car and walked to the front door where Kaoru's father himself opened and invited him in, precautions were not necessary, he had practically raised that boy. Soujiro was wearing a black tuxedo and was carrying a beautiful flower bouquet, that she was going to like for sure.

He heard her steps approaching to the white stairs, she halted before she began to descend them, she looked like an angel, she was wearing a midnight blue dress, her hair had a beautiful up do and her long diamond earrings almost touched her shoulders. He made a great effort for not to mouth drop and when she was just a few feet away from him he grabbed her hand the way a gentleman would do and kissed her gloved hand, then gave her the bouquet, she smiled at him they way she had never smiled at him, then she said good bye to his father that had wished them luck, and after entering the car, they left.

It was a silent ride to the hotel were the prom dance was going to be. He found difficult to even open his mouth to say hi when she looked so beautiful. Finally the car stopped at the entrance and both took a deep breath. Soujiro gave the valet parking guys the keys and then they entered. They took the elevator, the walked trough some corridors till they found the salon. At the entrance were two persons who ushered them inside. Lots of people were dancing here and there, they both sat and after some minutes of talking they went to dance too. The music was high and they could barely hear each other, they were starting to dance and get in the mood when the DJ put a slow song.

Soujiro and Kaoru didn't know what to do, they smiled. He placed his hands on her waist and she on his neck, slowly moving to the rhythm of the song, feeling how the music was slowly invading their senses. Soujiro's mouth was close to her ear, and softly as he could he whispered the words he had waited to much to say 'I love you' but kaoru didn't hear and asked him again, but he said her to for get it. Maybe it was his imagination but he felt her hand slowly caressing the nape of his neck and a slow but short brush of her cheek against his, he closed his eyes and pulled her closer towards him just to feel her heart beat.

………….…………………...

He placed the pillow over his face, he could not sleep memories kept invading his thought feeling his head with regret , why he had waited so long to tell her, when he knew he could not gain her heart, he forced a smile but instead a tear sleep down, it had been so long since he had cried., so many years had already passed since the last time he did. He shoved off the tear that rested in his chin, then cleaned it on his shirt. Why was so hard to forget her, when she had already forgot him? He had indeed tried, but it was just impossible, beyond his strength, he should not longer keep loving her as something more than a friend.

When she had left Japan he dated some girls, but he did not find them interesting nor even worthy of is love, a bit harsh, yes, but for some strange reason no one could be compared with her. A second tear slipped. Why had he been such a fool, when he knew that she had left Japan with Kenshin walking down to her side?. He sat, placed his head between his hand, fucking regret, fucking hatred, but it was not her he hater nor even Kenshin, It was himself the one he hated, for being an idiot, a stupid, how did he let her escape form his hands, when? That he had not even realized that she was not with him anymore.

He remembered that day when she had made the choice to become an assassin, he could have topped her, but he did not, that day was the day that condemned his life to a living hell, if only he had stopped her, she would have never met him, she would have never left his side, and his life would have been the realization of all his dreams. But he failed, he failed his task to protect her, to protect even his own dreams.

Even if it was sad, what was done was done, and all that was happiness now sadness. He kept comforting himself that maybe someday he would find the one that was meant for him, even if it was not his Kaoru. His chance had gone, time played with, he played to immortality, and the only one who ended up hurt was him. Deep sigh, deep thoughts, he had lost her, but he had to continue with his life. It goes on and never stops, and once in a while you should stop and look around to see what is surrounding you. He walked towards the window and opened the thick curtains. It was a beautiful full moon, he bit his lower lip, and shook his head then smiled. Not even once before he had seen a night like that, maybe he needed to spend more time at the sea.

Her words kept echoing inside of his head, that day had been the worst of all, the day he had committed the stupidity to tell how much he loved Kaoru in front of him, not because the physical damaged he had caused him but the awful truth of not being loved in return.

He remembered the conversation he had had with megumi before he left the hospital, he knew he didn't have a chance against him, that he knew but he had dared to try and came back with more than a broken arm.

"Do you think I have a chance?" soujiro asked coyly. He knew the answer better than no one but he needed help to convince himself that he was wrong, no matter how much he wanted it to be true.

"Souji, They're gonna marry in a few months, I would like to say you do, But I must tell you the truth, she loves him so madly and so does him, there's no space for you in her heart as something more than a friend" she sighed "I'm really sorry, but you're late"

Soujiro turned his face to see her fully, there was such a grief in his eyes, it was just inexplicable.

This was going to be the last time he was going to grieve for her, this was going to be the first and the last time he let himself cry for that. He needed this night to realize that the had to move on but aloud himself to enjoy the sadness for the last time. As sadness itself had been his companion for a long time and now he had decided to let it go. He shoved off the last tears from his pain and shouted as loud as his lunges aloud him to. He ran his fingers through his black hair and began to laugh as a mad man. He threw himself to the mattress and closed his eyes searching for some sleep.

………………………………...

He was sleeping on her chest, enjoying of a nice dream, but she for some odd cause could not sleep. She caressed Kenshin's hair, and frowned, a strange feeling of disturbance and then satisfaction ran trough her spine. Why? Suddenly a thought hit her, a picture of him came to her mind, Soujiro, she didn't say good bye, and had not seen him since she "died". did he know that she was alive? Or was he suffering because of the loss? She sighed, They had been friends since a long time ago, a strange connection had built between them, something beyond a close friendship, he had never been only her friend but her brother, her companion, the shoulder where she could cry and reveal her innermost secrets. Gosh she missed him, and felt guilty for abandon him, when he probably needed her most.She was lsot in her thoughts when she felt Kenshin's hand on her waist in a protective way, it was some kind of reflex he had developed when he felt that Kaoru was sad on in danger even though he was asleep. Kaoru's hand searched for his, and held it with her own, she moved her head to one side towards the open window, a soft breeze was blowing on the ocean, the fresh air entered the room, flooding her lungs with fresh air.

Kaoru buried her fingers on Kenshin's red hair, then wondered how fast time had passed, she felt like it had been a few months ago when she had told Soujiro that she was going to leave and kissed him farewell. At that moment she thought that maybe it was the best way, but now she regretted it, she felt guilty for leaving her father, her friends, but then stared at Kenshin, he was the only thing she did not regret, he was the only thing she had made right, her only purpose to breathe.

And maybe just maybe she had done the right thing after all. Kenshin took a deep breath and buried his head on her bosom. Kaoru stared down at him, placed her hands on her back and softly commenced to caress his soft skin. Yes she had definitely made the right choice.

A tear slipped down her cheek, the only thing she regretted the most was that she had left him, even thought she loved Kenshin like no woman had never loved a man. She perfectly knew she had crushed Soujiro's dreams, she knew that him loved her more than a friend, she had closed her eyes and became blind to the world just to denied it , because she did not love him the way he wanted her to love him and deep down her heart she was hurt, hoping for forgiveness, something to ease her inner pain.

"Souji forgive me" she mumbled "I promise that someday I'll make it up to you"

………………………………...

Well and this is all of chapter 22, Sorry for the long update I hope you guys liked it and leave me reviews. Thanks and till the next chapter.!