* Disclaimer* All rights to the Rurouni Kenshin Characters are Watsuki-sama's, Jump Comics, etc.  All right to the character " Incarnations" Are property of Piers Anthony.  There are references made to his book " On a Pale Horse." But you do not need to have read the book to understand what is happening. =) This is only a little fanfic by a crazed Kenshin fan, I'm a poor college art student, and not even worth suing!  Enjoy!

Authors Note-
 Well, I came up with this fic when I still believed Kaoru was dead.  But I liked the idea of it so much that I decided to keep on writing it. (Even though it's been established that, yes… she IS alive)  Consider this a "what if this happened" fic.  Kind of like an alternative where Enishi does actually kill her.   I know, it sounds awful, but believe me; this ISN'T going to be depressing! I'm determined to make it happy!  And to appease all those Kenshin and Kaoru fans out there…well… >=)
 

 A little pre-fanfic know-how about "On a Pale Horse."

The incarnations mentioned in this fic are taken from " On a Pale Horse."  In Piers Anthony's book, he takes these aspects of life and creates people for them-- much like we imagine there being a "Father Time," and a "Mother Nature."  Here, I will be making references to human incarnations of " Death," "Fate," "Time," and "Nature." ( So far-- I don't know what other ones I shall bring in from his book yet.)
 
  Oh-- Death also rides a horse, Mortus, which can also conveniently be a car (limo), boat, etc.  Whatever Death might need as a mode of transportation in the moment.
 
 

CHAPTER 29- Floating Forever

 “ STOP!” The Demoness cried.  But it was in vain.  Kenshin blinked a few times, his vision slowly coming back to him.
 “ Himura?” Thanatos asked hesitantly.  Kenshin squinted his eyes, seeming confused for a moment. “ Kenshin? Are you ok?”
 Kenshin nodded wordlessly.  He closed his left eye, so that he could only see with the one the drop had been put into.  “ I can see with it again.”
 “ What do you see?”
 “ The truth.”
 “…” Thanatos watched as Kenshin stooped down next to the growling Hell Hound and held his hand out to it. He instantly jumped forwards, hand extended.  “ Himura! What are you doing? It’ll bite your hand off!”
 “ No—“ Kenshin smiled down at it.  “ It wouldn’t do that to me.”
 What Kenshin saw when he put the tear in his blind eye didn’t surprise him.  Instead of the Hell Hound, he saw Kaoru.  She sat on the ground, her eyes pouring tears.
 “ Kenshin.” She looked up at him earnestly.  “ Do you recognize me?”
 “ Of course, Kaoru.” He knelt next to her and put his hand on her cheek, he felt the soft skin of her cheek, and the wetness of her tears.  The hound was truly just an illusion.  “ Satan almost tricked me.  I've been looking for you but the entire time you were chasing me! I've been RUNNING from you this entire time!”
 " Kenshin…" Kaoru smiled at him weakly.
 “ H-Himura??” Thanatos asked nervously.
 “ What do you see Thanatos?” Kenshin asked.
 “ You’re stroking the head of that beast!”
 “ This is Kaoru.”
 “ WHAT?!”
 “ It’s her—I knew it was.  She’s the only one who could recognize my attacks like that.  Satan almost played me for a fool.” He lifted Kaoru up into his arms and stood, eyes narrowed.  “But, not any more!”
  Kenshin looked over at the impostor of Kaoru.  This time he didn’t see Kaoru, only a horned demoness, her scaled body was red with rage.
 “ Where is Shishio?!” Kenshin demanded. “I succeeded in my challenge! I've found Kaoru!  So he has to keep his part of the agreement! I’m going to take Kaoru out of here!”
 “ Are you so sure you want to do that?!”  The voice of Shishio suddenly spoke up in Kenshin’s head. And the Demoness instantly vanished.  Kenshin gripped his sword tightly; he and Thanatos looked about hastily for the Incarnation of Evil.
 “ Shishio!” Kenshin yelled.  “ Let us go back now! Release that illusion and allow us to go back as you promised!”
 “ Hmph… very well, I’ll release the illusion.” Shishio appeared before them.  With a simple gesture, Kenshin could see Kaoru again with both eyes.  From Thanatos’s reaction, he could tell she no longer appeared as the Hell Hound.
" Kenshin…" she whispered hoarsely, he quickly shook his head.
" Shhh-- don't try and talk… It's ok."
She nodded nervously, eyeing Shishio. Then leaned her head against his chest, allowing her tears to spill onto his Gi. “ Kenshin!!!”
“ Shhh…" He repeated soothingly.  "I’m going to take you out of here."
“ Oh, well isn’t that touching.” Satan snickered.  Kenshin regarded him with a glare not too far away from the golden eyed Battousai.
“Let us go!" His voice was low and had a dangerous edge in it.
“ By all means, go.” Satan waved him away with one hand.  Kenshin couldn’t help but shiver at the smile he gave him.  He was up to something.
“Satan!” Thanatos sensed it as well, and turned to him.  “ Where is the elevator?”
“Oh, how silly of me.” Shishio smiled maniacally and then made a small gesture. A door composed entirely of bleached white bones appeared.  “ This will take you back, if you REALLY want to go… but I wouldn’t recommend it.”
Kenshin stopped his advance towards the elevator; he turned back to throw Shishio a dirty look.
 “ What’s that supposed to mean?!” Kenshin demanded.  “ You SAID that if I found her, I could take her back with me!”
 “ No—“ Kaoru’s whisper was barely audible.
“K-Kaoru?” He blinked down at her, Her voice was muffled, but this time she said it again with more force.
“ NO!”
“ W-What’s wrong? Kaoru… I thought—“
  “ Kenshin… you mustn’t take me back with you…”
 “ N-Nani?”  Her entire body began to shiver. “ Kaoru? Are you sick?  We’ll fix it once we get out of here! It’s ok—I’ll--”
“ NO!!” Kaoru yelled more forcibly this time.  Kenshin saw her lift her head and meet his gaze, her eyes quivered. He gasped, instead of that familiar bottomless blue amethyst. Here eyes were purple, much the shade of his own.
“W-What?” He tried to contain his surprise.  " It must be a trick of the light!"
 “ If you do… then… Ohhhh…” She clutched her stomach, her face contorted in pain. “ Kenshin!!”
 “ S-Shishio?! WHAT did you do to Kaoru?!” Kenshin whirled on him in an instant rage.
“ You should know by now, that The Incarnation of Evil never looses.” Shishio let out a bone-chilling laugh.
 Kenshin staggered back as Kaoru violently recoiled from him, her arms flailed out, pushing him away from her.  Desperate to do something, Kenshin only wrapped his arms about her tighter, holding her to him.
 “ Kaoru—what’s wrong, where does it hurt?”
 “ NO! NO!!!” She fought against his embrace. “ NO!”
 “ Shishio… what is the meaning of this?! This was NOT covered in our deal!” Thanatos cried.
 “ Exactly.” Shishio snickered.  “ The deal said nothing about making sure Kaoru was the same angel that entered.  Do you know what happens to an angel once they enter Hell?”
 “ K-Kaoru…” Kenshin whispered.  She’d finally given up her struggle against his strong embrace.  But her tears glowed now, flowing down her cheeks like two shimmering waterfalls.
 “ Kenshin…” she whispered.  “ Something… in me…”
 “ Kaoru?” His voice broke with worry.  “ What do you mean?”
 “ Something… evil…” She cried out and doubled over in pain. Her body shook convulsively. Kenshin hastily lay her onto the ground; he looked up at Shishio in a rage.
 “ Return her to normal. I don’t know what you did to her, but FIX it! I DEMAND you do it!”
 “ Demand? Me?” Shishio laughed.  “ Don’t be ridiculous.”
 “ ARRRGGHH!” He charged him, breaking into a faster than God-speed. “ Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, RYU KAN SEN!”
 Surprised, he sliced through thin air.  Kenshin barely had time to catch himself.  His momentum sent him flying through the air and he somersaulted back up to his feet.
 “ What—happened?" He glanced at his sword.  " I KNOW I would have connected!”
 “ Himura!” Thanatos’s voice broke through his thoughts and Kenshin jumped to the side to avoid getting skewered.  He blocked another blow from Shishio, who now wielded a long sword.
 “ No mortal has hopes of defeating me, I am an immortal.” Shishio said through a snarl.
 “ Then I’ll be the first, since I’m the one who sent you to Hell in the first place.” Kenshin threw Shishio off balance and charged again.
 " HITEN MITSURUGI RYU, TSUMUGI!" He launched into the air, flying at him with incredible velocity.  But just as he was about to connect, there was only air!  Shocked, Kenshin crashed to the ground.
 " Don't you get it by now, Sempai?" Shishio towered over him.  " You can't hit me."
 " No…" Kenshin thought as he quickly rolled back to his feet, instantly crouching back into a ready stance.  " There has to be a way!"
 “ Heh—“ Shishio lowered his sword.  “ Shouldn’t you be worried about your girlfriend right now?”
 “ Kaoru?” Kenshin cautiously turned his head and noticed Kaoru was now hunched over in a tight ball, her face recoiled in pain.
 “ K-Kenshin…” Her voice was hoarse and breathy.  She gasped for air and then lowered her head, her hair spilled down over her shoulders in a black curtain.  Sweat broke out on her forehead.
 “ Be careful Kenshin…” Thanatos cautioned.
 “ A-Aa…” With one eye on Shishio, Kenshin took a step towards her, but stopped in shock as huge, black bat wings suddenly burst out of her exposed back.  They ripped through her Kimono and  Kaoru screamed.  She arched her back, eyes opened wide in pain.
“ KAORU?!” Instantly forgetting Shishio, Kenshin was at her side in an instant.  “KAORU?!”
She uttered a small moan, then collapsed to the ground, all shivering ceased.
 “ K-Kaoru!?”
 “ K…” Her hair covered her face; she slowly turned her head to the side so she could glimpse him through the shiny black strands.  Kenshin’s worried voice caught in his throat as he caught her stare. Her eyes… glowing red eyes!
  “ K…” She seemed to be trying to say something.
 “This is INSANE! What have you done to her?!” Kenshin whirled around to face Shishio.
 “ I turned her into a fallen angel.” Shishio smiled at him coolly.  “ I think it’s quite an improvement.”
 “ K…Kao…” She seemed to be trying hard to say her name, Kenshin turned back to her in a panic.
 “ Yes! You’re Kaoru! You’re not—“
 “ Kaoru!” She finally said.
“ Kaoru…” Kenshin reached out towards her, but she recoiled from his hand.  She looked at him confused, as if she didn't know who he was.
 “ Kaoru---“ She repeated.  “…Is not here!”
 “Nani?!”
 “ Not here…” She repeated, She sat up, smiling coldly at him, her eyes igniting a strange flame.
 “ Come here my Fallen Angel.” Shishio demanded.
 “ Don’t! Kaoru!” Kenshin reached out towards her, with a hiss and a beat of her wings;  she flew out of his reach.  Kenshin looked upwards helplessly. She hovered in mid-air.  Her Kimono was torn around her shoulders, but still held together by her Obi. Her dark hair fell straight, framing her face.  Her red eyes glared at him with hatred.
 “ Come!” Shishio repeated.
 She looked down at Satan and then swooped low, circling his head before landing gracefully at his feet.
 “ KAORU!” Kenshin took a step towards her but stopped again at another cold stare from the one he loved.
 “ Good girl.” Shishio grinned.  He rested his hand on her head. “ So… Sempai," Shishio grinned at Kenshin.  " Do you still want to take her back with you?”
 “ Kisama…” Kenshin narrowed his eyes.  “ Turn her back!”
“ You should have figured it out by now, no one orders Me around.” Shishio grinned at him coolly.
Kenshin tightened the fist holding the Sakaba.  “ What will it take to turn her back?”
 “ Himura!” Thanatos cried.  “ We don’t have the time for this! You need to get back to your body within 10 minutes!  Just leave her here!”
 “ Why not take his advice?  You did win that part of the bargain-- you're free to go anytime." He gestured over to the elevator.
Kenshin ignored him, “ Give her BACK!”
Shishio lifted his hand from her head.  “ Very well, I'll give her to you, though if you take her out of Hell—I don’t know what kind of havoc she may cause.  She only obeys Me.”
 “ That’s NOT Kaoru!” Kenshin cried, he pointed his sword at him again, his eyes flickering dangerously. “ Give the REAL Kaoru back.”
 Kaoru flashed an angry glare his way; she let out a low growl from the back of her throat.
 “ She doesn’t like how you’re treating me.” Shishio said matter-of-factly.  “ I think I’ll let her do what she wants to in this case.  If you want a fight, I’ll give you one.”
 “ N-Nani?” Kenshin took a step back as Kaoru abruptly stood up, looking at him darkly. His heart skipped a beat as she began to advance on him slowly.  The look on her face frightening him to no end.  He knew that look, the look of blood lust. “ What are you doing? Shishio?”
 “ You seemed so eager to fight, so I’m giving you your wish.”
 “S-Stop it!” Kenshin had never felt so helpless before.   Kaoru opened her palm and a large Scythe on a long handle appeared before her.  With a grin, she took it in both hands and lifted into the air with grace.
 “ Kenshin!” Thanatos cried.
 “ Kill…” Kaoru said with a grin.  “ I will kill you.”
 “ Kaoru!” Kenshin made a large gesture of lowering his sword to the ground and then stepped away from hit.  “ I don’t want to fight you!”
 “ Kaoru…” She repeated.
“ Yes, you’re Kaoru, you’re not a Fallen Angel!”
“ Kaoru… is not HERE!” And with that she dove straight for him, swinging her scythe in a deadly arc.  Kenshin ducked just in time to avoid getting his head cut off.
 “ KENSHIN! LEAVE HER HERE AND LET’S GO BACK!” Thanatos cried. “You CAN’T expect to beat a Fallen Angel!”
 “ I’m NOT leaving Kaoru!” Kenshin jumped to the side to avoid another down cut by Kaoru.  She darted around in the air with perfect control, changing directions in the blink of an eye.  Kenshin was already exhausted… First the swamp, then the snow, then the desert, and now this?!   He could deal with the first three… but… but…

  There was no way he could pick up his sword against her.

 “ What can you do?” Thanatos pleaded. “ I’ve NEVER tangled with a Fallen Angel! I’m not that dumb! Let’s just go and come back later!”
 “ Kaoru! You’re not like this!” Kenshin cried.  He crashed low to the ground and Kaoru swooped over him.  The hot sting of a slash wound and that familiar scent of blood told Kenshin he hadn't avoided that last attack so well.  He staggered up to his feet again; Death paled at the wound that ran diagonally along his chest.  It was a thin wound, but blood dripped from it all the same.
" Himura! This is serious! What good will you be to her if you're trapped here in Hell forever?"
Ignoring Death, Kenshin kept his eyes glued to her movements.  It was like she defied all forces of momentum, turning and changing directions in the wink of an eye.  And her Scythe—that thing seemed to act by itself.
“ I’ll KILL you!” She laughed, with Scythe upraised; she dove down towards him.  Kenshin dive rolled to the side as she raked the ground where he’d just been.
“ KAORU!" He was at his feet again in an instant.  " STOP IT!”
 “ Himura! Pick up your sword!” Thanatos cried. “ If you won’t leave her, then at least put her out of her misery!”
 “ N-Nani?” Kenshin dodged another attack.
 “ Look at her! Don’t you see?”
 Kenshin squinted up at her and saw the glowing tears, which ran down her cheeks.  It clashed with the look of pure hatred that she gave him.
 “ Kaoru…” He picked up his sword.  Those tears… inside, she is crying…

“ She’s still there—only trapped.”

“ Ah, so you will try and fight back now? Interesting.” Kaoru smiled down on him, mockingly.  Kenshin returned her gaze with determination.
 “Himura?!" Thanatos watched in amazement as Kenshin made as if he was sheathing his sword, only without his sheath.
Kaoru seemed to hesitate as his dark gaze shot up at her.  She bit her lower lip.

That was so like the old Kaoru…  Kenshin smiled to himself as he crouched into a Battou Jutsu stance.
" Finish him!" Shishio demanded.
With those two words, all conflict vanished from Kaoru's eyes; she instantly plunged towards him, Scythe ready.
Kenshin held the hilt tightly, his battle cry ringing loud and clear as he charged her. They closed in on each other in moments. Thanatos winced at the thundering sound of the ring of metal as the two weapons clashed.
 It was like time stopped in that moment.  Kaoru still hovering in the air, Kenshin’s sword raised up above his head.  The glint of metal brought both back to the present as Kaoru scythe broke with a loud crack.  The blade whirled up and imbedded itself in the ground beside Thanatos, carried by its momentum. Kenshin had turned his sword around to disarm her!
The power of their collision and Kaoru's sudden defeat sent her crashing to the ground.  Without hesitation, Kenshin threw down his sword and jumped onto her back, he knee grinding in between her desperately beating wings. He grabbed both her arms and pinned them in back of her.
 “ KAORU!” He cried.  “ I KNOW you’re still there!”
 “ LET GO!” She screeched.  Her wings beat fiercely against him, but Kenshin took the beating, he lent all his strength to keeping her on the ground.
 Shishio let out a bone-chilling laugh.  “ She’s no longer Kaoru! How long are you going to try and deny that?”
 Kenshin ignored him.  “ KAORU! IT’S KENSHIN! REMEMBER ME!?!”
 She screeched like a wounded bird.  It didn’t seem as if she heard or even understood him.
 “ Please…” Kenshin thought desperately.  “ Please! Let her remember me! Let her remember herself!”
 
 Suddenly, he was aware of a strange warmth. Time seemed to slow and everything around him.  The warmth washed over him along with a strong feeling of déjà vu.  He’d experienced that warmth before.
It was like the time Kaoru had held him in her arms in Rakuninmura.  Yes—it was like that. But, where did it come from?  Looking around confused, he realized a brilliant white light surrounded them both.
 “ Wh-Where?” He looked about him half dazed, almost forgetting that he was still holding down Kaoru.
 The light came from above, breaking through the dark clouds like a huge white beacon.
 “ What?!” Satan took a step forward; his eyes open wide in shock.  “ What is THIS!?”
 Just as the light hit, Kaoru had also stopped her struggle, she went slack underneath Kenshin, her glowing tears vanished and she closed her eyes.
 “ K-Kaoru?” Kenshin jumped back away from her, shocked but at the same time awed… The dark bat wings shimmered and vanished.  She lay on the ground peacefully, as if asleep.
  Kenshin's heart skipped a beat, cautiously; he bent forward over her and placed a nervous hand on her shoulder. “Kaoru? Daijobu?”
 “ Mmmm…” She opened her eyes.  Relief took Kenshin when he recognized the familiar reflective pools of blue.  He could see himself reflected in them.  She lifted her head ever so slightly.  “ K-Kenshin?”
 " Thank God."  He bit his lip, biting back the sobs that wanted to escape from his throat, and blinked the tears away from his eyes.  " Kaoru… thank God!"
 She looked at him confused.  " W-What-- happen--"
 She was cut off as he put a swift finger to her lips.  He shook his head.  " It's all right now… don't worry…"
 " But--"
 “ Don’t move.” Kenshin hastily tried to support her as she struggled to sit up.  Kaoru instantly put a hand to her forehead; she winced and fell back against him.
 " My head… itai…" Her voice was soft, but it had that familiar ring of hardheaded stubbornness and zeal that only Kaoru could express in words.  It gave Kenshin an overwhelming sense of relief, but at the same time, guilt because he remembered how she’d crashed to the ground just before he'd pinned her.
"She must have hit her head."  He thought nervously.
 “What?! This is impossible!” Shishio was enraged. He extended his hand towards Kaoru, his eyes lighted with a maniacal flare.  Kaoru took one look at him and then shrank away with a small cry.
 “ Stay away!!”
 Kenshin put his arms around her protectively.  They were still in the aura of the light.
Grinding his teeth, Shishio strode forward and made to enter the stream of light surrounding them, but the minute he touched it, it flared out with a deafening crackle.  Kenshin watched amazed as Shishio was sent reeling backwards, just barely managing to catch himself from falling down flat on his back.
 After gathering his senses, he shot an accusing look at Death. “ What IS this!?”
Thanatos shook his head and shrugged.

 Another woman's voice answered for him…
 “ This is the Light of God.”
 Thanatos recognized it instantly.  A woman materialized before Kenshin and Kaoru, she stood within the light, looking out at Shishio with her arms crossed and a smile on her face.
“ Fate!” Kenshin gawked.
 Fate was in her middle-aged aspect.  She turned towards Kenshin with a smile, and then promptly looked down at the battered and tired Kaoru in his arms. “ I see that you’ve found her and she’s all right. That’s good news.”
 “ Fate?” Kaoru looked at her questioningly.
" I'll be happy to answer all questions later." Fate winked at Kenshin, who tightened his grip on Kaoru, drawing her closer into his embrace.  Kaoru melted at his touch, closing her eyes contentedly.  She would question Fate and everything that had happened later.  At the moment, she just wanted to be held.
 Fate nodded with approval at the two, then turned to Satan with a smirk.
“ Looks as though I came just in time.”
 “ Fate! What are you doing here? You have no business here!” Shishio growled under his breath.
 “ Au Contraire .” Fate corrected with a catty smile.  “ God has decided to review Kamiya-san’s court appeal.  So she’s to be brought back to purgatory until the trial takes place.  Her sentence is postponed until that time.”
 “ WHAT?!”
 Fate nodded her confirmation.  “ It’s true.  So don’t be such a sore looser.”
 “ This is outrageous!” Shishio shouted angrily.  “ God and I are on the same level! He doesn’t get to take her from me.”
 “ Her case is on God’s jurisdiction, not yours… Oh!” She tossed him a rolled up scroll.  “ You’re also being called for Jury Duty. Don’t be late!”  Shishio caught the scroll, his face turning red with rage.
 “ Fate! This ISN’T over yet!”
 “ Maybe not for you.” She turned away from him, ignoring the string of curses that followed her remark.
" What now?” Kenshin looked at her questioningly.
 “ Hold her tightly, Himura-san.” Fate smiled at him.
 Kenshin stood up with Kaoru sitting in his arms.  In the blink of an eye, he realized that he was no longer on the ground.  Amazed, he looked down to see he was floating slowly upwards.  It was as if his body was suddenly lighter than air.
 “ We’re going back to purgatory.”  Fate explained.  She looked down and gestured to Thanatos.  “ You’re not just going to stand their gawking are you?”
 Thanatos entered the wall of light and instantly found himself floating up with the other three.
 Kenshin risked a glance back down at Shishio.  The Incarnation of Evil threw him one last Death Glare, then disappeared in a burst of flame.

**

 Kaoru’s senses were slowly returning, a strange sensation enveloped her that she couldn’t quite pinpoint… what was it? She was warm, and she was in the arms of the one she loved.  Then, she remembered that familiar feeling of being lighter than air, when she’d been a Guardian Angel and could walk on air with no difficulty at all.  She was floating!
 “ Could this be a dream?”
 Cautiously, she opened her eyes, afraid that the sensation would disappear. But it was there, and it was real.  She found herself staring into Kenshin’s bare chest, his Gi ripped and tattered from the ordeals he’d been through in Hell.  Blood dripped from a slim wound angling down from his shoulder.
 “ Kenshin?” She said softly.
“ Kaoru…You’re awake?”
 “Kenshin, what happened to you?”
 Kenshin gave her a reassuring hug.  “ Everything will be ok.  We’re going back to Purgatory, I’m taking you away from this place.”
 “ Kenshin…” She shivered and snuggled into him, images of her experience came back to her.  She’d been all alone in the dark, an overwhelming feeling of helplessness as she screamed at the top of her lungs and no one would listen.  No one cared.  Pain, Anguish. Emptyness…

That was Hell.
 
 “ Do you remember now?” He said softly.
 Wordlessly, she nodded her head.  “ It was so horrible.  Kenshin—I don’t ever want to go through that again!”
 “ Shhh… It’s ok.  You won’t, I’ll protect you.”
 She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself up so that she could see his face. She leaned in close to his ear.
 “ We’re both floating.” She whispered.
 “ Aa—“ His body shook with a silent laugh.  Kaoru drew back so she could gaze into his eyes fully.
 “ I want to float like this with you forever.”
 He reached up and put his hand to her cheek, still pink and moist from her tears.  Her eyes, red rimmed as they were, were still just as bright and alive as they'd always been.  Kenshin couldn’t help but smile.  She was safe.  He’d saved her. He hadn’t failed.

And she was in his arms again.

 “ Kenshin…what’s so funny?”
 “ Nothing.”
 “ Mou…” She managed a pouty look, it only made his smile broaden.
 “ Kenshin?”
 “ Oro?”
 “ Where are we going now?”
 “ We’re going to Death’s home first, I need to get back into my body, or I’ll remain a soul forever.”
 Kaoru’s eyes widened.
 “ Don’t worry—we’ll make it.” He smiled reassuringly.  His hand slid down from her cheek to hold her chin between his thumb and forefinger.  " From now on, I won't let anything hurt you, nothing!  I'm not letting you go again!"
" Kenshin…"
Kenshin guided her face up towards his and Kaoru closed her eyes, she felt his warm lips touch hers.  Her embrace instantly tightened about his shoulders.
 
 “ I want to float like this forever…”she thought to herself.  “ Forever…”