Disclaimer: I dont own RK

JeniNeji comments: Sorry for my rudeness in the last chapter, I was emotional, and so, I apologize.

xxoOoxx

The Voice

9

xxoOoxx

Insanity is my life, freedom.

Don't take it from me.

Anxiety.

Insecurity.

xxoOoxx

A lot had happened, and a long time had passed since the day with Yukishiro. But he couldn't say it was for the worst, nor that it was for the best. He had become to accept that some things merely are.

Once again, he awoke to the serene face of his sleeping wife. She was so young…

And so broken…

But even so, he loved her dearly. And strangely, she loved him.

A few hours passed before the sun's brilliant rays illuminated the room, making her squirm and open her azure eyes. Those eyes reflected momentarily fear, as they always did, before she calmed and smiled up at him. "Good morning Kenshin," she said softly, grogginess still heavy in her voice.

"Good morning Kaoru," he told her lovingly and he hugged her close, softly kissing her rosy lips, but was interrupted by a low whine. She was too self conscious of her morning breath, as if he cared. He freed her and watched with growing interest as she rolled from the futon and knelt on the floor, forcing her limbs to awaken. She stretched and he heard the bones of her spine crack slightly and a smirk appeared on his lips. "I could help you out with your stretching," the read haired man offered seductively.

Kaoru flushed brimstone red immediately, and she turned to look elsewhere. Her breathing sped and she hurried to her feet, intently on escaping the room, but strong arms snaked around her, followed by a trail of hot kisses down her neck, "Kenshin!"

"Hmm?" he asked, his arms going to soothe the cranks of other places, "Don't tell me you are still tired…last night was… easy."

Kaoru moaned softly as he expertly attacked the precise areas he needed in order to have her relent, but she was going to be harder this morning, oh no, he wasn't going out of this easy. "You get the cooking and dishes," she tried to demand, but it sounded more like a suggestion.

"Naughty girl," Kenshin reprimanded and bit down on her collarbone, making her fall to the floor, "you know you can't win against me."

"I can," she was quick to interrupt, "I'll wake Kenji," she threatened, and as her lover's arms held her tighter, she knew she had already won the argument.

"All right," he finally relented and began to nib on her ear, "however, you have to work hard to win that breakfast, because if you don't, there's going to be none for you."

And with that she pushed herself against the skin and muscles that was her husband and held him by the neck. He groaned pleasantly, liking the roughness she could sometimes display. It ate at him, and he found himself responding quicker than he had wanted.

He couldn't believe how with the passing of years his patience had thinned, well, at least with her. He was very patient with Kenji and housework, but with her, her and a bed, or her and long perfect legs, no way.

He twirled and pushed her back on the still warm futon and pinned her down, but as he felt her legs grab his, he hissed expectantly. He moved to take her lips again, entering without permission and engaging her tongue in their usual battle for dominance. However, she knew a few tricks, he had taught her too much, had allowed her too much freedom.

Those cursed and strong legs of her pushed him down, and her rocking motions were enough to distract him until she gained the upper hand in his mouth, but he couldn't complain. Ah, such a heated companion.

A smirk formed on his lips as he felt her eagerness, he just knew that she was going to weaken. After all, he was getting pleased by her motions, but she was feeling abandoned, since he had stopped altogether. In that precise moment, he assaulted her earlobe, and his hand found her chest at the same time. She gasped and pulled on his hair, earning her a bite in reproach.

She whimpered, and he moved his hand to her back until he had her pressed against him. He loved the way he could surround her petite form with merely an arm, he just couldn't contain himself.

His knees caged her and he raised enough to be able to take off his yukata. He was getting too hot, and he knew she loved to torture him, waiting until he was about to die before taking his clothes off. Not today.

Blue eyes glazed over with a mix of irritation at his refusal of protocol but with the lustful forgiveness she found so easy to give him. As long as I can see that pale chest, it's all right, she would say. But now, it would be her turn to suffer.

With slow deliberate movement, he began to massage her neck, down her collarbone and even lower… he just knew that she wanted to growl at him, but he also knew she didn't want to awake Kenji, not now.

She surprised him with a smack, and the next thing he notice was that her yukata was midway off. Desperate, was she?

He chuckled darkly when he felt her tug unforgiving at his red mane, pulling him enough to situate him where she wanted him, there, at her most sensitive place. He breathed hard, resisting against the radical temptation she pressed upon him, oh yes, she was pressing against him so deliciously…

…and with no more fighting spirit, he finally succumbed into her and allowed his crazed mind a little peace.

xxoOoxx

Kaoru sat on the porch of her house in Edo, a thief novel on her hands. She was near the end now and the adrenaline in her was at the highest peak, she needed to know what was going to happen or she would die.

It was mid-day and Kenshin had gone to town to fetch some items for lunch. Thankfully he had taken Kenji with him, after all, the three years old loved to visit around, always fantasying about what he was going to get as a gift for her. He was so sweet! And she would be able to finish her novel. Life couldn't be more perfect.

A strange presence made her turn away from her novel, her hands holding tight to the old book. Her blue eyes fell on a complete stranger, standing at the entrance of her house. He had dark hair and tanned skin, but was merely a teenager.

"Well, hello kid," she said amiably with a small smile.

"Onee-san!" shouted the young man as he raced towards her.

Confusion etched on her face and she did nothing as the young man held her in a suffocating hug, "Kaoru, you are alive!"

Her arms unconsciously squeezed the sobbing boy closer to her and made soothing sounds, like she did with Kenji, and thankfully, it seemed to help. After a while, the boy had down enough to sit down next to her, his brown eyes fixated on her.

"I am not a kid," the young man said with a scowl.

"I'm sorry," Kaoru replied with a sad smile, "do I know you?" She was quick to notice how his frame tensed, and she regretted asking him, but she couldn't help it, he professed to be her brother, but she had no recollection whatsoever of him.

"I am Yahiko, Kamiya Yahiko," he introduced himself slowly, "We are the last descendants of the Kamiya Kasshin style."

"Do you know the Kamiya Kasshin?" asked Kaoru with unsuppressed surprise.

He nodded his head, "I am your younger brother, Kaoru Kamiya."

A tense silence surrounded the area for a few minutes, "Prove it," she challenged, irate blue eyes locked on his. Numbly she watched his nod. She moved to her room and brought a pair of wooden swords, and handed one to her 'brother'.

Instantly, they both took twin defensive poses, and dread filled her. This wasn't reassuring at all. Kaoru quickly changed to an offensive stance and charged, but was easily blocked by the younger boy, once and again. After that, he took the offensive and mimicked each and every single on her struck perfectly. Tears sprang to her eyes, they were definitely related.

She felt to the floor and a sob escaped her, she just couldn't believe this was happening. "Why? Why I can't remember you?"

The boy, Yahiko, sat at her side and hugged her close, his higher frame easily serving as her support, "It's Battousai, please onee-san, Katsura-otosan sent me to find you, he needs us."

"Katsura," whispered Kaoru, and somehow, that name was so familiar that more tears came to her eyes, "what are you saying? Who is Battousai?"

"He's an assassin, he wants to kill Oto-san," explained Yahiko, nervousness creeping into him, "he has taken you from us, the man with the cross scar on his face," he said in a hushed tone, as if scared of being found.

"You are wrong!" Kaoru quickly pushed him away, "He's my husband! He's been very protective and caring of me, you are wrong!"

"I am not, Kaoru-oneesan," cried Yahiko, "Please, we have to go."

"No, I can't, I won't," Kaoru said, her determination flaring. She was not going to believe this mess.

"Onee-san!" whined Yahiko.

But Kaoru was already to far from him, she had been walking backwards, wanting to escape the ugly accusations the boy was shouting.

…but a pain in the back of her head made everything turn black.

xxoOoxx

"My grandson has grown so much," Katsura exclaimed with a fatherly smile as he held Kenji on his knee. The red headed boy happily ate his candy, completely ignoring the reunion of the two swordsman.

"He is," Kenshin said proudly, his once golden eyes had softened to a blue-violet, "and Kaoru is doing great as well."

"Still reading police and detective novels?" asked Katsura with some concern.

"Yes, but she doesn't seem to remember anything, so I let her, if things come to the worst, I imagine we will deal with it somehow."

"I hope it doesn't happen, not for a while yet," Katsura said with a smile, his chocolate eyes staring down at Kenji.

"Tell me Katsura, have you found Yahiko yet?" Kenshin asked, his hands fisted over the table.

"Not yet," Katsura said with a sad smile, and then he turned to his watch, "Kenshin, lunch hour is getting nearer," Katsura warned, "here, I brought you some more medicine, in case you needed more income, after all, I am still waiting for a baby girl sometime soon," joked the older man.

Kenshin laughed and ruffled Kenji's hair, "I am enjoying myself, maybe in a few years Katsura," the ex-assassin said with a happy smile.

"Well then, take care of my family Kenshin, you know I will not forgive you if anything happened to Kaoru or Kenji," warned Katsura with a protective air.

"Neither would I, neither would I."

xxoOoxx

"Mom!" screeched Toki with all her might, making Saitou wince, "the baby said my name!"

"Is that so Toki?" asked Tokio coming closer to the black haired boy, but it was too late, he had taken more interest in his toys than them…the boy hardly talked at all.

"See Saitou-sama, they like each other," Okita said with a grin, "They should marry when they are older."

"Hn," growled Saitou taking a cigarette and putting on his mouth, but when he was about to light it, it was abruptly taken from him. His mouth hung open at the discourtesy but when he turned to give the improper a piece of his mind, he shut his mouth.

"You are not going to smoke in front of my boy," Okita's young wife threatened with a glare.

"Huh, tamable are you Saitou-sama?" mocked Okita, as Saitou always made fun of him because he always did what his wife ordered, "You see, she's feisty."

"Now now gentleman, weren't we about to discus something far more important?" asked Tokio, effectively diverting the attention.

"My Toki is far too important for the likes of him," muttered Saitou, and then it began, everyone began to verbally attack each other over the indignity of it all, and so engrossed they were in their argument that they missed the way Toki discreetly kissed Okita's baby boy.

xxoOoxx

"Onee-san," Yahiko's voice called with relief as she finally opened her eyes.

Kaoru sat abruptly and her hands came to her head, "Mou! That hurt!"

"Sorry, but onee-san, you were in danger…I don't want to loose you," Yahiko said with a guilty smile.

Kaoru nodded understandingly, but inside, she just wanted to break his neck. When Kenshin found out, he was going to be pissed. Suddenly she was hit by a wave of nausea, and she hurried to cover her mouth, "where are we?"

"In a ship," Yahiko explained with narrow eyes, "we are going to China."

"China?" screamed Kaoru, nausea forgotten, her hands took Yahiko by the shoulders and rocked him furiously, "I can't go to China, I have a son and I need to take care of him!"

"A son?" asked Yahiko, his eyes wide with the new information, "I have a nephew?"

"Yes," growled Kaoru, "and you just left him motherless. Turn back," she ordered.

"I can't onee-san, this ship is commanded by someone else," Yahiko said apologetically, "and I don't think he will change his mind now."

"Well, I am going to make him," said Kaoru, coming to her feet, "take me to where he is, now."

Not about to object his sister, he did as she asked.

But when she laid eyes on the Commander, she froze. There was something wrong, so wrong. He didn't look wrong, not at all. Tall and muscled body, aquamarine eyes and white hair, he looked exotic.

But the way his eyes looked at her and the familiarity of his smirk moved something deep inside of her.

Dangerous.

Strong.

Insatiable.

Insane.

And she was very much afraid.

"Well hello bird, did you want something?" was all he asked. His voice deep and velvety.

But something nagged at her mind restlessly, and soon enough, a migraine was making its way on her head. "No," she whispered, her hands coming to shield her head, her eyes pinned to his.

His eyes left her, and she was grateful, "Yahiko, your sister doesn't seem to be well, take her to her room to rest."

"Of course Enishi-sama," Yahiko quickly replied and pulled his sister with him.

But Kaoru's eyes couldn't leave the white haired stranger, she just knew there was something wrong, something she had forgotten. "Yahiko," Kaoru whispered, her steps becoming slow, "Save me…"

And she collapsed.

xxoOoxx

Fin

xxoOoxx

JeniNeji: Thanks for reading this through, I have to admit, this story turned out to be a Pandora's box for me. For instance, it was never meant to be written, and then, it just couldn't be left without ending. But things are like that.

Plz, review!