Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Prisoner of War ❯ Homecoming ( Chapter 23 )

Wow! It's been a really long time. I'm really sorry. I'm doing my best I swear.

 

Disclaimer: Not mine

 

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Kenshin ran as fast as he could into town. He passed battle after battle of hand to hand combat and just kept moving. He had to get to her. He had to see her. At one point, a man threw himself into Kenshin's path. He barely caught sight of the famed red-headed devil before he was on the ground clutching his throat. He couldn't slow down. He wouldn't slow down. His thoughts just kept replaying the same thing over and over. She's so close. She's so close.

 

Her house was just like he remembered it. Past the grove of trees and the lake, it stood with the front door closed, a wind chime lightly ringing on the porch. He reached his hand to throw the door open, and paused. His breath was ragged from running. His heart was pounding in his chest. His legs burned from an entire morning's exertions, and he just stood there, fingers trembling. He had worked so hard for so long to see her again. She was his every waking thought and most of his dreams. But he was frightened. He could not remember ever being this frightened before. What would he find behind that door? Would she still be the same shell that he had left her as? Would her eye sparkle for him at all? The memory of her emotionless face overcame him, and he fell to the ground with a thud. He hung his head. Would it be too late? The door flung itself open. He found himself staring at a small pair of feet and the bottom of a blue kimono.

 

“Kenshin?” Her voice was shocked, full of disbelief. Suddenly, he was enfolded in her warmth. Her arms were tight around him. She sobbed into his shoulder. She was there. She was real. She was crying for him. He opened his mouth. He had practiced so many times the things he would say to her. He had it scripted perfectly. It was supposed to be poetic and beautiful. He leaned back to look into her bright blue eyes. There were bags underneath them. She hadn't been sleeping. Her face was gaunter than he remembered, as if she hadn't been eating either. Bruises were fading from her cheeks. His mouth closed. Opened again. Closed.

 

“I brought you this.” He held out the ribbon. She took it gently from him.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“I missed you.” She held him tightly again.

 

“I missed you, too, my Kenshin.” His mouth was on hers in a flash. He lifted her gently and walked her back inside. He opened the door to her bedroom, and she shook her head. She pointed a slender finger down the hall.

 

“Over there.” Her voice was soft and delicate. He opened the door and laid her down on the futon. He inhaled her scent deeply. He kissed her again. He felt like everything was surreal, like he'd wake up any moment in his tent, alone.

 

“I love you so much.” He almost choked on the words.

 

“I love you, too.”

 

“I never stopped thinking of you.”

 

“Neither did I.” His lips sought hers. He was lost in her. Lost in her scent, her softness, her beauty. They were together again. He gripped her narrow waist. This was no dream. He would take her away. They would go to the west, by the beaches. There were no slaves there. He would build her a home and make her his wife. He didn't care that she still technically had a husband. They weren't meant for each other. She was meant for him. She loved him. Even after all the time they were apart. He pressed his body into hers, and watched confused as her eyes widened in shock.

 

“How dare you touch her, you insolent bastard!” Kenshin cried out in pain as Saitou's sword hit him in the side. He pushed Kaoru aside.

 

“How are you here?” Kenshin stumbled to his feet and drew his sword.

 

“You should have killed me when you had the chance. Now it is you who will die!” Saitou lunged at him. Kenshin parried and spun around him. Blood began to drip down his light grey hakama.

 

“Kenshin!”

 

“Don't say his name!” Saitou turned his rage on Kaoru, but before his blade could strike, he was thrown across the room. Kenshin let out an unearthly yell and charged again. The sound of swords hitting echoed through the room. Spark flew as the men pressed into each other. Saitou swung around. Kenshin dodged. Saitou came down. Kenshin parried. Saitou thrust. Kaoru screamed. Kenshin fell to one knee. He coughed a few times and spit up blood. Saitou licked his bloody sword as Kenshin clutched his side.

 

“And now you die.” Saitou did not see the sweep of black hair until it was too late. He stared down at Kaoru, confused. Her hand clutched the small dagger that was embedded in his neck. Her chest was convulsing.

 

“I loved you.” Saitou fell to his knees after whispering those words softly. Kaoru released the dagger, and his hands flew to it. He ripped it out. Blood squirted from his neck. He looked pained for a moment as his life left him, and then he crumpled to the ground.

 

“No,” Kenshin whispered as he cried into Kaoru's chest. He had caught her while she was falling. His eyes darted back and forth between her face and her husband's sword. It was deep in her abdomen.

 

“No. Not now. No. Kaoru, you'll be okay.” Her fingers drifted up to his face. They traced his scar.

 

“I'll always be with you.”

 

“No! Don't say that! You'll be okay.” But he was losing confidence as her blood seeped into the floorboards.

 

“Listen to me, Kenshin.” He looked into her big blue eyes. Why now? Why after he had come so far?

 

“Are you listening?”

 

“Yes.” It was barely a whisper.

 

“Go see Misao. She has something of yours.” Kenshin pulled her closer. He buried his face in her neck.

 

“We'll go together. You'll be okay, and we can go together. Kaoru?” Her body hung lifeless in his arms.

 

“Kaoru?” He felt as though he'd been ripped apart. He was breathing so quickly he couldn't speak. He shook her gently then harder and harder. He screamed.

 

“KAORU!”

 

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A/N: Please review. If you do, I'll write another chapter.