Kaoru stood in the dojo, sweat pouring down her still bruised face, as she practiced her forms, again getting use to their movements after having to avoid such work while her injuries had healed.

The limp was gone, as was her headaches and the swollen bump on her head. The bruises along her face and neck were still visible, but barely so. They had diminished to just a hint of yellow-green on her porcelain-like skin.

Kenshin sat outside on the dojo steps, waiting with some fresh tea for Kaoru while she finished up. In the days since he had come home that one night with police outside the dojo, someone had always been with Kaoru. Either Sano and Yahiko, or Kenshin had made sure to stay behind. Today, Kenshin had willingly stayed behind, somehow he could not help himself, he was always shadowing Kaoru. He was reluctant to leave the dojo these days, and would only do so for very brief periods of time. Sano had noted it, but kept his mouth shut, and helped out where he could. Sometimes Sano would be the one to bring home the groceries freeing up Kenshin to stay at the dojo.

Why is it the ones I care for are always in danger?

Kenshin sat looking down the dojo path, brooding, only Kaoru's hand on his shoulder woke him from his dark thoughts.

"Kenshin! Are you alright?"

"Hai, I was just thinking."

Kaoru would have asked about what, but somehow she saw the look in his eyes and though it better to let sleeping dogs lie.

Kenshin, poured Kaoru some tea and handed it to her, then poured himself a cup as well.

"Arigato, Kenshin," Kaoru said with a tender, sad smile on her face.

"Doo itashimashimate, " Kenshin replied smiling softly. "So how was practice?"

"Well, it was okay, but I'm definitely looking forward to a hot bath! I am going to be so sore after not working these muscles for so long, and the injured ones are still on the stiff side."

"Well, I already drew some water, and I have the fire going to heat it up for you."

"Arigato Kenshin, I appreciate your thoughtfulness"

Kaoru looked at him with soft wordless eyes. She always felt so special the way he just did things for her without asking. She loved him for that, but she saw no real hope that he loved her as anything more than a friend or as a sort of adopted sister. Yet, there were times that he just acted in a way that gave her hope that despite it all he really did have some affection for Kaoru the woman.

She was not for sure, she might just be imagining things, but she swore that Kenshin had been shadowing her of late. Not like she left the dojo, in a way she was almost too scared to do so, and a bit ashamed too. But everytime she turned around of late, there was Kenshin hanging back in the corner of her eye.

Kenshin looked up at her and smiled, taking a sip from his tea. For a while the two just sat there in silence drinking their tea, despite the chilled bite of the wind. Kaoru finished her tea, and put it down then leaned up against the wall, closing her eyes and sighing heavily.

"Kaoru?"

She just sat there a while, eyes closed, a few minutes passed and the only real sound heard was the wind howling softly. "I hate this. I don't know how much of this I can stand. I feel like a caged animal in my own home. This constant sense of dread. I just wish this whole thing was over already. I want to get on with my life, but I can't."

Kenshin looked out the door of the dojo.

"I think you only feel caged because you do not go out. If you'd like I'd accompany you somewhere?"

Kaoru eyes lit up but the light was diminished, snuffed out by a wind of her own creation.

"I think I'll just go take that bath. Practice wore me out. Perhaps another time."

Kaoru realized how weak of an excuse that was, but she did not feel like going anywhere. It was as if the whole ordeal had drained Kaoru of her energy and the enjoyment she found in life. She did not see the point in leaving the dojo if she would not enjoy it, and she knew shewould not. Not at this point.

"Okay, I'll go see if the water is ready for you. And I'll take care of the tea too."

Kenshin got up, and left. Kaoru stared at his retreating back, with so many things on her mind, so many things in her heart. She finally closed her eyes again and sighed, feeling the coolness of the breath of the coming winter on her skin.

Deep within Kaoru stirred a sense of unease, she tried to focus on it, but it eluded her, and then she heard the battle screams.

She jumped to her feet, reaching for her sword in an automatic reflex, and began heading toward the sounds outside of the dojo. She was halfway down the path before someone pulled her hair from behind. She whirled around to strike at her opponent, and only stayed her attack when she say the unruly mane of crimson hair and the familiar x-shaped scar.

"KENSHIN! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Gomen, but you don't know what's out there."

Kaoru bowed her head for a brief second.

"True enough, but I just can't stand by when I hear others in trouble. Gomen, Kenshin, but I HAVE to do this."

Kaoru turned back around and began running toward the ruckus. When all of a sudden the door came crashing in, broken off of its hinges, shrapnel from the splinters flying through the air.

Kaoru threw her arms in front of her face shielding her face from the flying debris, a few splinters caught in her clothes and rent minute tears in them, but she was unharmed. As she drew her arms back down, she saw standing in the doorway the face of one of her attackers.

"Well bitch, I see you're ready to greet me. I'm going to pay you back for spoiling my plans!"

Kaoru merely narrowed her eyes and went into a guard position.She sensed Kenshin beginning to move up behind her. She heard him clear his throat, and before he could ask to fight for her, she cut him off at the pass.

"Kenshin, watch my back please, there are two others out there somewhere. But don't get involved. This is my fight. I NEED to deal with this.

Kenshin nodded his head in acknowledgment his heart pounding with worry, but he stepped back, and Kaoru stepped forward.

"Aw, how sweet, the little bitch think she's going to do something"

Kaoru did not utter a word, she merely narrowed her eyes, and shifted into a guard position, waiting for him to make the first move.

*Like a tiger pouncing on its prey he leapt forward, getting ready to take this pesky field mouse into his mangling paws, but like a graceful crane she sidestepped the attack, and with a swooping gesture brought her sword down.

This surprised tiger was not amused, and still had the agility of a cat, and managed to not only block the swordstroke but managed to attack with a knife pulled from his belt.

*(Author's Note: The Tiger and Crane Imagery is supposed to be an allusion to the origins of the art of Kung Fu. A Shaulin Monk saw a Crane defend its' young (or was it nest?) from a Tiger, and from this fight got the ideas for the most basic rudiments of Kung FU)

Kaoru saw the glint of the blade, unable to block it, she jumped back out of the way. The first clash of yin and yang done.

The predator narrowed his eyes, appreciating that this would be no easy kill, and was simply enthralled by that fact. Kaoru stood, her face an unbreakable mask. The world narrowed down, her battle senses were at full intesity: watching, waiting, analyzing.

Realizing that sometimes the best defensive is a good offensive, Kaoru attacked suddenly. Utilizing the element of surprise, she managed to close the distance between them before he had enough time to go into a true defensive stance. Her sword snaked out and disarmed him, his sword falling on the ground a couple of feet in front of Kenshin. Kenshin felt a huge weight lifted from his shoulders, yet some weight still remains: the weight of worry.

"Give it up," Kaoru saai in an expressionless voice.

"You can't be serious! I'm not over yet you bitch!"

He lunged at her with a rabid ferocity, using the knife from earlier as a new weapon. Taken off guard, Kaoru parried the knife and knocked it out of his hands. She then kicked the knife behind her in the direction of Kenshin.

"Give it up."

This time Kaoru said it as a command, the cold edge of anger icily freezing a path along the wintry tones of her voice. He looked up, hatred engraved in a snarl on his face, and used his finally trick.

Kenshin saw the glint of metal in the light, his stomach suddenly in his throat.

"KA-"

Kaoru felt a chill, and insitinctively dodged to the side, hearing the dull thwack of a knife slapping against the ground.

Kaoru's eyes narrowed, and she walked boldly toward the creature prone on the ground.

"I have had enough of you!"

She thwacked him satisfactorily across the head, knocking him unconscious.

Kenshin heard Kaoru sigh, and began to walk toward her, but her voice stilled him.

"Kenshin, would you get some rope for this one," she said with a nod of her head at the man at her feet.

"Hai."

Kenshin ran back into the dojo for some rope, Kaoru backed away keeping an ever-wary eye on the foe at her feet, somehow keeping her emotions in check.

She sensed rather than saw or heard their approach. She allowed them to think that they were sneaking up on her. When they were only a scant fifteen feet away shespoke up.

"Give it up. Or you'll end up as bad or worse than your companion."

The two men stopped dead in their tracks startled, and shared a brief glance.

"And just what are you going to do about it?" yelled one as they both sprang to attack her.

Kenshin ran up, his instincts going haywire, rope and sword in hand, only to see the two men attacking Kaoru. Torn between whether he should help her or not, he stood, the rope dropping from his fingers to lay on the cold ground, his sakabuto held ready in his hand.

Kaoru turned aside at the last minute, blocking one sword stroke, dodging another as she kicked out with her foot, sending one of the men flying a few feet away.

"Two on one? The Odds hardly seem fair for you two."

Kaoru said without a hint of gloating or pride, instead it was heavily accented with a stealy sarcasm. She looked briefly at Kenshin and nodded at him toward the man she had sent flying

The man closest to her, pivoted and came at her with both sword and knife, one wielded in each hand. Kaoru came down hard on his knife bearing hand, knocking the knife from his painfully numb hand, and pivoted out of the way of the sword stroke. Then she turned rapidly, her pony tail flying so fast it snapped through the air, as her sword arched out toward his, and disarmed him.

Meanwhile, Kenshin waited for the other man to get to his feet, but the other man saw the x-shaped scar on his face, thought better of it, and ran.

Saitoh walked through the bashed in Dojo Door, the retreating man ran right into him, and Saitoh merely looked at him and struck his head, the man falling to the floor unconscious.

Kenshin approached with the rope, and tied up the man Kaoru fell earlier. Then walked up behind Kaoru.

Kaoru stood, her sword at the ready waiting for this idiot to try to fight. He stood where he was waiting to see if an opportunity would present itself, but never saw one, and before he knew it Kenshin was tying his hands together.

"Saitoh, I believe this refuse is yours. Please clean up your mess. And maybe do something about the gate. And try to keep your trash in its proper place this time."

Kaoru turned around sharply, and walked mechancically back into the dojo, and went quickly into her room, closing the door partially behind her.

"Hmph." Saitoh put his sword up, and reached for a cigarette.

"I'll return the rope later. And I'll see about getting the gate fixed."

"Arigato."

"By the way Battousai, I still await our rematch." And with that Saitoh turned around following behind a procession of officers carrying the other men away.

Kenshin with a sigh, turned around and went into the dojo, searching for Kaoru.

He found her in her darkened room, the door shut, but left slightly ajar.

"Kaoru-dono?"

His only answer was a whisper of a cry.

Kenshin stood there unsure if he should intrude, but the next heart-wrenching sob from Kaoru broke his heart, and he entered. He walked over to her and knelt down beside her.

"Kaoru?" He spoke so softly, his voice and eyes so full of concern.

Kaoru looked up through her visage of tears, whimpered, and fell into his understanding arms.

For the longest time he held her, his own eyes closed, hurting that he had failed to protect her, failed to prevent this suffering. Every sob was a knife into his heart. He had not heard her cry like this since the day when he left to fight Shishio. And then it was a sword strike to his heart. One he never thought would heal. Despite it all, when she came after him, he felt guilt and shame, and yet, that wound did heal.

From time to time, he would caress her hair, or gently wiped away some tears. Finally the wrenching sobs faded, and her breathing returned to normal. For a while yet he just held her, tenderely and loosely, yet firm with caring.

She finally pulled back, after an eternity of pain ended to soon. Kenshin with reluctance let her go.

"Gomensai. I've made your shirt all soggy."

Kenshin just smiled gently at her.

"Don't, worry it will dry, " he said with wry humor and raised both hands to her face, his thumbs deftly wiping the tears away.

Kaoru looked up, then looked down at her hands.

"Arigato Kenshin. I guess I've been needed to let that all out for a long time. Thank you, for not interferring and trusting me back there. It meant alot to me. I had to deal with them. I had to or I could never face myself again."

Kenshin nodded.

"Why don't you go take a bath get cleaned up, I'll go cook dinner. okay?"

Kaoru nodded and gathered her things and went for that very nice sounding bath.

Kenshin with soft eyes watched Kaoru leave for her bath then quietly went into the kitchen.

"ORO?"

The mess before Kenshin's eyes was unbelievable. He had totally forgotten that he had started dinner earlier. The dinner was one congealed burnt mess.