Part Twenty-Two
 

 There was silence.
 Then Kenshin's voice cut into the silence.
 "I'm afraid I cannot forgive you for this, Kaoru-dono."  The anger in his words caused Kaoru's gaze to rise from the floor and to meet his, in shock.
 Kenshin's darkened eyes met Kaoru-dono's, "I cannot forgive you for this, Kaoru-dono when it is my fault."
 Kaoru's eyes widened and she blinked back rising tears as she looked at Kenshin in shock, "What? I don't understand."
 Kenshin looked at Kaoru-dono grimly, "Kaoru-dono, you have both Yahiko and myself to support now.  If I had a job, I could have given you money and helped you keep the dojo. It is my fault for not realizing sooner that you needed help."  Kenshin's gaze gentled when he saw the tears falling down Kaoru-dono's face.  He gently grasped her face with both hands and thumbed her tears away.  Leaning forward against the desk, he looked into Kaoru-dono's eyes and breathed in her scent.  "You are so beautiful..."
 Kaoru's breath caught in her chest and she closed her eyes for a moment in order to capture this moment in her heart forever.  She opened her eyes and smiled tremulously before her smile faltered, "Kenshin," she looked straight into his eyes, "It's not your fault. It's mine because I didn't even want you to know that I had any financial troubles." She sighed and looked at him directly, "Because if you knew I was in trouble, you would've helped me.  And I was trying very hard to prove that I didn't need it.  I don't want you to be so..so...
helpful, Kenshin.  I'm a grown woman and I can take care of myself."  She quietly watched the emotion behind his eyes, his face revealed none of his thoughts, but his eyes were dark and deep as he seemed to let what she'd just said sink in.  Then he gently shook his head and spoke softly to her.
 "Kaoru-dono, I will admit that you are more than capable, but you must know this; if you are ever in any kind of trouble or danger, I will do anything and everything in my power to remove you from it.  I cannot swear to you that I will never help you because your safety and happiness means more to me than anything else.  I will always protect you and I apologize if that upsets you in anyway."
 Kaoru's cheeks reddened and she looked down at the desk.  She shook her head negatively and whispered, "It doesn't upset me at all," she took a deep breath, "I just wish that I could've handled this all by myself."  Kaoru could feel a wave of misery come over her.  Her bottom lip trembled as she started to blink back tears.  Pulling away from Kenshin, she swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand and knelt before the desk in order to look at the last two drawers closest to the floor.  She could feel Kenshin approaching closer and bit her bottom lip as she pulled out first the second to bottom drawer, and then the last one.
 She found nothing.  Sighing is dissapointment, she began to stuff the drawer back in when she heard the scrape of paper against wood.  Pausing, she looked down at the drawer and then up at Kenshin hopefully.  Kenshin knelt beside her and and watched as Kaoru-dono completely pulled out the drawer and placed her hand in the darkened hole.  The crinkling sound of paper was loud in the quiet room.
 When Kaoru's hand closed over the paper, she held her breath for a moment, surprised, then giddy.  A bubbly feeling of hope came over her, but she quickly surpressed it with cold practicality.  This piece of paper could be anything...it could simply be a grocery list...or a piece of accounting...or...
 Her heart stopped beating when she saw the government seal on the paper.  With visibly shaking hands, she unwrinkled the paper and read what she saw there.  Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and she stood up silently.  Her face paled and her bottom lip was caught between her teeth as she read with a look of apprehension on her face.
 Kenshin was immediately worried and took a step closer to Kaoru-dono.
 "Kaoru-dono, what is it?  What's wrong?"
 Kaoru looked up from the page in her hands and frowned, "Kenshin, it's a list with four names and  I only know half of them.  First of all, the name Shibumi is written on the top of the list.  And here's the list, Yamagata Aritomo, Udou Jinei, Akamatsu, and Fujita Gorou. I wonder who the others are."
 Kenshin's eyes narrowed when Udou Jinei's name was spoken, but he made no comment.  His mind was a whirl with thoughts, Yamagata Aritomo the government official who had asked him to take an office...Jinei, a hired assassin, who also wanted to kill him...

and who were Akamatsu and this Fujita?  Kenshin didn't know, but knew grimly that he may soon find out.  Frowning, he put the thought aside as he watched Kaoru-dono walk to the door.  "Kaoru-dono, where are you going?"
 Kaoru slid the door open and turned to Kenshin, her face strangely calm.
 "I'm going to go home now, Kenshin.  I'm going home, and I'm going to bed.  And when I wake up," she took a deep breath and continued, "I'm going to sell the dojo."
 Kenshin hands lowered the paper as he unconciously stepped forward, "Why Kaoru-dono?  You shouldn't just give up.  Perhaps if we ask for an extension, and I get a job, we can pay back the money and you can keep your father's land."
 Kaoru shook her head, "Kenshin, I'm not just giving up.  I'm compromising."  She showed Kenshin a sad smile before continuing.  "It's kinda like my father's sword.  He spent most of his life teaching that there was a way to protect and to defend people without a sword.  He believed in this more than anything in the world.  And yet, when the war came, he stood without hesitation. And he used a sword in order to do what he felt he had to do to protect me.   His philosophy didn't change, it's because of me that he did the things he did.  He wanted to protect me."  As Kaoru spoke, she listened to herself and realized that her father gave up more than his philosophy, he gave his life for her.  And with this gift, she had to do the best she could for herself.  She knew her father wanted her to be happy; and she knew that her happiness stood before her in the red-headed man with eyes so intense, that even with the conversation going on right now, her heart flipped in excitement. Trying to push the thought aside, she continued, "Kenshin, my father wanted me to be happy and I've decided that that's what I want too."
 "But Kaoru-dono, your father's land...?"
 "Kenshin, if my land is reclaimed, Yahiko and you are left without a home.  But if I sell the dojo, there should be enough money left over for me to find some kind of housing for us." The smile she showed Kenshin then warmed Kenshin's soul, "You and Yahiko are the most important people in my life.  I cannot be happy without you.  The dojo is precious to me, but that is because I've grown up there all my life.  But the dojo is just a building, and the property is only land.  They don't truly matter. They are just.." she shrugged as she searched for an answer, "just things, Kenshin.  I don't need the dojo to love my father, I don't need this dress to love my mother. Just as my father didn't stop believing in non-killing techniques to order to protect me.  So, selling the dojo and being happy with you and Yahiko is more than compensation, it's a comprimise.  My past for my future.  I'm sure my parent's would want me to share it with the people I care about."
 With a final nod to conclude her explanation, she turned and walked out of the room to return to the 'tavern' part of the building.  When she came back, she saw Sanosuke and Megumi standing before a very pale and sick looking Yahiko.  Concerned, Kaoru rushed to the chair he had collapsed into, "Yahiko?  Are you alright? What happened?"
 Yahiko stared at the beautiful woman before him in shock before he realized that Kaoru's voice was coming from her mouth.  Wow..he thought..she's kinda cute.  Not like Tsubame-chan, but she definately doesn't look like the Ugly he's been missing for the last week.  Blinking, he tried to act natural though shock was still voiced when he said, "I'm fine, Kaoru."  And because he couldn't resist, he added, "Wow, Kaoru, you look almost like a girl when you clean yourself up."  Kaoru couldn't remember ever hearing a compliment stranger than that, but for old times' sake, she played along with him, "What?!?  What do you mean almost, you little brat?"  And they both happily returned to the bickering that they had missed so many days before.  It seemed like a lifetime, and they were ready to duke it out just to make up for lost time.
 Sanosuke looked at Kaoru as she shouted at Yahiko.  Even choking the little boy with her hands, she looked totally different.  She looked more..he guessed..female than she ever had before.  She was pretty enough in a kimono, he thought, but in that dress with that make up, and with her hair the way it was...he still couldn't believe it was her.  Sano's next thought took him back to the night that he and Kenshin came to the tavern for the first time...
 "Yo Kaoru," he called out when it was obvious that Yahiko didn't have a chance, " I didn't know that you could sing."
 Kaoru's cheeks reddened considerably when she realized that Sanosuke had witnessed her...behaviour that night when she sang to Kenshin for the first time.  "Um..well.." she looked down in embarrassment and immediately let go of Yahiko, who's face had turned blue from her grip around his neck, "I'm not that good, but I'm told my mother had a pretty voice, and so I just thought I'd...Kenshin?"
 Kenshin still had the paper, neatly folded, in his hand, yet he walked around the tavern looking out the door with a concentrated frown on his face.  He turned to Yahiko,  "Yahiko, are you alright?"  The boy nodded and Kenshin nodded in response.  "I am glad to hear it.  Now, were you able to get the police?"  Everybody but Yahiko and Kenshin turned to look towards the woods outside to see if they could spot any uniformed officer.
 "I went!  But they wouldn't come, Kenshin.  As a matter of fact, they sent me here to bring you to the police station.  They want to question you."