A/N: It's been ages! I apologize for the terribly long wait. :( I swear that I'll be able to update regularly because I have already finished writing the story. Watch out, there are two more chapters before this story finally comes to an end. Please R&R!

Chapter 10

Kaoru pulled her jacket closer to her trembling body as a strong gush of cool wind blew. After the upsetting turn of events lately, a chance to clear her mind of it even for just a moment is unquestionably necessary, and being on the rooftop of the hotel provided her the temporary peace she desperately wanted. Leaning on the stone balustrade, Kaoru looked at the familiar view of the small town beneath her feet.

The streets, lined with majestic trees and tall streetlights that cast a light orange glow, were still bursting with people walking in steady, unhurried paces- as if they didn't have a haunting past to run from or a promising future to chase after. Kaoru envied that equilibrium, that gift of being able to relish the present without having to burden oneself with the wound of what was and the ambiguity of what would be.

Her eyes shifted a little to the north and settled at the exquisite coffee shop she and Kenshin frequented a lot. She closed her eyes and tried to remember the lovely aroma of roasting coffee beans that never failed to welcome them whenever they enter the shop. Only then did she comprehend that she wasn't much of a coffee drinker before until Kenshin made her realize how delightful it could really be especially with the right company.

Kaoru opened her eyes and stared at the arcade just a few blocks from the café. The bright, small lights on its facade were blinking and moving in playful rhythms the same way they did before. Then, she moved her gaze a little to the south and saw the playground and the swing they played on one frosty winter night. She had always heard of grownups wishing hopelessly that they were children again- when the only concern one could think of was what toy to ask for or which among the candies tasted the sweetest. Never had she imagined that one day she would find herself uttering the same hopeless wish, until now- when reality showed her how damn hurtful and complicated life and love could be.

Letting her gaze wander again, Kaoru looked at the police station, at the pharmacy, and finally at the hospital building- the one reminder telling her that in a few weeks' time, she should be leaving this town.

She looked at the moon peeking from the roll of clouds above her before inhaling deeply and looking at the town beneath her again. It was her escape, Kaoru believed, a dreamland she had so willingly allowed herself to live in just so she could run away from the darting pains of reality; and whatever she and Kenshin had was all part of that foolish dream she knew she would have to wake up from at one point in time.

Megumi had woken up, Kaoru learned. Earlier, on her way to Sanoskue's doctor, she saw her at the hospital corridor, cradled in a wheelchair, sitting by the window and gazing emptily at the scene outside. She was still incapable of walking but a few months of therapy would ultimately restore her legs back to being functional. Though she had noticeably lost some weight, her skin prominently bruised in some areas, and her eyes barren of hope, Megumi Himura still appeared effortlessly beautiful in Kaoru's eyes. Emanating from her was the graceful femininity and subtle elegance she had always imagined Megumi to possess.

Kaoru didn't realize she was staring until Megumi turned to look towards her direction. Caught off guard, she tore her gaze away from her, panic slightly apparent in her movements. Though both tried avoiding it, their eyes met for a split second of exchanged indifference. Kaoru could feel the pair of eyes at her back as she continued on her way with quick resolute steps. Hiding behind a wall that finally brought her out of Megumi's sight, she paused for a moment to calm her heart that inexplicably sped up at the sight of the woman she envied and pitied at the same time.

She knew it was extremely cruel and selfish of her to feel hurt upon seeing her regain consciousness, but it was much more hurtful to realize that Kenshin stood her up because he had to take care of his sick wife.

Remembering her, only then did she begin to wonder why Megumi imperilled her marriage with Kenshin in exchange for an adulterous affair with Sano. She understood that Megumi might have fallen for the calming carefree manner of his speech, the teasing mischief in his smile, or the surprising tenderness of his touch. Sano had a distinct and almost mysterious way of making a girl fee like a woman, safe and precious, in the encirclement of his arms. He would take whatever she was carrying in her hands no matter how weightless it could be, hold the door open for her even if it was understandably unnecessary, offer his hand for support whenever she alit from a vehicle, and hurriedly put her behind the protection of his back if there was even the slightest commotion in a room. With all fairness, Sanosuke was a real gentleman obscured by his sporadic brazen actions and habitual playful mocking.

It had been what made him so endearing to a divinely fine woman like Megumi, Kaoru supposed and she was certain, because she fell in love with the same person a long time ago.

However, it was beyond her comprehension as to the reasons Megumi had for determinedly choosing her husband, Sano, over Kenshin; it was like abandoning her place in heaven to be on earth. Jealous thoughts materialized immediately in her mind and tried as she could to suppress them, she couldn't.

Megumi had what she could only hoped for- the simple freedom of being able to love Kenshin without it being wrong, the simple freedom of saying those three words without guilt gnawing at her conscience, the simple freedom of asking him to stay by her side without him having to choose between her and his rightful wife, the simple freedom of holding his hand out in the open without being judged or frowned upon. All Kaoru wanted was to be in Megumi's place- simple but impossible.

Indeed, one person's trash is another person's treasure.

She had to leave. It was time to remove the blindfold she had willingly worn for a half a year so that she wouldn't see the painful certainties she didn't want to see. It was time to return to its rightful place and owner what she had taken. It was time to awaken and shatter the sweet illusions she had willed herself to trust. It was time to give up… to give him up. It may seem tremendously difficult but it was not impossible that Megumi and Kenshin could start over again, reconstruct their lives that were put on hold, and re-establish the bonds that they so intimately shared before. After all, it was just a matter of forgiveness, and the Kenshin she knew was a very kind person.

A cold wind blew some of her hair and Kaoru immediately tucked it behind her ear. She sighed before shifting her gaze to the barely moving lights of traffic on a not-so-distant highway. The hue of the lights briefly reminded her of his auburn hair and her heart ached at the memory. Silently, Kaoru reprimanded herself for believing that whatever affection there was between her and Kenshin could withstand the tests of time and reality. She knew their relationship was doomed to end even in the beginning yet she foolishly permitted herself to reconstruct her life around it, to cherish it as if it was the rarest thing in the world, and to hold on to it as if it was to last forever.

It was a mistake to fall in love with him, but there was more fault in believing that there was power in it, Kaoru thought.

Kenshin raised his hand and emptied the contents of the tall beer can into his mouth, the liquor leaving a trail of blazing heat and distinct tang. He drank without pause, swallowing with an unusual eagerness and need. His insides started protesting at the sudden and already excessive alcohol intake yet Kenshin carried on, stopping only upon the realization that the last drops of the liquor had long trickled down his throat. With a gasp, Kenshin withdrew the can from his lips, burped, and wiped some of the liquor that dripped down his chin.

He crushed the empty tin can and allowed it to slip from his hand. It fell from where he was sitting at the top of the stairway to the landing, creating a loud but short-lived noise that pierced the perfect quietness of the night. Kenshin watched and listened, almost sorry that the nonsensical distraction he had created for himself ended so soon.

It was the eight can of beer he had that day.

Gathering his legs into a tight embrace and burying his head, Kenshin could smell the reek of alcohol in his own breath. His eyes closed, finally succumbing to the heaviness it had been battling for a while.

Kenshin's mind wandered to the night before. After he received a call informing him of Megumi's waking, he spent an hour sitting still in his car, looking at the vast fields stretched before him. A thousand thoughts ran chaotically in his mind. Several times he dialed Kaoru's number, only to hang up even before the call was completed. Resting his head on the wheel, Kenshin let out a shaky breath.

He didn't know what to do; he didn't know how to tell Kaoru.

Or perhaps he didn't want to tell her.

Kenshin had known the kindness natural to Kaoru's heart, her beautiful and selfless willingness to sacrifice even her own happiness for the sake of others'. He was certain the moment she knew of Megumi's waking, she would ask him to sever his ties with her. He was terrified to go through that pain- to lose her, to feel her hand suddenly slip from his grasp to where he couldn't reach it and to witness and be able to do nothing at the ache she would try to hide behind her cerulean eyes.

Turning off his phone, Kenshin grudgingly ignored a small voice at the back of his mind telling him to call Kaoru. He drove for miles without a definite destination, unconsciously allowing himself to be taken to wherever the bends of the road would lead to.

Gripping the wheel painfully tight, he agonizingly mulled over how much of a weakling he was- an uncaringly cruel coward who refused to face reality because he didn't know how to deal with pain, an incredibly selfish person who chose to hurt the woman he loved instead of himself.

Her beautiful face flashed before his eyes and Kenshin felt a dull throbbing in his heart. Guilt, frustration, fear and sadness drowned his whole being. The headlights of the traffic coming from the opposite direction began to appear as indistinct blurs in his vision and he realized he was crying.

Without a warning, Kenshin sharply pulled off from the highway and onto the side lane, earning a lengthy honk from the seemingly irritated motorist behind him. The passing vehicles illuminated his face now and then. Squinting from the intensity of lights, he bowed his head low and finally surrendered to the urge to cry.

Kenshin wept quietly- an unseen moment of weakness, desperation, and sorrow.

Long hours of silence and solitude had passed. The first faint glow of the rising sun in the eastern sky began appearing, gradually overwhelming the gloomy darkness of the previous night. It was another day. Kenshin hadn't moved an inch; his head still hung low in his chest, his eyes remained tearful, and his heart continued breaking.

Taking in a deep, quivering breath, he composed himself a little and surveyed his surrounding. Making sure he could drive despite being sleepless, Kenshin started the machine and drove purposelessly. His tired eyes managed to focus on the road while his mind drifted perpetually, searching for anything that might give him direction.

He remembered passing by endless green fields that stretched to meet the mountains. Likewise he could recall seeing the calm sea sparkling as the sun blazed above it. The rest of his journey was an indistinguishable haze in his memory. The next thing Kenshin could remember was the day turning into night and him being back at hotel, where he was presently sitting on the fire exit stairs, drunk with alcohol and longing for her.

Kaoru.

The thought of her made him realize how desperately he wanted to see her, to hear the compassion in her voice, to feel the warmth of her hand, and to drown in the affection swirling in her sapphire eyes. Kenshin wanted to see and talk to her, but still he was unsure of how he should tell her the news of Megumi's waking. He wasn't even certain if she would welcome his company after his unkind selfishness and absolute cowardice kept her waiting for an undeserving man who didn't come. Yet, despite the consciousness of his guilt and unworthiness, Kenshin couldn't suppress yearning for and needing her.

He had to find Kaoru, Kenshin thought. He was so consumed by the dread of losing her without realizing that he was the one pushing her away. He wanted to protect her from the pain without knowing that it was him inflicting it upon her.

Grasping the cold stair railing, he pulled himself to his feet and paused for a while to maintain his balance that was threatened by drunkenness. Resolute to find her but unsure of her whereabouts, he permitted himself to be guided by his feet that had began climbing the stairs leading to the rooftop.

"I knew you'd be here."

Kaoru heard the door swung open and tilted her head a little towards the direction of the sound. She didn't have to turn around to know to whom the obviously strained voice belonged. It was the one she had longed to hear, the one that could set her heart on fire even though just several minutes ago she swore never to let it.

She heard him approach with slow, inconsistent footsteps uncharacteristic of him. Only when he was beside her a few seconds later was Kaoru able to tell that he was drunk. His hands were tucked in his pockets, his eyes fixed somewhere distant, and his hair swaying slightly with the icy wind.

A contemplative silence shrouded them, both clueless as to what they had to say. The past circumstances were too painful to talk about and the future possibilities were equally hurtful to imagine.

Kenshin was deep in thought. Simply apologizing would undoubtedly not suffice to amend his irresponsible actions, but it could be a good start. Taking in a deep, burdened breath, he opened his mouth to speak but Kaoru broke the silence first.

"What are you doing here?" she asked bitterly without returning the look he had given her.

"I apologize. I know what I did was unpardonable, but still, I ask for your forgiveness," he said somewhat slowly, his voice shaking a little. "I didn't come- I, I couldn't come the other night because I was so afraid. I didn't know what to do. I'm sorry, Kaoru. I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter now; Sano and I will be leaving in two weeks' time."

Kenshin's worst fear was confirmed. He didn't miss the hurt, the detachment, and the feeling of goodbye in her tone. He had the feeling Kaoru already knew of Megumi's waking and the words she told him next validated it.

"You must be relieved Megumi has woken up. I, too, am glad that she's safe. Now you have the chance of a new beginning, to rebuild the life you have lost somewhere," she paused for a while, keeping her head bowed so that her hair hid her misty eyes.

"I will not hold you back, Kenshin. I really wish you'll be able to find happiness with her again. Hurry and go, your wife needs you- now more than ever."

His heart broke as he heard the sadness in her voice that she tried so hard to disguise. This was everything he imagined this event would be. He knew they were the exact words she would tell him but never had he prepared himself for the great pain of hearing them for real.

He turned to look at her, searching for a pair of sapphires that she purposely kept away from him. "This is why I chose not to tell you about Megumi, because I was certain you would rather leave than stay."

"I am doing this for you, for both-"

"Well it's not helping!" Kenshin yelled, losing whatever little control he had of his emotions.

Kaoru was taken aback; it was the first time she heard his voice rose and tremble with utterly obvious frustration and pain. Still, she refused to look at him, definite that what she would see in his eyes was powerful enough to break even the toughest of her resolution.

"You talk about finding happiness with my wife when you know exactly that I can only find it with you! If you truly care about me like you have led me to believe, you won't give up and abandon me now because it is you- it is you whom I need now more than ever!"

The last words he shouted were an explosion of raw emotions, feelings that could not be contained, cries of help that could not be unheeded.

At the very end of his little speech, Kaoru turned swiftly around to leave as the tears that had gathered in her eyes fell. If she would stay even a second longer, she was certain she wouldn't be able to disregard the despairing need that made his voice shake and break. But immediately, she was stopped by a firm hand that held her by the wrist. She tried to escape from his grip but to no avail. Finally, stopping from struggling when she realized he wouldn't let go, Kaoru turned to look at him for the first time since he arrived there and only then did she notice the unshed tears in his eyes.

Without any other word, Kenshin pulled her into a tight embrace and hid his face in the junction of her neck and her shoulder.

She felt his tears trickle down on her skin. His shoulders started trembling and she heard the first faint sobs that escaped from his mouth. Kaoru argued with herself; she knew she needed to push him away, turn her back, and hold on to the resolutions she had prudently constructed in her mind. But as she finally permitted herself to be enveloped in the beseeching embrace of his arms, Kaoru started to believe that perhaps she was needed there, much more than she was and would be needed anywhere else.

"Don't leave… please," he pleaded. Kenshin tightened his embrace, afraid that the moment he let go, she would vanish into thin air. He was holding Kaoru and suddenly everything felt all right, suddenly he wanted to live forever. He was holding her- the entirety of his world, the definition of his being, the core of his heart. He was holding her and he would never let go, no matter how complicated the impending consequences may be.

He was holding her and nothing else mattered to him except her and the awe of this moment.

Kaoru lost a battle and somehow it felt good. It felt good yielding to the true desires of her heart; it felt good having her defences brought down; it felt good being captured in the encirclement of his arms.

She had lost but she never felt more victorious.

She wrapped her arms around him and whispered in his ear.

"I'm here, I'm here."

Kaoru watched as the bright lights of the traffic illuminated Kenshin's handsome features. His eyes, which were shining in its usual golden hue, were apparently tired. Yet, there seemed to be more power in it, a steadfast determination and a limitless affection.

Knowing, even without looking, that she had been staring at him, Kenshin smiled a little. Without taking his eyes off the road, he extended his arm to reach for her hand. She first watched as his hand groped for hers several times before finally taking it.

"Where are we going?"

"Wherever you want to."

She smiled and squeezed his hand. It was funny how not long ago she was ready to give up everything she cherished the most. Now as he held her hand, Kaoru felt restored and prepared again, ready for whatever lied ahead and for wherever the threads of fate would bring them to.

Thirty minutes later, Kaoru had fallen asleep only to be woken up by the slight swaying of the car as it hit a small hole on the road. She rubbed her eyes and stretched a little while surveying the motion-blurred and quite unfamiliar nightscape around her. Briefly she realized they were near to the sea. She turned to look at Kenshin who regarded her with a small smile before quickly turning his gaze back to the road.

Finally, the vehicle pulled to a halt. Kenshin turned the ignition off but left the headlights of the car lit and the radio playing on. He exited the vehicle first and rushed to the other side to open the door for her.

A strong surge of ocean breeze blew and Kaoru basically relied to Kenshin's arm to keep her standing and firmly supported. Despite the thick material of the jacket she was wearing, Kaoru still felt cold and she rubbed her arms with her hands to try to ward off the iciness of the night. Noticing her little trouble, Kenshin took off his coat and gingerly put it around her.

"Thanks," she said in a low, hushed voice.

Kenshin took her hand in reply as they began pacing towards the waterfront. The night was quiet save for the murmured roars of the sea rushing to meet the shore and the music drifting from the car stereo. Numerous stars gleamed in the night sky; some were weak but most were so bright, as if almost within reach, Kaoru thought.

They paused to look at the distant, obscure horizon ahead of them. The crescent moon hung low in the sky and its silver light hit the tranquil mirror-like surface of the vast sea.

"What can possibly be there?" She asked, pointing at the horizon.

"Probably still the expanse of the sea or an undiscovered island," Kenshin shrugged, and turned to meet her inquiring gaze.

"Do you want to find out?"

Kenshin nodded. "I wish I'd find a desolate island there, one we could own, where I could build a house that we could share for the rest of our lives."

Kaoru looked up to him quizzically, admiring the beautiful features of his face as he looked at the sea. His lips curved into a small almost cheerless smile as he described the minute details of his fantasy. She pressed his hand and urged him to go on.

"We could sail away from here and never return. I would even buy a yacht, so every now and then we could go to the mainland to pick up our supplies," Kenshin paused for a while and enjoyed the contemplative silence before finally speaking again.

"Or if you want, we could just sail around the world- uncaring of anyone or anything else." Forcing a chuckle, he looked at Kaoru who had been intently listening. He hoped Kaoru didn't find him hopelessly foolish. He knew just how implausible the aforementioned plans of his were; yet he could not bring himself to avoid dreaming, even for just a moment, of that day when he and Kaoru could finally be free to love another without it being so horrendously wrong.

As they continued walking, Kaoru didn't fail to notice the slight gloom in his amber eyes as Kenshin spoke. She was sure what she saw was helplessness, one she wanted to assuage but could not for she didn't know how. All she could do was listen, hold his hand, and share his pain.

The pair relished the impeccable peace and the desired isolation. Kenshin looked at Kaoru and noted how breathtakingly lovely she looked as the winds swept her hair and as the moonlight shined faintly in her eyes. The music playing on the car radio drifted in the air and he turned to her with a gentle smile etched on his face.

"Do you want to dance?"

Kaoru regarded him with an amused expression, a bit taken aback by his question, but nevertheless nodded her head in approval. Delicately, Kenshin wrapped his arm around her waist as she laid her hand upon his shoulder. They were so close to each other, breathing the same air, their faces almost touching. Their feet then began moving, in a rhythm their hearts knew and their souls dictated.

Underneath the immensity of the open skies, Kenshin and Kaoru danced slowly - heedless of anything but each other. He held her closer to him and softly kissed her forehead, her eyes, her nose, her cheeks. She wrapped her arms around his neck and their lips met. The kiss deepened with passion so strong yet so tender.

Two hearts- both scarred by the lashes of the unforgiving past, both fearful of what the ambiguous future would bring, danced in the midst of impossibilities and bleakness. Yet, deep within them shone a ray of light, a little glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, love would find a way.

"I love you."

They were on their way back when both decided to stay the night in an inn close to the beach. There, they may share a room, hold hands while walking, and let their hearts on display without having to worry about dodging suspicious glances or judgments thrown at them. They were alone, distant from the waking reality. Nothing was a reminder of how awfully sinful their deeds were; nothing was a reminder of how all of these may soon come to an end.

It was just them and the gift of togetherness time had given them.

They lied in bed, staring at each other as if they could show in their eyes what they could not put into words. His amber eyes were tender yet burning with a newfound resolve and hopefulness.

"I want to be with you forever."

He brushed a few strands of her hair away from her face and cupped her smooth cheek. There was strength in his touch, Kaoru thought. Yet there was this careful mildness that she could feel he tried hard to muster in fear that he might hurt her. His hand continued its unhurried trail downward to her neck, shoulder, chest, stomach, and finally it rested upon the cloth belt of the robe she was wearing. He looked at her again, as if asking for permission so he could strip away the only piece of clothing separating her body from his.

Kaoru bared the adoration and gladness in her eyes. She nodded her approval and smiled.

"Make me yours."

Carefully, Kenshin tugged at the knot and pushed the fabric away, exposing her glorious naked form he was seeing for the first time. He showered her face with kisses before pulling her body closer to his, the prelude to a night of passion filled with two people's unconstrained affection, desire, longing, and need.

Kenshin and Kaoru spent the next day doing everything they could. They visited some places nearby- the local market and the souvenir shop, buying whatever caught their attention like a pair of scarves, a wind chime, and two small vials filled with origami stars. When the sun was high on the sky, they stayed at the hotel room, watching old movie reruns and ordering almost everything listed on the room service's menu. In the afternoon, they took pictures of the setting sun as it displayed its glorious rays and colored the skies. They walked barefooted in the shore and played as the waves gushed forward and then retreated. A little tired but not wanting to fall asleep and end the day, they just lied in bed- holding each other close, talking about their dreams and secrets they haven't shared with each other yet.

Kaoru snuggled closer to Kenshin and closed her eyes as she relished the soothing timbre of his voice and the cool ocean breeze going in through the open balcony door. He was singing her a lullaby while his hand ran gently through her silky locks.

They had never been this happy. Kaoru prayed that the world would stop on turning or that the night would go on forever.

Humming a soft decrescendo, Kenshin ended the song and looked at the woman whose head was resting upon his chest. He opened his mouth to speak but he was interrupted by the distinct sound his mobile phone created as it vibrated on the top of the bureau.

It's one of the phone calls both of them dreaded receiving. Every now and then, his father-in-law or another relative would call him, inquiring of his whereabouts and his plans of returning. It was the same for Kaoru. Every time, they had to lie- they had to fabricate stories of urgent appointments that could not wait or of important people they had to do business with.

Kenshin bit his lip to suppress a curse from escaping his mouth.

Kaoru opened her eyes and looked up to meet Kenshin's questioning gaze. She knew, even without spoken words, that he was asking her to decide whether he should answer the phone or not. She was pretty certain he wouldn't if she would just tell him so.

Withdrawing from his arms and sitting up, Kaoru flashed a small, encouraging smile at him and nodded before speaking.

"Go on."

Kenshin returned her reassuring look with an apprehensive stare. Sighing noisily and never taking his eyes off her, he reached for the phone that had been incessantly ringing and flipped it open with evident unwillingness.

The voice that seeped from the other line wasn't an unfamiliar one.

"I'm sorry but I can't come till the day after tomorrow," said Kenshin quietly. "The task on hand has to be taken care of immediately. I'm sorry."

Kaoru stood up from where she was sitting and walked to the balcony with heavy steps. She tried hard but could not deter the guilt as it advanced slowly to her consciousness. She looked across the still waters and remembered that several miles from where she was, her husband lied in a hospital bed, helplessly caught between the vicious tug-of-war of life and death. Kenshin's wife, on the other hand, was pitifully sitting in a wheelchair, crippled, unattended, and perhaps lonely.

These people had caused her so much sorrow, was it so wrong then for her to choose to be where she presently was than to be where she should really be? Was it so wrong to forsake Sano the same way he had forsaken her? Was it so wrong to choose the sinful bliss she had here than the rightful grief she had back there?

Kenshin watched her moved across the room and ended his phone conversation hurriedly; very definite that he discerned what was going on in her head. He followed her to the balcony and gathered her in his arms, resting his head upon her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," said in Kenshin in a hushed voice.

"It's all right," she tried reassuring him, stroking his arms that were tightly wrapped around her waist. She would choose to be here. She would choose to be happy.

The two stood in a contemplative silence; it was a long while until one of them spoke again.

"Let us sleep," Kaoru suggested, gently pulling him towards the bed. "Tomorrow may bring good things."

She smiled at him, trying to restore the mood that was evidently dampened by the recent phone call. In his heart Kenshin prayed that her words were true.

Moments later, Kaoru had fallen asleep, her head resting on his arm. Kenshin lied awake, listening to her heavy breathing and watching the steady rise and fall of her chest. Then his gaze fell upon her tranquil face- her skin lit by the yellow glow of the lampshade, her eyes tightly shut, and her soft lips parted a little.

It was this sight he wanted to see beside him every waking moment.

It was this memory he wanted to bury in his heart and immortalize.

It was this solace he wanted to protect and keep forever.

It was this person he wanted to be with for the rest of his life.

And as Kaoru shifted slightly in her sleep to curl closer to him, Kenshin became so certain- that he was prepared for whatever it would be asked of him to keep her beside him, that he was willing to risk and lose it all for her, that he was ready to make the choice that would change his life eternally.

Leaning in, he closed his eyes and brushed his lips against her forehead.

He would choose her, her above everything and everyone else.

In the morning, when the sun wasn't even high in the sky, Kenshin and Kaoru were both woken up by the ceaseless ringing of her phone.

Unenthusiastically, she reached for it, flicked it open, and managed to say a coherent greeting. It was a familiar voice, one she didn't expect or wish to hear.

"Good morning, Mrs. Sagara," said the doctor from the other line, trying to inject a little positivity in his tone, but failed. Kaoru noted the unusual quietness and hidden apprehension in his voice, washing her in a sudden and inexplicable fear.

"I'm sorry if I have disturbed you in any way, but your presence is very much needed here in the hospital. I suggest that you be here as soon as possible."

The next words the doctor told her sent Kaoru in a state of panic and dread that brought her to her feet. Kenshin, pushing his surprise aside, followed and fixed himself in the swiftest way he could. He need not raise a question; the alarm and fear that registered in Kaoru's face already conveyed the message that something was amiss.

He took her hand and ran quickly towards the elevator. Kenshin stopped shortly at the ground floor to fix their bills while she paced back and forth, eyes misty.

Five minutes later, Kenshin and Kaoru were in his auto. He stepped firmly on the accelerator pedal and maneuvered the wheel, with great precision, to avoid cars coming from the opposite direction as he shifted lanes now and then.

Finally, they reached the hospital and he immediately pulled off to the side lane. Before exiting the car, Kaoru looked at Kenshin one last time and squeezed his hand. She let go before he even had the chance to squeeze her hand back or to tell her that he would be waiting.

Skipping her usual practice of checking her surrounding for automobiles that may be going her direction, Kaoru rushed to the other side of the road where the main entrance of the building was. She was in such great hurry that she didn't even notice as Kenshin called out her name two times.

Kenshin shut the car door behind him and suddenly he felt weak. He could only watch as she ran, her long, untied hair swaying with her hurried movements. He could only watch even if he wanted to stop her from leaving. He wanted Kaoru to turn around and see him waiting for her on the other side of the road.

He wanted her to choose him, the way he would choose her at any given moment.

Kaoru kept running, her heart racing irrepressibly in her chest. She never looked back, remaining oblivious to the heart that broke soundlessly at the sight of her panicked departure.

She rushed along the familiar hospital halls, finding the ICU after several turns and corners. Upon Kaoru's arrival, the doctor and some of the medical personnel standing behind a counter swayed their gazes upon her, an almost condolatory look written in their faces.

The doctor went up to her, one hand holding a chart and the other removing his surgical mask. His blue surgical gown blurred in Kaoru's vision as tears started flooding her eyes. The doctor began explaining the earlier circumstances in a quiet voice, majority of what he said she didn't understand or she heard indistinctly. The doctor ended his speech with an apology, eyes cheerless and head bowed in sympathy. Eventually, he gestured for her to follow him inside the room.

There lied the body of the person who had hurt her immeasurably… yet that was the same person she once knew, valued, and loved so much. There it lied- cold, irresponsive, lifeless.

Sanosuke Sagara was dead.