Rating: PG to T

Warnings:

- Some parts are manga-ish, but the characters are mostly based on the live action movies. More mature.

- Mentions kissing and slight intimate moment, but nothing graphic. You can say another T-rated getting hot. This is also my fave chapter.

Disclaimer: I'm still playing with Nobuhiro-sensei's sand box.

Notes:

- The infamous five years later epilogue. Answering some questions from the review, sorry, no details for their journey or wedding. Some authors already did it before me. "As the Future Awaits" by GoldAngel2 or "Into The Past" by Scarred Sword Heart (hello there, girl, eheee...) pretty much give the picture of their journey, as for the wedding, I'm sure the RK fanfic archives have something for you.

- I posted this chapter on Kenshin's birth date according to RK wiki. This is the last chappie *sniff sadly*

Beta: orchid14

Epilogue

Five years later

Kenshin leaned his body on the tree in front of the training hall with closed eyes. The sounds of students practiced in the training hall prompted his lips to slowly quirk into a smile.

It had been five years.

Wonderful five years.

Two weeks after their return to Tokyo, Kaoru stated she was ready for another adventure and that was when he took Kaoru to show her the village he was born…well, what was remain of it, and the field when he first met with his Shishou. Kaoru was surprised after learning about his past, but before they left the field, Kaoru took his hand and said to him her gratitude for letting her know his origins and stated it was time for them to have their future. Kenshin couldn't be happier to hear that.

After that, they visited his Shishou's hut. His master's smirk indicated he knew Kenshin's intention and gave them hint he would come down from the mountain when Kenshin and Kaoru tied the knot. He was sure his and Kaoru's face were flushing red.

As Kenshin's predicted to Yosuke that their shinobi friends knew about Yokohama, when they arrived at Aoiya, Misao scowled them over the event in Fujiya's Dojo. She was glad everything had turned out to be alright. She even said she had been keeping an eye for Kobayashi and the corrupt officer. For all Kenshin and Kaoru knew, the government took away all their properties and left both of them penniless.

They also visited Tomoe's grave, it was actually Kaoru's request, which surprised him, but he relented in the end. He didn't say much to his late wife, only told her he would move forward and shared his life with Kaoru from now on. He also wished Tomoe happiness in her afterlife. Kenshin didn't ask what Kaoru wished for Tomoe. Seeing her content face, he knew everything finally was alright.

And then finally, the wedding. It was held four months after their journey back to Kyoto. It was the happiest day in his life. They invited their friends to Tokyo, Kaoru's students from her own dojo and nearby dojos, a lot of officers, including Yamagata-san, their friends in Kyoto and the people in Fujiya Dojo, of course. Even his Shishou kept his promise to come down from the mountain, and Kenshin had just realized how popular he and Kaoru were by the number of the guests arrived.

And…their wedding night. Kenshin's mind floated to that night when they gave in to each other completely. Kaoru looked at him with so much love, she gave herself to him and only him…no pretenses, no secrets, and just pure love between them. The pleasures, the moans…

They had quite an energetic night. And an eventful morning…

A slight move in Kenshin's lap alerted him as he opened his eyes, breaking him from his daydreaming. A 4-year-old-boy with red hair, thanks to which Tae-dono said the boy was his mini version, stirred on his lap, but wasn't completely awake from his slumber. Kenshin smiled and caressed the boy's hair.

During his wandering years, he often imagined what it would feel like to have a child of his own whenever children were playing with him, but he was trapped in his guilt by then and the idea of having a child was only an idea. Since he met Kaoru, he saw how she taught the younger students in the dojo and how they loved and respected her. Remembering how Yosuke's children adored her, he knew Kaoru would be a great mother.

He often pictured having a family with Kaoru and a child of their own.

When Kaoru told him she was pregnant with his child, Kenshin was beyond happy. Himura Kenji was born a year after their marriage. It was also another happiest day in Kenshin's life. In his arm, lied a baby boy with hair just like his. With so many feelings, Kenshin kissed his son's forehead with teary eyes.

Kenji quickly showed everyone he had amazing talent in swordmanship. He could imitate katas of Kamiya Kasshin just by watching Yahiko when he was teaching and Yahiko and his wife hadn't even begun teaching the young boy yet. Today, they just finished their playing time with their shinai.

The farm which Kaoru had planned in the beginning was also growing as he and his wife wished. They now had their own vegetables and radishes, it eased Kaoru's mind when her pregnancy wouldn't allow her to teach Kendo although Kenshin also helped bringing money into their house by helping with police work sometimes. They often took Kenji too to the farm and the boy showed interest in farming as well. Since Kaoru was not teaching full time anymore and Yahiko took her position as the shihondai in the dojo, farming became one of their quality times.

Kenshin closed his eyes again. He already gave sakabatou to Yahiko as a present for his genpuku ceremony. He couldn't use Hiten Mitsurugi any longer. He didn't know what the future held for his son, Kenji. His past someday would catch up again and when the time came, he had Kaoru by his side to face it together.

"Excuse me. Here's a mail for Himura-san."

The sound of a mailman alerted Kenshin and he opened his eyes. With furrowed eyebrows, he carefully scooped Kenji up and the boy continued to sleep in Kenshin's arm. Kenshin got up and walked to the front gate. A mailman smiled at him and gave him a letter. He bowed slightly before turning around and Kenshin looked over the mail, Kenji still sleeping in his arm.

He frowned when he saw a Yokohama's stamp. The last time he and Kaoru received a letter from Yokohama was when Fujiya-san let them know he would come to the wedding.

What is it this time?

x

Kaoru excused herself to take Kenji to bed after they had their dinner, leaving Kenshin to clean the kitchen and the dishes. He stopped momentarily and pulled out the letter from under his sleeve. He eyed the letter and had a battle inside his head whether he gave it to his wife or not, and then he decided he should wait until tomorrow, for he wanted a quality time with his beautiful wife tonight.

After checking all the doors in the dojo and made sure Kenji was asleep, Kenshin opened the shoji of his room and Kaoru's. His wife was already in her yukata, combing her long black hair and Kenshin felt his desire grew.

He slowly changed into his yukata and sat behind Kaoru and nuzzled her neck, inhaling her jasmine scent.

Kaoru giggled over her husband's attentive gesture. "Our son still asleep, anata?"

Kenshin's lips cast into a small smile. He always felt funny things in his body every time Kaoru called him like that.

"Hai, koishii."

Kaoru hummed and continued to comb her hair. "Is something bothering you today?"

Kenshin froze and his body slumped. After five years of marriage, she was perceptive as ever. She must have sensed his changing mood since afternoon after the mailman came. He was hoping Kaoru didn't have to read the letter or at least not tonight, but Kaoru would be disappointed if she knew he was hiding it from her. He had no other choice than be honest. Without saying a word, Kenshin moved to his folded gi next to their futon and pulled out what the mailman gave to him this afternoon. Kaoru tilted her head when Kenshin showed her the letter.

"From Yokohama," Kenshin said shortly.

Kaoru's eyes flashed her surprise. "Oh."

He approached Kaoru and resumed his position earlier, behind her back, while Kaoru put down her comb and tore the letter open. Kenshin didn't want to know what the letter was about, he distracted himself with the scent of jasmine which belonged to his wife. He began kissing Kaoru's hair.

"What does it say?" Kenshin said with husky voice, hoping he could distract his wife from the letter.

"Yosuke-san said Sakura and Inoe would come to visit next week, if that's alright with us. And Kato-san's wedding is next month."

Kenshin stopped his kissing and Kaoru had to hide her smile.

Kenshin would never forget Hideo's bluntness, but he also couldn't blame him to have romantic feelings towards his wife at that time. Hideo came to Tokyo on he and Kaoru's wedding day, he wished them happiness, definitely, but Kenshin also could sense his disappointment. It was a good thing the young man finally got married.

"That's good for him," Kenshin said flatly, leaning his chin on Kaoru's shoulder.

"Are you still jealous of Kato-san? Even now?" Kaoru asked Kenshin with the hint of smile in her tone.

"Kato-san and I had a brief conversation when I came to Fujiya-san's dojo. He didn't say he fancied you, but he was upset why I didn't do anything when your feelings for me were so clear." Kenshin huffed like an irritated boy. "Even now after you became mine and the mother of my child, some men still look at you with admiration. As if they didn't know you belonged to me already."

"Oh, anata…" Kaoru shifted and their eyes met. She caressed his face and the fading scar on his left cheek. "Is this letter the reason of why you've been so moody all afternoon?"

Kenshin nodded guiltily. "I was worried if Fujiya-san asked you to come to his place again." Especially when his wife almost lost her life there.

Kaoru chuckled. "Anata, you are thinking so much sometimes. Even if he had, I would have sent Yahiko to help. He is mature enough." She flicked Kenshin's nose. "And forget the jealousy thing. You do know I belonged to you from the start."

Kenshin smirked and his eyes gleamed, feeling elated he finally could have Kaoru for himself after a long day. "Good. And now let me show you how we belong to each other, koishii."

Kaoru gave a childish giggle before Kenshin captured his wife in a deep passionate kiss. The letter forgotten and their yukatas discarded, their hands touched each other's body eagerly, and the shadows in their bedroom wall illuminated their intimate connection.

They moved together until they found their release and lay afterwards with Kenshin on top of Kaoru, legs still entwined, bodies still pressed against each other, sated and happy.

Kenshin lifted up his body slightly and smiled tenderly to Kaoru. "Aishiteru, koishii."

Kaoru returned her husband's smile. "Aishiteru, anata."

Kenshin kissed Kaoru's forehead and her lips before lying again on top of her. His face nuzzled on her neck. His breathing was soft, he probably already asleep.

Kaoru caressed Kenshin's hair. His hair was short now, her husband decided to cut it not long after their son was born. Sometimes she missed his long hair, but she understood why Kenshin wanted his hair different from before. It was his sign to leave the past behind him and to embrace his future.

Kaoru smiled contently and closed her eyes.

Kaoru understood her husband's weariness over anything related to Yokohama although never serious thing ever happened to Fujiya Dojo after Kobayashi's last attack. Kenshin always had been overprotective of her. Kaoru never felt worries, though, for Misao told her she was still watching the dojo for Kaoru. Kaoru knew Yosuke-san always had protection from the Oniwabanshuu.

This year would be the first year they went to Kyoto for the Obon festival since they had Kenji. Kaoru never told Kenshin about the dream she had when she was in between life and death. Not that she didn't want to tell him, she thought that was the 'girl talk' between her and Tomoe-san. And she understood what her meant by having a long journey with Kenshin.

If there had been no Yokohama, she wouldn't feel the happiness of being Kenshin's wife and being a mother. She thanked Kami-sama for everything, for giving Kenshin the courage to follow her, most of all to convince her to come back home with him and married him.

Kaoru sighed when she felt Kenshin tightened his hold on her waist and nuzzled her neck deeper.

This was indeed where she belonged.

-Owari-

End note:

As the journey ends, I would like to say thank you to all my readers out there. After this, I'm taking a break from writing due to my RL. When I have time, I'll start to write another Kenji story or perhaps a one-shot when Kaoru and Kenshin attend Hideo's wedding. That would be fun *grin* Also, thank you to my beta, orchid14, for your patience and red pens. Hopefully, we can work together again in the future.

So, before I hit the complete button, kindly to leave your review.

I'll see you around, minna-san.

Ja ne…