Note: Originally posted on LJ 2nd June 2009. Warning; might be a bit confusing. Don't think too much. Explanation at the end of the drabble.

Thanks for the wonderful reviews! :D

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Time

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.Time.

Living in the present, you go back to change the past. In doing so, the present you disappear, replaced by the past you as it adapts to the new path. The future you will be a stranger, for the changes you made, affects every day you exist after them. And the present you can never coexist with neither past nor future.

However, the past, present and future are not concepts which can fully be explained by logic. It's like trying to explain what makes a second a second, a minute a minute, and why it is so. If humans put a name on it, a label if you may, then what was it before? Does measuring time make it pass? Did time exist when no one was around to live it? Actually, when it comes down to it, what is time?

Kamiya Kaoru didn't know, which is why, she didn't think twice.

But can you change what you don't know? Can something that has already happened truly be changed, or are you only taking a detour? Because doesn't time exists anywhere, anytime, anyhow? And doesn't this mean that whatever happens in the future, will happen one way or another?

Ironically, only time will tell.

.Present.

She had never meant to do it; had never planned for it, neither truly wished for it. It was just so, that an opportunity had presented itself and she had acted upon logic. Within less than a second, the decision had been made and she'd been powerless to stop the consequences. Watching as it all unfolded, helpless and silently resigned to this twist of fate, Kamiya Kaoru had cried.

She wished she could've said that the tears were ones of relief, that she was happy. She wished she could make herself sound noble, even if it was just in her mind, in these final moments before everything was sealed. Done. Finished.

But she couldn't.

Truly, she was a selfish creature. A pathetic, crying mess of a tomboy. It was all for the best, however; selfishness and weakness aside. Her logic remained solid; the only thing she could hold on to as her world disrupted in pain.

For what had she to offer, that Yukishiro Tomoe didn't already have doubled?

What could she give, that Tomoe hadn't already given? That Tomoe wouldn't have given?

Surely, if things had gone differently in time, Himura Kenshin would be happy. He would've been at peace by the time they were supposed to meet; not a broken, wandering man as time had first told. So she swallowed her scream – because the pain was unbearable, but worth it in the end – and chose to look at him one last time. Surely, she could be granted that one last wish?

Her life, for hers.

Her life, for his.

Time shuddered, twisted and stopped the moment Kamiya Kaoru drew her last breath, between her and him. Funny, she mused. The sword pierced her heart.

.Past.

It was over, the Revolution.

No more blood, no more pain, no more swords.

Finally, it was no more.

Although it was hard to believe, he had never felt such a strong need to actually believe anyway.

But Tomoe was there. And everything would be fine, eventually. They would just have to disappear somewhere, maybe to their old cottage, and wait until the storm gave way for calm once more. Maybe they would have a kid, or two. He wanted a daughter. Someone with her hair, and her eyes.

If only he'd known her name, the woman who saved his wife – who saved his life – he would've named the child by her. Somehow, he was certain it would've been a beautiful name.

Looking up at the bright blue summer skies, he silently thanked whatever deity's arms she had left to bless him with a second chance and moved on, down the dirt road.

He had a lot of walking to do today, but he didn't know it would continue on for years.

.Future.

Time had gone by fast.

He had lost count on how many cities he'd seen, how many villages he'd passed. But now, he found himself back in a city he'd always liked. Somehow, his feet always walked him here every now and then. He never had a destination in mind, but whenever he walked these streets, he wished he had. He wished so bad, actually, that he sometimes started looking. Searching. So he found himself asking, like any other time he came around here, that surely, there would be a place here he would like to visit?

The river, maybe. He's always liked it there. It was peaceful, quiet. Something he hadn't had for years, something he didn't really deserve. The few months with her had made him realize, such a life wasn't for him. He wanted it, wanted it really bad, but he just couldn't.

The blood had been too fresh, the wounds had been too deep.

He had needed time and she hadn't had it.

But time had gone by fast.

"Hitokiri Battousai! At long last, I've found you! Your two months of bloodshed in the streets ends tonight! Prepare yourself!"

But at this moment, it stopped.

Because he knew that face, he knew those summer sky eyes.

And he knew where he wanted to go.

"Oro?!"

But for now, he needed to know why a girl challenged Hitokori Battousai with a wooden sword in the middle of the night.

.The End.

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End Note: I have a feeling I'll be writing a sequel for this (although, that's what I feel about almost all my drabbles...-sigh-). Anyway....

This was actually just a time travel fic where Kaoru goes back in time to change the past, and when she does, she disappears from her present time.

Instead she appears when Tomoe is about to die and she saves Tomoe from getting killed by Kenshin, and she does this by jumping in between them at the right moment.

Then she dies, and ceases to exist "in the past", although her child-self that was alive during that time still lives (without any idea what's happened) and life goes on and the story repeats itself - only, Tomoe is alive.

And becuase I don't think Kenshin would so easily find peace after the revolution, I made him go wandering anyway after some time with Tomoe. They met during a time of pain and need and I like to believe Kaoru is really the one meant for him (I don't hate Tomoe, really; she was a wonderful person, even if I have a few negative opinions...-hides-).

So...he wanders, now without guilt of having killed the woman he loved and he meets Kaoru again.

But this Kaoru is not the same as the one who died; this Kaoru is the child that lived after the Revolution and up until the time that the future Kaoru (the one who died) went back in time.

So, she doesn't know what's happened. But Kenshin remembers her, the moment she jumped between his blade and Tomoe, and well...they probably have a connection through time one way or another. I won't go into detail about the actual time travels since well...trying to explain it can be a real headache XD

I'm sorry if this just made you more confused. English isn't my first language and when it comes to things like this I find it a bit hard to properly express myself XD

Now, please review! :)