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Misao sighed, "Finally they’re engaged! Its so romantic." she said as she glanced at Aoshi. "And today they marry. Isn’t it wonderful?"
Aoshi didn’t respond as usual, but there was a different look in his eyes. Misao quickly checked her kimono for any rips or stains. "Eh? Is something wrong with the kimono?"
"No." he said.
Misao smiled and hurried as fast as the kimono allowed her, "We’ll be late! Hurry!"
They arrived just as a carriage stopped infront of the Kamiya gates. Akira openned the door and got out. He turned and helped his mother out.
"It's about time they married." Kaede said as she stepped out of the carriage. She leaned on her cane.
"They needed time together Okaa-san." Seira said as she stepped off the carriage with a bundle in her arms.
Akira took the bundle from Seira’s arms and helped her out. "After all they were only together for two years. Unlike us who had five years."
"And married as soon as possible." she said with a smile.
Akira blushed. "It was a matter of time." he mumbled. They were distracted by a wail. "Ah! He’s awake!" Akira said happy to have the attention off him.
Seira took the baby in her arms and said, "You woke up just in time Hajime."
Kaede was already past the gates when she turned and said, "You’re holding up the guests."
Akira laughed, "Its alright, I have a feeling no one will leave until they see Kenshin and Kaoru married."
"You got that right," Yahiko said. He was standing at the gate with Tsubame. "With a baby already? Its only been a year."
Akira blushed, "Well . . ."
Seira laughed as she walked through the gate, "He wanted to get married as soon as possible."
Tsubame led them to the dojo.
"I hope Kaoru decided to wear a wedding kimono. The new fangled western wedding dress looks like a snowball!" Kaede said sternly.
Tsubame smiled and said, "She chose a kimono Kanzaki-san, a white one."
Kaede smiled faintly.
"Are we late?" Misao asked as she passed the gate.
Yahiko grinned, "No, but you cleaned up." he was rewarded with a bump on his head.
"I can wear kimonos too." she huffed.
"I’m surprised you look good in it." Yahiko said rubbing his head.
Aoshi followed silently with a gift in his hands.
"Take this." a voice said. Yahiko’s arms were suddently carrying a heavy box. He looked up and saw Saitou.
"What are you doing here?!" Yahiko exclaimed.
"I came to see Himura get married." Saitou said gruffly.
"Anata can’t you see it's too heavy for him?"
Saitou turned and said, "Ahh Tokio."
"Tokio?" Yahiko asked.
Saitou lost is cold look and said quietly, "My wife."
"Wife!?"
Tokio entered and said, "Take that from him he’s going to fall over!"
"Hai," Saitou said as he picked up the box. Tokio bowed, "Thank you for allowing us to come to the wedding."
Yahiko stopped his staring and made a bow, "Please enter." he said.
"Thank you." she said with a smile and passed through. Saitou followed silently holding the box.
Misao walked through the Kamiya house. She followed the sound of a yell. "Ow!" the yell was definitely Kaoru’s voice.
She ran to the door and slid it open. "Are you alright?!" she stopped. Kaoru sat before a mirror. She looked beautiful in her white kimono. Instead of her usual ponytail, her hair was pinned up. Her face had no powder.
Kaoru smiled, "Yes, I’m just a bit nervous."
"She has no reason to," Megumi said as she put away the brushes. Tae nodded in agreement. She had a makeup case openned.
Kaoru blushed, "But I am."
"Kaoru!"
Megumi sighed, "I knew he’d come to see if you were okay." she rose and openned the door wide enough for her to get through.
"Is she alright?" Kenshin asked.
"Of course," Megumi said. "Now go back to your room. You can’t see the bride yet."
"But-"
"Ken-san." she said sternly.
"Hai." Misao could hear the reluctance in his voice.
"Don’t worry she won’t run away. Now go."
"Hai Megumi-dono." then the sound of footsteps got fainter as they walked away from Kaoru’s room.
"He’ll never stop worrying about you." Misao said with a smile.
Kaoru sighed, "Its a never ending circle. He worries about me, I tell him not to, he apologizes for worrying about me, something happens to me, he worries." She looked different with the make up on. She looked older, more mature.
Kaoru smiled up at Misao, "I’d never trade this life for anything else."
Tae closed the case and said, "There all ready."
Misao sighed, "Kirei."
Kaoru had a nervous look on her face.
"Don’t worry Kaoru-chan." Tae said, "Today will be the most memorable day of your life." she ushered Misao out of the room and then closed the door behind her.
Kaoru stared at the ring on her hand and smiled, "Yes it will be, I can feel it." she said.
"Kaoru?"
She stood up, "Kenshin?" she said. "You can’t see me yet."
"I know but I wanted to talk to you." he said through the door.
Kaoru stood close to the door and said, "Maybe eloping would have been an easier option." she could hear his laughter through the door.
"I’m beginning to think the same." he said.
Silence, Kaoru looked at the twisted handkerchief in her hand.
"Nervous?" he asked.
"A bit." she said.
"Ahhh I guessed as much. I just wanted to tell you before we get swept up in the day that. . ."
"That?"
The door slid open and he wrapped his arms around her, "Aishiteru Kaoru." he whispered. "Don’t worry, everything will be fine." he let go of her and walked away.
Kaoru relaxed and said, "Hai."
Kenshin waited outside of the dojo. He could hear the voices of his friends inside. He smiled, finally, he was going to marry her.
"Ano Himura-san."
He opened his eyes and saw Tae at the door. "Tae-dono."
She smiled, "You’re wearing the gi and hakama again."
He nodded, "Thank you for the gift." he said as he showed her the hirigana on the cuff.
"I had that saved in that box for too long. I almost gave up see you wear it until you came in that New Year’s night with a look on your face. So I decided that your wedding day could wait. You needed that kimono that night." She said.
Kenshin stared at her, "You- you-"
"The look on your face was so sad Himura-san. I knew you loved her but that night you felt insecure." she placed a hand on his shoulder, "Thank you for making Kaoru-chan happy." she silently left him and went back into the dojo.
He sighed and looked out at the courtyard.
"Clean and white! White! White!"
"Your cooking is better than mine."
He walked into the dojo and waited at the front.
"I want to know your real name, not the legendary nickname."
Battousai. . . Kenshin looked down, for the past year there was no opportunity for the Battousai to emerge. It was as if he remained asleep inside him. He glanced down at the sakaba sword at his side and hoped he didn’t have to use it any longer.
She appeared on the otherside of the dojo. She was dressed in white and in her hands was a twisted handkerchief, which Megumi quickly took from her hands and pushed her forward.
Remarriage. . . someone or some god had given him a second chance. He closed his eyes and made a silent prayer.
He looked up and saw her come closer. He had made a home here, but was he worthy of that home? Was he even worthy of her? After all he had done? How could he do this?! Somewhere in the back of his mind a voice said, because she loves you. Was that enough?
He looked up again and the dojo and the guests were gone. Kaoru was walking towards him, but she was walking on the bones of those he had killed. She had this look on her face that was far from love.
He reached for her and shouted, "Kaoru!" suddently behind her stood all the enemies he had beaten. They laughed at him. Jinneh said, "A battousai is a battousai, no matter what you do." he said his eyes smoldering with the fires from hell.
It was true, a battousai will always be a battousai. He screamed and reached for his sakaba. "No! I won’t let you do this to me!" he screamed as he drew the sakabatou
Kaoru walked nervously but impatiently towards Kenshin. She kept her eyes close to the ground to make sure she wouldn’t trip and fall. As she reached the front she could sense something was wrong. Kenshin was looking down.
"Kenshin?" she asked.
Suddently out of no where Sano grabbed Kaoru around the waist and saved her from the swing of the sakabatou.
"Ken. . . . ." his name died when she saw into his eyes.
"It's been a year since you came back." Saitou said.
"I’ve come to talk to her." he said roughly. He pointed his sakaba at Kaoru who was tucked into Sano’s arms.
"This is her wedding day!" Megumi exclaimed. "How dare you come on her wedding day!"
Battousai glanced at Megumi, his eyes flashing. Megumi took a step back silenced.
"Actually, I think it was appropriate," Kaoru’s muffled voice said from Sano’s arms. She gently pushed away from Sano and turned to the Battousai. "After all he is part of Kenshin."
She faced him as she had many times before. But this time she was his opponent.
"Kaoru!" Yahiko exclaimed. She looked like a sacrifice in her wedding kimono. But Kaoru kept walking towards the Battousai.
"You. . ." Battousai said his eyes narrowed. The tip of the sakaba was under her chin.
Kaoru rose her head and looked at him in the eyes, "Please," she said, "give Kenshin back."
"How can you love a killer like me?" he asked.
"I told you," Kaoru said, "from the very beginning that I didn’t care about your past."
"You still want to marry Kenshin even though I’m part of him?"
"Yes." she said. "I’m willing to share his pain with him, with you." she said as she took a step forward gently pushing the tip of the sakaba down and away from her.
"Even though you run the risk of dying?"
"Since when has that become a new idea?" she asked back.
Battousai nodded, "I see, then you truly are devoted to him."
Kaoru’s eyes softened, "Of course I am."
"If you truly love him then close your eyes." he lifted the sakaba until the tip was aimed at her heart.
Kaoru closed her eyes.
"Kaoru! You can’t! He’ll kill you!" Yahiko exclaimed.
Kaoru opened her eyes and looked at Yahiko. Yahiko stopped, she had no fear in her eyes. She looked back at Battousai and closed her eyes.
"Ka-" Misao’s shout was stopped by Aoshi’s arm.
Kaoru stood silently. She didn’t move a muscle. Not even when Battousai screamed and rushed at her ready to kill her.
"Stop it!" Yahiko cried out when Battousai wrapped an arm around Kaoru’s waist. His other hand rose the sakaba high. Yahiko rose to stop him but was stopped by Sano.
"Sanosuke let me go!" Yahiko shouted.
"Watch."
"What do you mean watch?!" Yahiko cried out. Then he heard the sound of a katana clattering on the ground. He turned and saw the flash of Battousai’s golden eyes. He saw how the free hand tenderly wrapped itself around her waist.
Kaoru had not moved at all. She simply opened her eyes and gently rose her face as he lowered his for a kiss. His red hair covering his eyes.
Silence settled on the group as Battousai rose his head and smiled. His violet eyes looked into hers and he said softly, "Thank you."
Saitou exhaled the last of his cigarette and said, "Even the Battousai has gotten weak."
"I don’t understand." Yahiko said.
"The Hitokiri understands that Kaoru is important to Himura. He would never consciously harm her in anyway. He realizes that Kaoru would die for him. I even suspect that Hitokiri respects her, perhaps may love her as well. He had to test her to make sure she could withstand his faults."
Kaoru smiled, "Well now that that is done, we have a wedding to finish."
Kenshin nodded and took her hand.