The 17th Year of Meiji

A tall, lanky, longhaired man looked over the ship's railing to see the coast of Japan. He gave a smirk.

"It's been a long time, well, six years. I'll see ya soon, minna… and… Megumi."

oOo

A black haired woman made her way down the road that she had taken many times before in the past. It's been a few months since I've seen Ken-san and Kaoru-san. I believe it was during Kaori-chan's birth. She smiled a bit sadly. You're a lucky woman, Tanuki-chan. I was always jealous of you for Ken-san affections, but…

"You can't choose the one you love. But you do choose your friends."

Megumi swallowed, as a tall, rooster-headed man came into her thoughts. He had said that to her once, when he caught her once crying over her unreciprocated feelings for Kenshin. He had said that to her and tried to give her some comfort as best he could.

That idiot, Megumi thought fondly. Where are you now, Sagara Sanosuke? You better be keeping that hand away from that stupid move.

"Megoomi-oba!" a little five-year-old, redheaded boy squealed, as his "aunt" entered the Kamiya dojo. "You here!"

Megumi bent down and smiled at the boy. "Konnichiwa, Kenji-chan. How is everyone?"

"We are good!" he replied, with a firm nod.

"Megumi-san!" A young woman, with raven hair, ran out of the house and wrapped her friend in an embrace.

"Hello to you too, Kaoru," said Megumi, giggling.

Himura Kaoru pulled back and smiled brightly. "I'm so glad you've come, Megumi. Ever since you've moved to Aizu, we haven't been able to see you that often."

"Though," Megumi poked her friend for emphasis, "I did get see you when Kaori was born which was only a few months ago." Kaoru rolled her eyes, and Megumi just smirked.

"Anyway, speaking of Kaori, where is the little one? And Ken-san?"

"Right here, de gozaru, Megumi-dono."

The three turned to see Kaoru's husband and father of Kenji standing on the engawa, with a small bundle in his arms.

Kenshin bowed slightly. "It's good to see you, Megumi-dono, de gozaru." He smiled. "We all were anxious for your visit. Kenji couldn't sit still, de gozaru."

Megumi bowed in return. "As it is you, Ken-san. How have you been feeling since I last checked you?"

Kenshin shrugged slightly. "This one has been well. There have been no problems, de gozaru."

"That's good to hear, and Kaori-chan has gotten so big."

"Hai, de gozaru," Kenshin said with a smile, looking down at his sleeping daughter, who was a spitting image of his wife. As if knowing she was the center of attention, little Kaori opened her violet-blue eyes to stare up at her aunt. Then, she stuck her thumb in her mouth and snuggled closer into her father's warmth.

Kenji's hand in hers, Kaoru spoke up. "Come, Megumi-san. I'm sure you're hungry. Kenshin cooked up some lunch. We can continue talking there."

"Hai. Arigato," thanked Megumi, and the party went into the house.

oOo

A Week Later

"I can't believe I went all the way to Aizu to find out she's not there, but visiting Kenshin and Jou-chan," Sagara Sanosuke griped, making his way toward his friends' home. "Geez, I haven't seen her in six years and that fox-lady still gives me problems! ...Well, at least I get to see everyone at once."

Sanosuke stopped in front of the familiar dojo gate; a place he had seen more times than he could count. He smiled at the dojo sign that read Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. "Well, the sign looks pretty new. Maybe Jou-chan has finally got some students besides the brat." He turned his gaze back to the door. "I hope they aren't all mad at me for leaving like that." He raised his fist and knocked.

Inside the house, Kenshin looked at his wife. "Were we expecting visitors, Kaoru-dono?"

Kaoru looked puzzled. "No, Kenshin. Why?"

Kenshin merely smiled and stood, making his way to gate. Kaoru knowing he knew something followed. Kenshin opened the door, a huge smile coming to his face. "Hey, Sano."

In shock, Kaoru stared at their friend, who smiled that same cocky grin of his and rubbed his neck. "Hey to you too. Do you mind letting an old friend in?"

Kenshin moved, and Sanosuke stepped in only to be glomped by Kaoru's hug. "Where have you been, you idiot?!" she cried. "The last letter was sent a year ago, with you saying you'd be back soon. Do you call a year soon?!"

"Gomen, Jou-chan," Sanosuke said sheepishly.

"Tou-chan? Kaa-chan? Who's that?" Kenji hid behind his father in sight of the tall stranger.

Sano grinned. "I thought you'd have a kid! He looks just like you, Kenshin."

Kenshin smiled. "We have two, de gozaru. Kaori is sleeping, but this is Kenji. Kenji, this is Sano-oji, the one we told you about, de gozaru."

Kenji poked his head out to see Sano's grinning face and said, "Right, Tori-atama."

"Hey! Don't call me that!" Sano protested, but Kenshin and Kaoru just laughed.

"But you are a tori-atama!"

Sanosuke froze at the voice and turned to see the one who had been on his mind the most the past six years. "Kitsune," he breathed. Kenshin and Kaoru smiled at each other at his response.

Megumi stared at the man she had not seen in six years. He had filled out, no longer gangly. His hair was much longer, so he really wasn't a tori-atama anymore. Not that she'd stop calling him that. He seemed…older.

Sano walked toward her. "Hey, Megistune." He raised his right hand, grinning. "Can you check it for me?"

Megumi's face turned red and began hitting him with her medicine box. "FIX IT YOURSELF, YOU IDIOT!"

Little Kenji's eyes widened and kept to his hiding place behind his father's legs. "Megumi-oba is scary."

Kenshin and Kaoru laughed at his expression, and Kenshin answered, "That's just her way of saying she's happy to see him, de gozaru."

oOo

Megumi sat on engawa, holding little Kaori, as her parents took care of various chores around the dojo.

"Hey, Kitsune." Sanosuke stood over her, a fishbone in his mouth.

Megumi smirked. "Did Kenji-chan finally leave you alone?" Over the past two days, Kenji had become quite attached to Sanosuke, never leaving his side.

"Yeah. Yahiko said it was time for lessons," he replied, sitting down next to her. "I can't believe how big the brat's got."

"You should see how he is around Tsubame," Megumi said smiling. "That girl has him tied around her finger."

"Really? Well, he always had a soft spot for her." Silence reigned for a bit between them.

"Sanosuke?"

"Yeah?"

"Why did you never tell me you were leaving?"

Sanosuke frowned. "Well…it kinda just happened. I got in trouble with the cops, and I had to get out of Japan." He paused and then said softly. "But I am sorry, I didn't get say good-bye properly." He scratched his head. "I never really was good at goodbyes, was I?"

Megumi gave a small laugh. "No, you weren't." In fact, you're horrible.

"Look, I'm sorry, Kitsune. What else can I say?" That I love you. But I can't say that now. You'd never believe me.

"Well, if you can't think of anything, then don't say anything," she said harshly.

Sano looked at her. Was she crying? "Megistune?"

"Can you just leave me alone for a bit, please? For once!"

Sano bit his lip. Well, here goes nothing. "Sorry, not happening. I've done that ever since I met you, but this time…" He leaned closer to her. "But this time, I'm not."

Megumi stared at him, her eyes wide. "S—Sa—no?"

"I'm sorry, Megumi." And with that, he pressed his lips to hers.

To say Megumi was shocked would be an understatement. She was stunned, dazed, and frightened. What was he doing? And why!? Before her brain could register an answer, he had pulled away but kept his eyes locked with hers.

"I'm just making sure you know my intentions now that I'm back," he said huskily. Then, he stood, his face turning red. "Well…I'll see ya later."

"Baka." Megumi stated.

"Wha-?"

She smiled at his incredulous face. "You're baka if you didn't notice that I welcome them."

His eyes widened, and a huge grin appeared on his face.

One Year Later

"He's so adorable," Kaoru crooned. "He looks like Sano, but he's got your eyes and nose, Megumi."

Megumi smiled. "Hai, but Sozo-chan has his father's stubbornness too."

"Oi! Be nice, Megistune!" her husband complained. "I'm not that stubborn!"

Everyone raised his or her eyebrows, and Kenshin said, chuckling, "Are you sure, Sano?" Sanosuke glared at his best friend.

Yahiko slapped the older man's back. "We're just joking, Sano."

"Be quiet, brat."

"Don't call me brat! I'm eighteen!"

Sanosuke smirked at the teen. "You'll always be brat to me…brat."

Yahiko's eyebrow twitched.

"I guess something's don't change," Kaoru said with a smile.

Megumi shook her head. "No, but I'm glad some do."

The ending sucked. I was running out of steam. This had been on my computer for a bit and I just wanted it done. I'm sorry that it's not at good as some of my other stuff.