Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Prisoner of War ❯ Necessary ( Chapter 10 )

I spent almost all day writing this. Okay I spent Fundamentals of Physical Science and Satistics writing this, but close enough right?

Disclaimer: I can dream of owning Kenshin, but that's about all.

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Kaoru had sunk to the floor, hands over her face. She shook with tears as she waited for the sickening sound of metal slicing through flesh and bone. How could he do this? How could he just throw his life away? And for what? To appease a man who had violated her little world by bringing weapons into the hospital, someone that threatened both his and her life? That just wasn't a good enough reason. Didn't he understand how strongly she felt about him? How utterly necessary he was? Kaoru stopped for a moment. Of course he didn't. Hoe could he? It wasn't until right then, at that very moment when his life was about to be taken that she even truly realized her feelings. How could he recognize something in her that she didn't even know was there? Kenshin was important to her. More important than anything else had ever been. She couldn't just sit there covering her eyes, hiding from reality. She had to do something. She had to stop Aoshi from killing Kenshin. She bolted upright, determined. She would save him. She would jump in front of the raised sword. She would die if she had to, but Kenshin would live. But she didn't move. There was nothing to jump in front of. The sword was no longer above Aoshi's head, but resting lightly on Kenshin's neck. He pressed a little and watched as a tiny droplet of blood was drawn. Kaoru was in awe as she watched Aoshi stare at the blood as it trickled down his neck and splashed onto the floor, leaving behind a red path to show where it had been.

"Battousai, you have not flinched. Don't you fear the death that I bring you?" Kenshin did not lift his head from the ground.

"I offered you my life with the hope that you would not need to kill again. I will not back down on my word." Aoshi raised his sword again, and Kaoru gasped. The weapon returned to its sheath with a clink. Kenshin stated in his position. Aoshi was breathing hard as he watched the blood dry in his white neck. His anger was there. All he had to do was bring his blade down in the exact line that the blood had drawn for him. Vengeance would be had for his friends, for his wife who told him she didn't need more death to make up for their loss. So why couldn't he kill him? Why was this red haired man who was so willingly offering himself so hard to destroy.

"Stand, Battousai. I will not kill you." Kenshin looked up, and Kaoru rushed to his side to help him up. He softly pushed her away.

"Miss Kaoru, I don't want you to get hurt." Her face was twisted with worry.

"But, Kenshin I…"

"Miss Kaoru!" His voice was demanding and pleading.

"Kenshin? Is that your real name, Battousai?" They both looked at Aoshi, who had a very odd look on his face, one that they couldn't quite place. This was surprising because from the moment he entered, he was stoic. The only hint that he even possessed emotion was the hatred that had burned in his eyes. But even that was gone.

"Yes it is, Aoshi. I almost forgot it a long time ago, but Miss Kaoru helped me to remember." She was clinging to the gi made him despite his plea for her to move away. She was desperate to be close to him, to convince herself that he was alive. There was unabashed thankfulness and relief on her face. For a moment, Aoshi thought she looked like his wife did every time he returned home from war. She would bound over to him from her place with their children, her long black braid flowing behind her with that same look. It was as if the sword as if the sword had been taken from her own throat, and it was her life that was spared.

"Kenshin, then. I will no kill you. Not today. Not ever. It makes no sense to destroy the tool of greater evil. That's like breaking a sword. No matter how many are destroyed, they will always forge more and more terrible ones. I will not waste your life. So, I will spare you. And Kaoru, Mrs. Saitou, I know your husband, and though I loathe him, you might not want to cling to Kenshin that way. I wouldn't want you to get hurt. You remind me of my wife." Kaoru looked at him but did not release her hold on Kenshin. He had almost been stolen away from her, and she would not willingly let him go. Aoshi turned and walked toward the door. He called out over his shoulder.

"I will be back soon with my wife. I want her to meet you, and I have something to give you." And with that, he was gone. All the other patients and nurses and guards stared after him, gawking, but Kenshin returned to his bed, followed by Kaoru. He sat down and held his hand out to her. She took it and could feel the sweat on his palm. He had been scared, petrified even. She thought for a moment about how Aoshi never apologized for his actions and how Kenshin never thanked him for sparing his life. It was like they didn't need to. It wasn't expected, or, more so, it wasn't necessary. Then, Kaoru saw something that made her forget about that. She forgot about the quickness with which he moved to block the sword. She forgot about the fact that injured arm and all, he could have easily killed Aoshi with the sword that lay untouched on the ground. She forgot that he really didn't need her help anymore, and focused on one thing, his eyes. His beautiful, violet eyes. There was not a speck of amber left in them, not a trace of the man Kyoto had turned him into. There was only Kenshin in those eyes. She loosely gripped his wrist and pulled. Kenshin smiled at her, and she smiled back. Out and back. Out and back.

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A/N: Please review!!