A/N:Hello my darlings... yes, it's here... it's all over. This is the end of my greatest triumph. Enjoy. Much of my life and pain have been written in the pages of this story.

Tsuki-san

Epilogue

"Kenshin? Are you almost ready? Soujiro and his Father are going to be here any minute to pick us up." Dharma poked her head inside her son's room in time to see him yank the bow tie off and throw it on the floor. "Having problems?" She asked, walking over to him, retrieving the tie and looking at his frustrated reflection in the mirror.

"What's your first clue?" He muttered.

"Here," she pulled him around to face her. "Let me help. I've tied a few of these in my day. Your father was hopeless at it too." She laughed and threaded the red satin through the stiff white collar, tipping Kenshin's chin up, and fashioning a perfect bow out of the stubborn material. "There, perfect."

"Thanks, Mom." Kenshin sighed with relief, looking at himself. "I just don't know how you do that." He blushed and kissed her cheek. "Do I look alright?" He asked, stepping back and spreading his arms. The black tuxedo he wore fit well across his shoulders, and his trim hips. The bright red cummerbund around his waist matching the tie and adding a splash of color.

"I think you're gorgeous." Dharma replied, kissing his cheek. "You look more and more like your father all the time."

"Do I?" He wished he could remember the tall, slender man who died when he was so little better than he did. "I wish he was here today."

"He is, sweetheart, he is."

"You think so?"

"His only son is getting married... are you kidding?" Dharma hugged Kenshin and tried not to cry. "There is no way in the world Ishida would miss this. You bet your hair he's here." The two red-heads shared a chuckle and the doorbell rang. "There's Hiko and Soujiro. Are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be, I guess." Kenshin took a deep breath and checked his reflection one more time. "You think she'll still have me, Mom? I mean, you don't think she's gonna get cold feet, do you?"

"Kenshin!" Dharma grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out of the room and down the stairs. "Stop talking like that. Kaoru loves you and you know it. If anyone is going to get cold feet, it's usually the groom."

"Well, I don't have cold feet." He blustered, answering the front door. "I want to get married."

"I hope so, buddy, 'cause we got exactly twenty minutes to get your peacock-ass to the church before that girl sends the troops out looking for you." Soujiro was grinning as he leaned against the doorframe, Kenshin's boot-n-ear in his hand. "Don't you look just about pretty enough to be the bride yourself."

"Shut-up, pretty boy." Kenshin growled, glaring at his soon-to-be step-brother. "You look just about the same, so you got no room to talk."

"Hey, I'm not the one that got stuck wearing the 'Santa Clause' tie, big man... at least I'm respectable all in black..." His words trailed off into laughter as he sauntered over to Kenshin and handed him his rose and carnation. "Think you can pin this on yourself, or do you need help?"

"Go to hell..."

"Hiko?" Dharma sent an entreating look toward her grinning fiancé'. "Do something."

"And what would that be, Love?" He chuckled, moving to her side and wrapping both arms around her waist, snuggling her close to his chest. "Referee?" She giggled and burrowed into his neck. "They've been best friends since they were six years old. Do you think there is anything I can do or say that is going to make a difference now?"

"Well... no, I guess not." Her hand stole up into his thick, silky black hair and combed absently through the length of it. "Do you think making them brothers, is such a good idea?"

"Can you think of a worse idea?" He nuzzled her nose and kissed her cheek. "We've never been able to keep them apart as it is. They need each other, Dharma. When Ishida died and Sou's Mother left... they glombed onto each other like lost puppies. I think they're already brothers, we're just making it legal after all these years. Besides, you know they're never serious when they argue... don't you?"

"Yes, I suppose I do." She laughed. "Just sometimes..."

"I know. They can sound... vicious?"

"Exactly." They laughed together. "I guess it's alright. I'm just nervous. My baby's getting married, Hiko. I never thought it would happen. He's had such a hard time with girls... he just couldn't seem to stay with anyone. At least not until Kaoru came along, and then it was like lightening struck him. He was finished looking and there was no question in his mind he wanted her. I've never seen anything like it... except in the movies."

"They're meant to be, Dharma." Hiko released his beloved and looked at their two sons; one was dark haired with gray-blue eyes, the other with hair of flaming red and eyes like amethyst. 'Kenshin...' He thought. 'Somehow everything works out the way it's supposed to, doesn't it, bud?'

"Hey, come on, Dad." Soujiro waved to his Father with a grin. "We're gonna be late getting Prince Charming here to the alter if we don't leave now."

"You got the rings?" Hiko reached in his pocket for the car keys. "Better make sure you got those, Mr. Best Man, or this wedding going to be one of the shortest in history."

Soujiro pulled the jewelers box out of the inside pocket of his suit coat, opened it, and showed everyone the wedding rings inside. A wide band of gold with a large amethyst chip set in the center for Kenshin, and thinner gold band with four tiny diamonds across the top that matched Kaoru's engagement ring; a three-quarter karat diamond set in a plain gold band. "I got 'em. Now can we please go. I told that girl I'd have him there on time. If I don't, she's gonna castrate me."

"Reaally?" Kenshin raised one eyebrow with a gleam in his eyes. "It'd almost be worth it to be late..."

"Get your red-satin ass in the car, big brother, before I do something she's gonna hate me for."

"Should I be scared?"

"You won't be consummating your marriage...what do you think?"

"Ouch!" Kenshin scowled at Soujiro, stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked out to the car. "Asshole," he muttered. "You'd do it too."

"Damn straight."

"Hiko..." Dharma was covering her ears and giving him that look again. He just laughed, shrugged, and pulled the door shut. "You aren't going to do anything, are you?"

"Nope. Get in the car, Love. It's almost over."

The black mercedes was sleek and shimmered like a phantom as it swept beneath the street lights, past convenience stores and gas stations, and Ivy Payne High School on it's way to the church. The streets of Evermore seemed to be practically deserted and when Hiko turned the corner the church was on, it looked like almost every car in town was parked in the parking lot or crowded somewhere along the street.

"Sheesh," Kenshin exclaimed. "What did she do? Invite the whole friggin' town?"

"'course, what did you think she was going to do to, stupid?"

"Shut-up! I thought she said a nice 'cozy' wedding."

"This is cozy, just you, her, and 50,000 of your closest friends." Soujirou laughed when Kenshin growled and snarled at him to keep his opinions to himself, but he had to agree, it did look like Kaoru had gone a little overboard with the invitations. There had to be more than two thousand people crammed into the small, white building. He wasn't even sure how they all fit in there.

"Now, now, Kenshin." Hiko tried to calm the blustering red-head. "A girl only gets married once... usually." He laughed when he caught the scowl in his rearview mirror. "Give her a break if she got a little... um, over zealous, shall we say."

"Over zealous?" Kenshin spluttered. "You call this 'over zealous'? She must have went straight through the phonebook and sent an invitation to everybody..."

"Now, Kenshin," Hiko chided him gently. "Calm down. You know that's not true. Her father owns the best restaurant in town. Everyone knows who she is... she's been waiting tables in there since she was fourteen. Of course half the town or better is going to want to come and see her get hitched... plus, she's getting hitched to you."

"So what? What does that have to do with anything?"

Soujirou rolled his eyes. "You really are stupid, aren't you." He said. "You, you big dummy. The Karate Nationals Champion, four years running. You're like the pride of the whole town. Master Saitou says you're the best fighter he ever trained, and takes full responsibility for your abilities... or you didn't know that?"

"I knew that. Master has been pounding his teaching into my head for so long, I hear it in my sleep..."

"Well, you and Kaoru are the perfect couple. The fucking Prince and Princess of the whole town, Kenshin. For three years you hardly look at each other, and then BAM! You can't keep your hands off each other, and now you're getting married two months after graduation... all I can say is, what a year, man!"

"Yeah, I'll agree with you there." Kenshin smiled for the first time since they left the house, and a dry laugh slipped over his lips. "One of the best I can remember. But you know... I can't help feeling like there's something missing, you know? It's weird."

"I don't know what could be missing, honey." Dharma looked back and smiled. "You've pretty much covered everything, don't you think?"

"I guess, but it just feels like there should be someone else here... I don't know. I said it was weird." He shrugged and got out of the car as Hiko pulled the emergency brake and turned off the engine. "Well, here I am." He announced. "Should I make a break for it while I still have a chance?" A wicked grin split his face as he shot a look at his brother. "What do ya think?"

"I think she'd set a pack of ravening wolves on you if you did... that's what I think."

"Yeah, you're probably right." He laughed and dropped an arm across Sou's shoulders. "Come on, walk me in. My knees are starting to shake."

"Bullshit!" Sou howled, wrapping his arm around Kenshin's waist. "That'll be the day. I never saw a man who wanted to get married as bad as you... I'm surprised I don't have to sit on you to keep you from floating in." The two of them burst into loud laughter as they walked through the side door of the church and disappeared.

"Dharma?"

"Hmm?" She turned to look at Hiko, who was still leaning against his car.

"You know, he's right."

"About what, honey?"

"There is someone missing." A wrinkle of confusion passed over his face and he rubbed the back of his neck. "Strange... I can't put my finger on it, but I can feel what he's talking about. I don't understand it, but I feel it."

"Are you alright?" She asked, walking to him and touching his face. "You look pale."

"I'm fine," he replied, kissing her palm. "Let's go inside. Better make sure those two don't get into any trouble." He took her hand in his and led her away from the car, but he was still unable to shake the feeling that there was someone very important missing from their group. It was a disturbing feeling.

"Mum, do you think he's here yet?" Kaoru was nervous and went over to look out the window for the millionth time in the last half hour. "I still don't see Mr. Seiguro's car."

"Kaoru, for heaven's sake, will you calm down and find a perch." Ayame Kamiya sighed, rolling her eyes at her hand-wringing daughter. "If you don't settle down, we're going to have to do your hair all over again." She eyed the smooth coif she'd wrapped the mass of black satin into, looking for loose pins. The way Kaoru was whipping her head around, it was a wonder any of them were still in place. "Kaoru!"

"Sorry, Mum." She looked sheepish and sat down on the stool in front of the vanity table. The brides room was simple but beautiful. Painted white walls were covered with colorful murals of cherubs and angels flying through the clouds. The carpet was a soft mauve that crushed beneath her feet, and the furniture was olde english with overstuffed pink cushions. The vanity had three mirrors and an arrangement of combs and brushes to help tame even the most stubborn hair into a beautiful arrangement, and there was a wide, full length mirror next to the window for the viewing of wedding dresses.

It had everything in it a bride could want... including a full view of the parking lot.

"I'm sure he's here already, sweetheart. The boy isn't going to miss his own wedding, for heaven's sake. Now calm yourself before you throw up again."

"I'm trying to, Mum... it's hard." Kaoru's big blue eyes wavered and turned shiny. She just couldn't seem to keep hold of her emotions the last couple of weeks. She cried at the drop of a hat or blew up over the tiniest of things. Her mom kept telling her it was just nerves over the wedding, but she wasn't so sure. Kaoru was scared to think about what it could be... she needed to talk to Kenshin... before the ceremony. She needed to talk to him now, bad luck or not... she needed to talk to him NOW.

"I have to go to the bathroom again, Mum."

"Kaoru! For God's sake..." Ayame shook her head. "I swear I don't know what's gotten into you."

"Nerves, you said it yourself."

"Why can't you use the bathroom in here?" She asked, as Kaoru headed for the door to the hallway.

"I...ah... it's too small. I get claustrophobic." She lied.

"Kaoru Kamiya! You've never been claustrophobic a day in your life."

"It's a new thing..." She shot over her shoulder as she ducked out the door and ran for the girl's bathroom on the other side of the building. 'Please let me see him.' She hiked her dress up and raced along the hallway circling the chapel, her eyes darting through open doorways, looking for anywhere he and his brother might have gone to sit and wait for the start of the ceremony. 'Kenshin... where are you, dammit!'

Then she caught a flash of red out of the corner of her eye and stopped. Kenshin and Sou were just walking in one of the side doors, arms around each other, laughing like a couple of hyenas. God, he looked sexy in his tux, and Kaoru's mouth went dry just seeing him. He was so perfect. She sagged against the wall and let her eyes savor the sight for a few seconds, and then she pushed away and ran toward him.

"Kenshin!" She yelled, making both men look in her direction, startled. "Kenshin, I need to talk to you."

"Kaoru, honey, what the hell are you doing?" He caught hold of her hands, looking into her face, his etched with worry. "Don't you know it's bad luck..."

"I know, I know, but I have to talk you... right now."

"Can't it wait..."

"No, it can't. I... I have to tell you something before the ceremony. I... you have to know this, it can't wait. Please... Kenshin," she pleaded with him, her eyes desperate. "Please?"

"Okay, but we gotta make it fast, alright?" He put his hand in the small of her back and led her down the hall to an empty room. "Sou, don't you dare tell my mom, she'll freak."

"You got it, brother. Jeez... your mom... what about my dad... Just hurry it up, okay? This is not a good idea, guys." Soujiro shot a worried glance over his shoulder to see where the parents were and then moved down the hall in the opposite direction. "You know where I'll be."

"Yeah, I'll be right there." Kenshin gently pushed Kaoru into a room and shut the door behind them. "Alright, what's a matter? What's got you so wound up that this can't wait until after the ceremony?"

"I..." Suddenly her tongue was frozen in her head and she couldn't make it do anything. "I..." Kaoru started to wring her hands in worry and frustration and walked to look out the window. "I... I think I'm pregnant." She said in small, frightened voice.

"You-your what?"

"I'm over a week late, and I've been throwing up a lot, and I cry all the time, and my boobs are really sore, and I have to pee like every two seconds, and... and... and I just feel different... and I wanted you to know before went in there in case you feel like you don't want to do this... I mean, I'm not going to trap you into a ready made family, Kenshin. That wouldn't be right... and I don't want to do that to you. It's not fair, and this was the only thing I could think of."

"You couldn't have told me sooner?" He asked, his voice quiet and more subdued than she'd ever heard it.

"I-I wasn't sure." She stammered. "Mum kept saying it was just nerves and I bought it... til the last couple of days. I don't think it's nerves... not anymore."

"I see," He moved behind her and his hands lifted to rest on her shoulders. She stiffened beneath his touch. "What are you more upset about, Tanuki? That you're pregnant, or that you think I won't stay?"

"I-I'm scared you won't stay." She admitted, terrified. "I love you so much, Kenshin, I'm scared to death you're going to leave."

"Hmmm," he leaned forward and pressed his cheek against her bare nape, kissed her shoulder, and then wrapped his arms around her, hugging her back into his body. "You're pregnant with MY baby," he said, tenderly. "Why in the hell would I want to leave you for that? Do I look crazy or stupid? Wait, don't answer that." There was a hint of laughter in his voice that made Kaoru giggle.

"So... you aren't mad?" She turned and rubbed her forehead against his temple.

"Mad? Noooooo, I'm not mad." He kissed her nose. "But I may turn you over my knee and beat the shit out of you for scaring the hell out of me."

"Scaring you?" She turned wide eyes on him. "How did I scare you?"

"Oh, let's see," He rubbed his chin. "Kenshin," he mimicked her in a high, falsetto voice. "I have to talk to you... it can't wait... if I don't tell you, I'm gonna die..."

"I didn't say that." She fumed, turning in his arms and punching him in the chest.

"You may as well have." He grinned. "The way you were talking, I thought you were trying to tell me you didn't want to get married or you wanted to post-pone or you didn't love me anymore or..."

"Not love you anymore?" She screeched. "Are you crazy?"

"Welllll, what would you think if you were me?" He leveled his lavender gaze at her and stroked her smooth cheek. "Truthfully, Kao? What would you have thought if I came running down the hall of the church right before our wedding saying 'I need to talk to you right now!'? eh?"

"Oh, well... um..." She blushed. "I didn't think of it like that." She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "I'm sorry... all I could think about was you needed to know before we went through with this."

"Why?" He asked, stroking her back. "Why was it so important?"

"I thought you deserved the right to make the choice, Kenshin."

"Choice?"

"If you wanted to be a husband AND a father."

"Oh honey," he nuzzled her throat and kissed her skin. "How could you think I wouldn't want my own baby? Our baby?"

"It's a lot of responsibility, Kenshin. We weren't planning on that when you accepted the job at the lighthouse... plus, it's going to get in the way of your night classes at the college."

"Nothing is going to get in way of anything, Kaoru." He said, cupping her face so he could look into her eyes. "I love you, that's what matters. I love you and whatever is going to happen is going to happen. We take it as is comes."

"Oh Kenshin," She leaned into him and kissed his face. "I love you."

"You better, Tanuki." He mock growled, rubbing his nose against hers. "Because after this... you aren't allowed to do or say anything to upset me for at least 20 years. Got it?"

"Got it." She sniffled and smiled.

"Good. Now let's go. We're almost late for our own wedding."

Five years Later

Kenshin stood on the catwalk of the Somberman Lighthouse, his lavender eyes squinted as he scanned the horizon for the large shipping freighter his manifest said was due to be passing through. Rain pelted his yellow slicker, dripping off his hood, and running in rivulets down his cheeks. It was going to be a long night.

Sighing with frustration and worry, he turned and walked back inside the lamp room. The huge light was glaring off the refracting panes and blaring out into the night, shedding its beacon through the rain and fog that shrouded the water. Kenshin could see almost five miles out, and the water looked choppy. He hoped the crew was prepared for a rough ride. Crossing the room, he opened the door and made his way down the wrought iron, spiral stairs to the ground floor. It was cold inside the turret, and he stamped his feet, shaking the rain off and then hanging up his dripping slicker.

Back inside the living quarters, he checked the thermostat and raised it a few degrees. He didn't want Kaoru and Cleo freezing. A smile curved his lips as he crossed the entry way and headed for the kitchen. The aroma of 'something' cooking drifted on the cold air, and he wondered what his beloved was burning for dinner tonight.

"Papa!" A bouncing ball of red-hair and blue eyes bounded into Kenshin's arms, and he scooped the little girl up, swinging her high into the air. She giggled, throwing her arms wide so he could fly her around the room like a miniature airplane. "Fly me, Papa!" She pleaded between squeals of laughter. "Fly me!"

Kaoru turned away from the stove and grinned at her husbands antics with their daughter. They were a pair, she thought. Cleo was definitely her father's daughter. She wasn't afraid of anything. Her sense of adventure was only out matched by her father's desire to show her everything there was to see. Sometimes the two of them scared her to death.

"Kenshin, be careful!" She growled, when he swung Cleo particularly high. "Your going to make her sick doing that."

"Nah," He grinned at her and offered a very nonapologetic wink. "She's too tough to puke, aren't you, slugger?"

"Yeah, I won't puke, Mamma. I'm tough!"

"Kenshin!"

"Okay, okay... we'll slow down... a little." He brought Cleo a little closer to the floor, placating his steaming wife. God knew he didn't want to make her mad. He'd end up sleeping out in the rain if he did that. She might look like an Angel, but the woman had a mean streak fifty miles wide when she wanted to.

"Good, I don't feel like cleaning throw up off the rug."

"Yes, Ma'am." He winked at Cleo and swept her in a high round circle after her mother turned around. "Shhh," he admonished the little girl when she started to giggle. "Mamma will have my ass in a sling if you make too much noise." His smile was huge and full of love as he snuggled the warm little body close to his chest, and kissed her nose. "I love you, little girl." He whispered, nuzzling into her neck, nibbling and tickling her skin, making her squirm and laugh. "Let's go see what your mom made for dinner."

"It's burned..."

"Is not."

"Is so..."

"Is not..."

"Is... she burns everything."

"Cleo!" Kenshin tired to maintain a straight face but his lips twitched, giving him away. "That's not nice to say about Mamma. She tries."

"But it burns, Papa, and the kitchen always stinks." Cleo scrunched her nose. "I like it better when you cook."

"Fine, but I can't cook all the time..."

"How come?"

"I have to look after the lighthouse. That's my job."

"Oh," she bowed her head and considered that for a moment. "I guess we have to eat burned stuff on those nights then, huh?"

"Um, I guess." He was fast losing his battle with his laughter, but tried hard to keep it in check. "Come on, it can't be that bad. Mamma hasn't charcoaled anything for quite awhile. It's just scorched a little."

"Kenshin," Kaoru's voice brought him back to the reality that she was only standing a few feet away. "Have you heard anything from that freighter? Have they come within radio distance yet?"

"No," he replied, setting Cleo down on the floor. "I'm starting to get a little worried. They're two hours late. They should have sent their position coordinates by now."

"What did you say the Captain's name was?" She asked.

"Shinomori. Aoshi Shinomori."

"You know, that sounds so familiar. Do we know him?" Kaoru turned from the stove, a pan of stir-fried beef and vegetables in hand.

"I don't think so." Kenshin stepped out of her way, and reached for a hot pad to drop on the table for her to put the pan on. "But he's supposed to be the best Officer in this companies fleet, so... this is damn irregular. Makes me wonder if something bad has happened out there."

"Like what?" Kaoru asked, lifting Cleo into her chair. "What could happen to a big boat like that?"

"The way the waves are rolling, it might have bottomed out... split in half maybe. I don't know, but it shouldn't be this late." He glanced out the window at the down pour and walked over to his scanner, adjusting the frequency, making sure it was set to the right one. "Come on, Captain... talk to me."

He went back to the table and sat down. Dinner didn't look so bad. Only the bottom of the vegetables were tinged with black. She was getting better.

Waves crashed over the side of the freighters decks, washing across the flat planes and sloshing off the other side, rocking it violently side to side. Inside the crew of ten were being thrown across their cabins, while the Captain and his feisty first mate struggled to keep the vessel on course from the bridge.

"Hard to port!" Asohi shouted, pulling the wheel hard to the left while the young girl at the control panel worked the throttle and engine power. Together they fought their way through the monster waves pounding into the ship. "Sanosuke! Can you give me any more power out those bloody engines of yours?"

"I'm trying, sir!" Was the static reply over the radio. "But we're 'bout maxed out!"

"Give me everything you have left, dammit! We have to make Hackler's Point before we get pounded to pieces out here."

"Yes, sir."

"Dammit," Aoshi glanced at his navigation chart. "Are we still on course, Misao?"

"Aye," she nodded. "But were still more than ten miles out."

"Shit!" he cursed. "Can we make radio contact yet?"

"Don't know... with all this weather... maybe."

Kenshin sat at the kitchen counter, head in his hands. The freighter still hadn't radioed and another hour had passed. Something was definitely wrong.

"Zzzzttt...aay day m...ay day this is ... e Max..ell's Pride, can anyo... ear me? Mayday...day, this is...Maxwell's... ide, can anyone...me? Over Zzzzzzttt"

"Calling Maxwell's Pride, calling Maxwell's Pride... This is Hackler's Point, come in."

"...ackler's Poi... is thi...e lightkeep... over."

"Yes, this is the lightkeeper. You're late, Captain Shinomori. Where the hell are you? Over."

"...en miles...coast...oody storm walloping... can't see beak... over."

"You can't see the beacon?" Kenshin's head shot up and he looked toward the turret in alarm. 'Dear God, he's driving in the dark!' "I'm on my way up... I'll boost the lamp. Do you understand? Over."

"...derstood. Over."

"On my way. Over." Kenshin leaped to his feet and raced out of the kitchen. He ran past a gaping Kaoru and flew to the turret door. Yanking it open, he dove inside and grabbed his slicker, hood and boots. In seconds he was dressed and flying up the stairwell to the lamproom.

"Kenshin?" Kaoru yelled after him as she grabbed her rain gear and followed him. "What's going on? Kenshin?"

"They're driving blind, Kao!" He shouted above the pounding rain, as he pulled the door open and disappeared.

"Oh my God," her heart jumped up into her throat and she scrambled up the stairs after her husband. "Tell me what to do." She said as she burst through the door.

"Hand me my tool box," he said, kneeling down to pull the base of the lamp open. "I need to boost the beam to maximum. The Captain says they're ten miles out, but they can't see the beacon... nothing, and they're getting pounded to shit by this storm. That's why they're so late... dammit! I can't reach the lever... shit, my hands are too wet."

"Here, let me try," Kaoru nudged him out of the way and reached inside the cramped box, feeling around for the slim oval shaped lever that increased the lamps wattage output. "I...think... I... there, I got it." She grunted softly and pulled down. Suddenly the room was turned into a blinding cacophony of white light. "OWWWWE!"

"Cover your eyes, dummy." Kenshin growled, pulling her into the shelter of his shoulder. "You'll lose your sight looking at it straight on like that. Jesus, don't you ever listen to the stuff I tell you?"

"Don't you yell at me, Mr. Tough butt," she whimpered. "I pulled your wretched lever, didn't I?"

"Yes," stroked her back and then helped her stand up. "But you know you're supposed to be more careful... I just don't want you to get hurt, and you know it. Come on." He pulled her through the outside door and they walked onto the catwalk."

"God, I hate it out here on this thing," Kaoru shivered and hugged the wall. "It gives me the creeps."

"I know, I'm sorry, baby, but I got to be out here."

"It's okay... I'm okay."

"You sure?" He put his arm around her and hugged her close. "Maybe you should go back inside... see if Cleo's alright."

"She's asleep. She's fine. I told you I'm okay." Her chin turned stubborn and he knew she wasn't budging.

"Alright." He said. "But if you get freaked, you back inside, okay?"

"Okay."

Kenshin pulled the radio scanner out of his pocket and adjusted the nobs. Then he put it to his mouth and shouted into the speaker. "Calling Maxwell's Pride, Calling Maxwell's Pride... Captain Shinomori, are you there, sir? Over."

"Zzztt... Aye, Lightkeeper. I'm here. Over."

"Hey, the receptions better. I can hear you. Over."

"You can thank my first mate for that. She found a way to clean up the signal by washing it through the sonar computer. Smart girl, that. Over."

"Couldn't have done better myself, sir." Kenshin smiled. "Is everyone alright? Over."

"Aye, a little battered and bruised from the shaking we're getting out here, but nothing serious at the moment. Looking forward to a warm bed and a shower... not necessarily in that order, mind you. Over."

"Aye, we have both, Captain. How many bunks do you need? Over."

"Eleven. Luckily, me first mate also happens to be my wife." Kenshin grinned at the deep chuckle that crackled over the radio. "Makes for convenient cabin assignments. Over."

"Aye, that it would." Kenshin laughed and traded a smile with Kaoru. He liked this captain. "Tell me, sir, can you see the light? It should be off your starboard bow, about 40 degrees. Over."

"Forty degrees, you say..." there was a pause, and Kenshin waited, the rain slipping relentlessly off his hood. "Ahhh, there you are... forty-three degrees to be exact. Looks inviting, that it does. Over."

Kenshin sighed with relief. "You see the light... Praise the Lord. How long for you to reach the dock? Over."

"Now that I can see where I'm goin', about 30 minutes in this rain. Over."

"We'll be ready for you. Over."

"Thank you, Lightkeeper. Out."

"Thank you, Kaoru." Kenshin turned to his wife and pulled her into his arms. "You saved them tonight, Tanuki. Not me. This time it was all you."

"Kenshin, I didn't do anything but pull a silly lever."

"You put the light on the water and gave that ship a beacon to follow home, Kao. You were their Angel in the dark. Remember that, because that's what these lighthouses are. Angels in the night."

The knock sounded on the back door, and Kenshin moved to open the heavy wood panel. On the doorstep he met the icy blue eyes of a tall, slender man with inky black hair. "You must be Captain Shinomori," he said, extending his hand in greeting. "It's nice to see you... in one piece."

"Indeed," Aoshi took the offered hand of the shorter red-haired man with a smile and entered the warmth of the guest quarters. "I thank you for your hospitality, Mr... what the hell is your name anyway?" He laughed and pulled his knit cap off, letting the mop of his black hair cascade over his shoulders. "I can't see me calling you 'lightkeeper' now that I'm standing in your home."

"I suppose not," Kenshin laughed. "Himura, Kenshin Himura."

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Himura. This is my wife, Misao, and my chief engineer, Sanosuke Sagara."

"Hello," Kenshin shook hands with a spunky, beautiful brunette who was no taller than his shoulder, then a towering man with sparkling brown eyes and a messy tangle of dark brown hair. "It's my pleasure to have you all here. You gave my wife and I quite a scare. I was starting to think you'd bottomed out somewhere..."

"Not this time," Aoshi scratched his head and grinned. "Leaving that for Misao when she gets her Captains license."

"Aoshi!" The small woman elbowed her husband hard in the ribs and he choked. "That's not nice."

"Of course," his eyes twinkled wickedly, and Kenshin knew he was really going to like this man.

He showed the crew where the barrack bunks were and then the showers. "There's food in the fridge too, if your hungry," he told them, but they all looked so beat he had a feeling they wouldn't be doing much of anything except showering and sleeping. However, at the mention of food, Sanosuke's eyes brightened and he disappeared in search of the afore mentioned refrigerator

"He's a bottomless pit," Misao grumbled. "He'd eat you out of house and home and then start on the carpet..."

"Misao." Aoshi chided her. "It's not nice to talk about your own brother like that."

"But that's the point, dearest," she gave him an acidic smile. "He's MY brother."

Kenshin laughed. "Could I interest the two of you in something to drink or eat... or just somewhere warm to crash for a bit until the shower is free?"

"Did you say warm?" Misao's eyes brightened and the smile that came to her face was brilliant. "Like fire warm?"

"Yes, like fire warm. We have a fire burning in the fireplace. Come on. I'll get you something to drink."

"You just made a friend for life, Himura." Aoshi grinned. "She'll follow you like a puppy from now on."

"Great, just what I needed... another woman." The two men laughed and Kenshin led his guests into the living room. "Kaoru," he said, getting his wife's attention. "This is Captain Shinomori and his wife, Misao."

"Hi," Kaoru walked over to Misao and put her arm around the smaller woman. "You look frozen. Come over by the fire."

"Oh, thanks. That sounds soooooooooo good."

"Ha, now she's Kao's puppy." Aoshi choked on his laughter as Kenshin's joke hit home. "I promised you a drink, Captain. What can I get you?"

"Scotch, if you've got it... whiskey if you don't."

"Hmmm, how 'bout kool-aide? I got a lot of that?" Kenshin listened to Aoshi chuckle as he dropped a couple of ice cubes into a short glass. "My daughter's favorite flavor is grape, but I can probably rustle up some cherry or strawberry... if you'd rather." He poured three fingers of scotch into the glass, then made himself a similar drink. "Whatever your preference." He grinned and handed Aoshi his drink. "You just let me know..."

"I'll do that." Ice blue eyes laughed into twinkling amethyst. "But this is fine for now."

"Very good." They clinked glasses and took a healthy swig. Both mentally wondering at the strange but absolute level of complete comfort they felt in each others presence... as if they'd known one another for decades... a lifetime... forever.

"Where are you and your wife from, Captain?" Kaoru looked at Aoshi, wondering why he seemed so familiar to her. "I told Kenshin your name sounded familiar, but I can't place it. Have you ever been to Evermore before?"

"No, can't say that I have." Aoshi took another drink and studied the fine features of the Lampkeeper's wife. "I've passed by on shipping runs before, but never had the occasion to stop before tonight." There was something strange about her eyes... they were so blue... bluer than the sky... bluer than the water... so blue... "I think I would have remembered had I met either of you before."

"Hmmm," Kaoru couldn't take her eyes off his face, and a shiver laced up her spine as a tingle of awareness crawled through her soul. "Your eyes..." Her voice was barely a whisper, more of a breath that trailed over her lips. "They're supposed to be... green."

"What?" Misao looked at Kaoru like she'd just grown two heads, then she looked at her husband and saw the strangest look cross his face, almost as if another set of features pass over and then faded away. "A-aosh?"

"Green?" He asked, leaning forward, his eyes locked with hers. "How do you know that?"

"I... don't know." The air in the room was being sucked out by a vacuum. "You... died."

"Died?"

"For us... Kenshin and me... you... died." Her words were halting, strained, as if they were being pulled from a place so deep inside of her it made her soul bleed. "He... killed you."

"Kaoru?" Kenshin shuddered, a shock of cold brushing over his skin as her words teased some long forgotten memory inside his mind. A memory of another night when it rained... when a beautiful girl died, crushed in the rocks at the foot of the lighthouse... A memory that wasn't his... or was it?

"What do you mean, I died for you?" Aoshi was shivering. Something was wrong about all of this, yet... he could hear a voice... a voice so sweet, so soft... he loved that voice, he would die for that voice, and there were eyes attached to that voice... eyes so blue... bluer than the sky... "Cassan-dra..." The name spilled in fragments from him and the whiskey glass dropped to the floor, spilling.

"Elliot..."

"It-it didn't happen..." Kenshin rasped, his hands clenched into fists. "It didn't happen... we... we stopped it. It never happened."

"What?" Kaoru's gaze shifted to her husband, tears filling the cobalt pools of her eyes. "We stopped it..."

"Yes, we... he never... the Reverend... none of us... Oh God!" Kenshin lurched to his feet. "I remember!" He cried, falling to his knees, his hands grabbing both sides of his head as he folded in on himself. "I remember... I remember... Daniel... the Reverend... The Reverend killed Daniel to save all of us... to save Hiko... to save the future. We were there..." he sobbed. "We were all there, all of us." He looked up and caught his wife's horrified gaze. "You, me, Soujiro, Aoshi, and Hiko... all of us. Dear God, Kaoru... Soujiro is your brother, Ethan... and Aoshi is Hiko's brother, Elliot... I... I was the school master, Edmond Fetlock... the first Lightkeeper... I was the first... that's why I came back... why I loved this place so much. I'd been here before... that's why I loved you... I did before... it's all happened before... Aoshi?" He turned to the stunned, dark haired man. "You're my best friend," he said raggedly. "In another life... we were best friends... do you remember? Aoshi? Do you remember?"

"Daniel?" Aoshi choked. "What happened to Daniel?"

"He's going to be my father-in-law. My step-father just like before. But he's not the same, Asohi. He's- he's a wonderful man. He loves my mother. He's been like a father to me... the way he should have been. We did it... the Reverend did it. We saved him."

"Merciful God..." He sounded like the old Elliot for a moment. "It worked?"

"Aye, my friend. It worked. We all made it... and... and we're together again. You're the last... I found you... I finally found you."

The sensation of someone missing was finally gone. The last space in Kenshin and Hiko's lives was filled. And when Hiko Seiguro laid eyes on Aoshi, the strangest thing occurred.

They stood for the longest time and just stared at each other, not moving or speaking. Then Aoshi walked slow and steady to the older man, wrapped his arms around the broad shoulder and buried his face against the warm neck. Hiko soundlessly crushed the younger man in a smothering embrace that lasted what felt like an eternity.

"I love you, Elliot... forgive me, my own dearest brother. Forgive me."

"I have always loved you Daniel... and you had my forgiveness long ago, brother. You had it long ago."

'We're home at last, Father... both of us. We're home... and all is well, and all is forgiven.'

THE END

Thank you all for the fun, for the wild ride, and for the friendships. They will remain with me for the rest of my life. God speed and God Bless every one of you. May the earth rise up to meet your feet, and may all your sweetest dreams come true.

All my deepest love,

Kanzen ne Tsuki