AN: I speak no Japanese, so all the words thrown in are directly from my trusty dictionary. If I've used anything incorrectly please let me know. I hope you enjoy, and please let me know what you think of this story. Feedback always makes me write faster.

This fic is rated M for mature themes, and this last part is certainly a lemon. If you are underage please go enjoy some of the other wonderful stories on this site.

Thanks so much to those who R&R'd, hopefully now that the story is complete even more people will do so. Sorry this last part took so long, but I couldn't get the feel of it right. (Although I do feel I made up for the wait by the fact that this part is almost one third the total length of the story.)

I'm ending this story this way because I want to keep it a K&K fic, and not deal with all the other stuff. However, I'm strongly considering writing a separate story that takes place over the month between the proposal and the wedding, with tons of angst and the like as Sano and Yahiko find out Kaoru was raped. If anyone would be interested in reading that please let me know.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kenshin, or anything relating to it, and have the utmost respect for all the people who created these wonderful characters.

LEMON WARNING –90 percent or so of this last part

Chapter 6 - Zutto (Forever)

One month later

"Oh, Kaoru-san, you looked so beautiful today." Tae said as she and Misao helped Kaoru out of her shiro-maku.

Kaoru pulled the sticks and pins from her elaborately upswept hair. "I felt beautiful." She replied as she looked into the mirror. "Even though I've never worn this much make-up in my life." She grinned at herself through the complicated white make-up.

"It was a different look for you." Misao smiled and wiped carefully at the back of Kaoru's neck, erasing the lines of the W-shaped area that was traditionally left free of make-up. "From shihandai to bride." She continued gently removing the make-up.

"I certainly wouldn't want to dress and look like this all the time." Kaoru smiled at the girls, "But the look on Kenshin's face when he first saw me were worth it."

Misao grinned. "He did look like you'd just hit him with a katana."

All three girls laughed as they continued getting Kaoru ready, taking off the elaborate costume and make-up she'd worn for the wedding and reception and dressing her in a simple blue yukata that perfectly matched her eyes.

"Are you going to be okay tonight?" Misao asked seriously.

Kaoru looked at her gravely. "It's Kenshin." She said simply.

Tae smiled. "And he'll treat you like the most precious thing in the world, because you are to him. And speaking of Kenshin, he's probably wondering what is taking us so long, so we should be leaving."

Although she did have reservations, Kaoru pretended she didn't, and laughed with them and hugged them as they left. Megumi had been called away for an emergency, or she would have been with them as well. Thinking of all the way the doctor had helped her over the past weeks, Kaoru regretted that she hadn't been able to be there, because they had become good friends once the kitsune stopped hitting on Kenshin.

The two hugged her and wished her well, and then left quietly, shutting the shoji behind them and leaving Kaoru with her own thoughts. Kaoru lasted about a minute this way, then she quietly slid open the outer shoji and went out onto the porch, staring out into the night and smiling at the occasional firefly. Although she hadn't been lying when she answered Misoa's last question, she was still quite nervous.

Her and Kenshin had kissed quite a few times over the past month, yet he had always been careful to keep from anything else, and the knowledge that tonight he wouldn't both excited and her scared her. She hadn't been lying the night he proposed when she told him that she wanted to know what it was like to be with someone she loved, but being raped had also left her with a fear she both hoped he could make go away and was terrified he couldn't. Although she'd gotten used to casual contact again, there'd been a few times when they'd been kissing that his hand had wandered somewhere unexpected and brought the terror back.

Even though he'd been great about it, it still made her feel horrible, because she loved and trusted him and she didn't understand why part of her was so conflicted. She knew he'd never hurt her, she knew he loved her, yet if she was touched wrong she just got terrified and froze up. She only hoped she could avoid that tonight.

Hearing a knock on the shoji frame she called quietly for him to enter, yet she remained on the porch, listening to his quiet footfalls as he crossed the room to her. Wordlessly unclenching her hands from her sides, she extended them behind her, and he took them gently. She took a step back, wrapping their joined arms around her as she tilted her head and rested it back on his shoulder.

Kenshin dropped a gentle kiss on her neck and whispered into her ear, "Have I told you yet how beautiful a bride you made?"

Kaoru giggled and relaxed even more, as he had intended. "Only about a hundred times."

"But I am only telling the truth." He smiled and kissed her neck again, then grew serious. "Are you nervous?"

"Part of me is." She smiled, remembering when she'd followed him to Kyoto and he'd answered her the same way. "Part of me is just glad you're here."

"We'll go at your speed, koishii." Kenshin said, his breath warm in her ear. "It doesn't have to happen tonight, we have the rest of our lives…"

Kaoru turned in his arms until she could see his face, wrapping her own arms up around his shoulders. "The night you proposed, I told you that I wanted to know what it was like to be with someone I loved. I want that more than anything, we just have to go slowly."

Kenshin leaned down and brushed her lips with his. "That just means the moment will last longer, how could I object to that?" He smiled at her.

Kaoru laughed and leaned up to kiss him again. The kiss turned passionate quickly, but kissing was something Kaoru had grown comfortable with over the past month, and it didn't bother her at all. It also didn't bring back any bad memories, because the man who had raped her had never kissed her.

They kissed for several long moments, tongues dueling in a primal dance, until finally Kenshin broke the kiss and took a step back towards their room. "Come inside, and be with me." He whispered in the deep voice Kaoru knew meant he was feeling very strongly about something. He took her hands and kissed them, and slowly led her back into the room, sliding the shoji shut behind them.

Kaoru looked nervously at the futon, which Tae and Misao had spread before they left. Kenshin took her chin in one hand and directed her gaze back to him. "Look at me. Think only of me. I love you." He whispered as he kissed her again.

Kaoru melted into his kiss, thinking only of him. Any reservations she'd had melted away as her body seemed to float away, lost in sensations of warmth and joy. Yet when his hands moved towards the tie of her yukata she pulled back, unwanted memories flashing into her eyes.

Kenshin froze when she did, yet was determined not to make this awkward for either of them. Acting like nothing had gone wrong, he took her hands in his, and moved them to the ties of his formal kimono. She smiled shyly, although she'd doctored his wounds on several occasions and seen most of his upper body, this was different. Her hands shook slightly as she undid the tie, and she gently slid the kimono out of his hakama, leaving him clad only in the white pants as she pushed the kimono off his shoulders and it fell unnoticed to the floor.

All fears slid away as she gazed at the alabaster beauty that was her husband. Barely realizing that she was moving, her hand came up to sketch over one of the hard planes of his chest, her fingers tracing along the muscles. Although she'd seen him before, she'd always been trying to keep her mind on the business of doctoring him. Now she was free to enjoy looking, and she found there was much to enjoy.

Kenshin gazed at her tenderly as her hands slowly explored the skin she had revealed, and he reveled in the fact that all fear and hesitation was gone from her face. He knew they had a long night ahead of them, and knew that no matter how much he wanted her he would have to go incredibly slowly. Yet that was fine with him because that just meant the night would go on longer, and as he'd told her that didn't really bother him at all. He wanted to spend days, hours, no, years, getting to know every part of her body and soul, and even then he knew there would always be new things to explore and discover.

Kaoru had a beautific smile on her face as she dreamily traced her fingers over the muscles of his chest. Remembering the night he'd proposed, she ran her fingers lightly over his erect nipple and was rewarded with a deep gasp. She looked shyly up into his face, and saw only amber flecked amethysts burning with intensity and love. Holding his eyes, she ran her fingers over his nipple again and watched his eyes cloud even as the hands on her waist tightened.

Kaoru gathered her courage and took a small step back, still keeping eye contact as she moved her hands to her own yukata and undid the ties, letting it fall away. In one way she couldn't believe she'd had the nerve to do it, but in another realized it was the easiest way. She was telling the truth that she wanted to be with him, but when he'd tried to undress her she'd frozen in terror. Even while she was kissing him, even while she knew it was him, someone trying to undress her had caused a panic reaction. And so she had done it herself, and much like their first kiss, she was again gracing him with a gift she'd given to no other. Flashes of rough hands, of her kimono shoved up to her waist, tried to intrude, but she took a deep breath with her eyes closed for a moment, and then looked up at him again, her face bashful as for the first time in her life she stood naked before a man.

His eyes never leaving her face, although the temptation was great, Kenshin moved in the step she'd taken away and pulled her into his arms again, keeping his hands on her waist. He heard her gasp as their heated flesh came into contact and he brought their lips together in an ardent kiss, overjoyed when her arms came around his neck and pulled him as close as possible. Pulling away long moments later, he whispered in her ear, "So you want to know what it feels like to be with someone you love?" He purposely kept his voice husky and deep, nipping her ear as he finished speaking.

It was all Kaoru could do to nod as tons of feelings she'd never had flowed through her at each touch of their skin. He pulled back from her slightly, yet before she could feel the lack of him his hands slid gently up her waist. His eyes still locked with hers, holding her captive in his spell, it was all she could do to continue breathing when his hands cupped her breasts, thumbs flicking over her nipples as she had done to him just a moment ago. Her knees buckled and her eyes slid shut as she fell to her knees. He went with her, his hands still cupping her chest as they knelt on the futon facing each other. Her hands moved to his waist, fingers flitting over the skin lightly as she reveled in the sensations she was being introduced to.

As her eyes closed, Kenshin finally took his gaze from her face, allowing himself to look reverently at her body for the first time. He'd gotten teasing glimpses of her over the long time he'd lived with her, yet she was even more magnificent that he had ever imagined. He remembered every time he'd seen her; a shoulder when she shrugged off her kendo gi to have a cut treated, her calf when she'd strained a muscle doing kata and was holding a hot cloth on it, the one excruciating time he'd accidentally walked in on her in the bath… The list went on and on in his head as his hands moved almost independently, touching skin that he'd wanted to touch for so long. He traced over the muscles of her stomach, dropped a kiss on her shoulder, and then began running kisses up her neck as his hands returned to gently squeeze her breasts.

Kaoru moaned as he set her body on fire with his lips and hands. It was all she could do to stay on her knees when she wanted to melt into a puddle at his feet. She was thinking of nothing but him as her hands traced lightly over his back, amazed that she could touch him in the way she'd wanted to for so long. Then she felt his mouth move from her neck down to her breast and she did collapse over him.

Kenshin caught her in his arms as every muscle in her body went soft and liquid. Laying her back on the futon, he continued his assault on her breasts, cupping the soft white globes in his hands as he shifted his mouth back and forth between them. He slowly slid one hand down her stomach again, gliding it over her hip and playfully tracing circles on her thigh. When her breath caught and her legs slid unconsciously apart, he felt more humbled than he ever had in his life. She'd been through so much, yet she was trusting him with everything now, having moved past the point of fear.

Kaoru was barely aware of her body as a whole, only of the points he was touching. Every touch of his hands or mouth brought a painful awareness of that part of her body, and she was beyond conscious thought or fear as she reacted instinctively. All her feelings seemed to center between her legs, but she was too shy to ask for his touch there although that was where she wanted it most. She absorbed all the new sensations that flowed through her, wondering how she had ever been afraid of this, for it was the most wonderful experience she'd ever had. And when she felt his touch there, in that place she wanted it most, she threw back her head and sobbed at the amazing feelings that flew through her.

Kenshin smiled a very male smile as he continued to explore her body with his mouth and one hand, leaving the other between her legs. He didn't move it beyond that, for he was still trying to take things slowly. Then he felt her hips move, rubbing herself against his hand, and his other hand on her body stilled as he had to take a deep breath. Blessing the iron-will he'd developed over the years, he looked up into her face and was startled, for she looked more beautiful lost in her passion than he'd ever seen her look.

Kaoru's eyes opened as his hands and mouth stopped their delicious torment, and she looked into eyes that were neither rurouni nor hitokiri, but a combination she knew was all for her. She'd experienced brief moments like this during some of their previous kisses, and it always incredible to have all his intensity and skill focused on nothing but her. Yet this moment made those dim in comparison.

"You're so beautiful." He whispered as he moved up to her face, kissing her again and again as he gently turned her on her side and pressed their bodies together. He wasn't sure if him lying on top of her would cause a panic or not, and didn't want to find out. "How did I get so lucky, koishii?" He whispered between kisses.

"I'm the lucky one." She replied, arms wrapping around him, nails scratching lightly at his back when he transferred his attention to the sensitive side of her neck again. "I love you so much, so much…" Her voice abruptly choked off when his hand moved between her legs again, and instead of just sitting there flicked against a spot that created the most intense feeling she'd ever felt. Her back arched as she inhaled deeply, unable to keep a single thought in her head.

Kenshin watched her pleasure building, and unable to resist the temptation her back arching had created, closed his mouth over one of her breasts again as he kept his other hand on her back to keep her close. The hand between her legs was moving rhythmically up and down, occasionally flicking her core, watching the beauty before him as she began to fly higher and higher.

The feelings in Kaoru built to the point where she thought she would burst, and she began whimpering, no longer quite sure what was going on. She'd never felt anything this intense in her life, and she wasn't sure how it could keep going without killing her. Her voice shook as she called his name, and his voice came back huskily.

"It's alright, koishii. It's alright." Kenshin whispered around her breast, correctly interpreting her reactions. "Just let go. Relax and let it go." Although he'd been purposely going slowly, both wanting her to get used to the sensation and wanting to wring every ounce of pleasure he could out of her, he now took pity on her. Moving his hand faster, he focused his attention on listening to her breathing and feeling her spirit, and judging the moment exactly, thrust a single finger into her, running it entirely over her core, as he drew deeply on her breast and used a light edge of teeth.

Kaoru screamed and shook as her world exploded in light.

Kenshin drew her tightly into his arms as she continued to shake in the aftermath of her first orgasm, and he whispered soothing nothings to her as she curled into him.

"That…that…" Kaoru's voice was shaking like a leaf, yet she had to say something. "I didn't know there was so much, I didn't know I could feel so much. It was like my body exploded."

"And that's just the beginning." Kenshin whispered as his hands began to trace over her again, then he chuckled, "But if that's all you can handle tonight…"

"I feel a like I'm floating a thousand miles in the air. I feel like I can handle anything, do anything, as long as you're with me." She whispered back, and gathering her courage again, said quietly, "I want to see you." She moved her hands to the ties of the hakama he still wore and undid the knots, trying to slid the pants down his legs, which was difficult as he was laying down.

With a smile, Kenshin rolled unto his back, and lifted his hips as she sat up, taking the pants and sliding them down his legs, leaving them in the pile at the foot of the futon. Taking a deep breath, she looked up his body, seeing him naked for the first time.

Kenshin lay there quietly, letting her look at him. He saw a slight apprehension cross her face as her eyes rested on the stiff evidence of his desire for her, but before he could say anything she reached out a shaking hand and ran it lightly up his shaft. He gasped at the contact, hands fisting at his sides as he struggled to hold still under her gaze.

"How is it so soft?" She whispered, more talking out loud than asking. "It's so hard, but…" Her fingers trailed up and down again, amazed at the contrast. His breath caught, and she looked up hesitantly as she asked, "Does it feel as good when I touch you as when you touch me?"

He chuckled, a deep sound she was rapidly growing to love. "Having never been a girl, I can't say. But it's amazing."

Not knowing what else do to, she ran her hand over him again, still a butterfly's touch. Although she knew he'd enjoyed the night so far, she also knew she hadn't given him anything compared to what he'd given her a few moments ago. Yet she didn't know how to. "What do I do?" She asked, frustrated that she wanted to show her love and didn't know how.

The chuckle came again. "Whatever you like."

She considered what he'd done earlier to her, and began running her hands along his body, her touch sometimes light and sometimes firm. She still knelt beside him as he lay on his back, and her eyes roved as hungrily as her hands did, amazed that his slight body was capable of many of the feats she'd witnessed it perform. Inspiration struck, and she leaned down and drew one of his nipples into her mouth. He moaned as he skimmed a hand up her back, unable to keep his hands off of her. His other hand stroked through her hair gently, coming to a rest on her neck, careful not to put much pressure on her as he gently began massaging. Her only reaction was to shift her mouth to the other side of his chest, lightly flicking his nipple with her tongue and causing him to stop breathing for a moment. And when her other hand reached down and began caressing up and down his shaft again, he wasn't sure if he would start breathing again or not.

Fascinated by the reactions she was receiving, and her naturally giving nature making her proud that she could please him, Kaoru tilted her head till it rested on his chest, and watched the part of him she was playing with move as she continued stroking. Curious, she wrapped her fingers around him, just barely able to touch her middle finger to her thumb around the width of him. His reactions leading her way, she kept her fingers around him and she stroked up and down, her other hand tracing circles on his hip.

Kenshin tilted his head down, watching her touch him, as he curved one arm around her back and brought the other up to play with her breast again. It took all his control to not ask if she was ready, and that control was rewarded soon enough when he heard her whisper his name in that wonderful breathy voice she had whenever she said it. He dropped a kiss on her head as he responded, "Koishii?"

"Do…do you…"

"Kaoru, there is nothing you can't say to me." He said, having an idea of where this would go. He hugged her to him.

"Do you have to be on top of me?" Her voice was barely audible. Although she'd had many small fears, she'd worked hard to overcome them, until finally she was left with just this one. Even after all they'd done, even though she knew he'd never hurt her, even though she loved him…everything in her froze at the thought of him above her.

"Not at all." He smiled as he began to trail his hands over her body again, wanting her aching and ready for him, wanting her fears to vanish under their love. Rolling onto his side again to face her, his hands explored again as hers now did the same, hands and lips skimming over fevered flesh until neither was sure where they ended and the other one began.

Kaoru felt the fire burning through her again, felt the sensations beginning to build. Before she could actually think about speaking, she heard herself whispering, "Show me, Kenshin. Please."

Kenshin's hands slowed, and he began shifting positions until he sat at the head of the futon, his back supported by the wall. Drawing her up beside him, he pulled her over his legs until she knelt with one knee on either side of his hips, her core mere millimeters from him. "Are you sure?" He held her eyes as he kissed her gently.

In answer she lowered herself minutely until their center's brushed. She felt Kenshin's hands move to her hips, and he both lifted her up and scooted her forward, then he moved one hand between them, helping them to join. His other hand still on her hip, he gently urged her down, and she felt him begin to slide into her. Their eyes were locked, making the moment incredibly intense as she slowly lowered herself onto him, prepared for pain and amazed when there was none.

Kenshin held her eyes with his own as he slowly helped her lower herself onto him, making sure to keep the movement slow and steady. When he was fully sheathed inside her, he raised his hands to her cheeks, cupping them gently as the pad of one thumb wiped away the single tear that slid down her face. "Are you alright?"

"It doesn't hurt at all." Her voice was filled with something close to awe. "I didn't think I could feel better than you made me feel earlier, but this is…I can't even describe it. It feels like I'm whole, complete, for the first time in my life."

"I know the feeling." Kenshin whispered as he tipped her head down and kissed her gently. Then he pulled back enough to look into her eyes, and made a rolling motion with his hips. Her eyes shone as she gasped for him. Moving his hands back to her hips, he urged her up, then down again, leading her slowly to ride him as he continued to roll his hips under her, moving in careful precise movements he knew would caress every part of her inside.

Kaoru's hands clenched his shoulders as all the feelings in her built again, and her hands slowly skimmed over his chest as she allowed him to move her. Gradually, she understood what he was doing and began to move herself up and down on her own, her hands playing with his nipples. Now that his hands were no longer directing her, they moved to her breasts, mimicking the way she was playing with him. She gasped and tossed her head back, unaware that doing so would arch her body and shift him within her. She let out a moan as the shift somehow resulted in him running over and over the spot he'd been flicking earlier, and she knew she was close to exploding again.

Kenshin realized this quickly, and moved his hands back to her waist to hold her there as he pushed into her over and over again, speeding his pace as he knew he was close as well. He leaned in to kiss her chest at the exact moment her hands brushed over his nipples, and together they fell off the edge of the world.

Minutes passed with them frozen, him still sitting against the wall with his arms around her, and her collapsed on top of him, with him still inside her. Finally, he dropped a kiss onto her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you so much." She replied, rising up enough to see his eyes. "Thank you for showing me." She said with a flirtatious smirk that had never appeared on her face before.

"Believe me, koishii, it was my pleasure." Kenshin replied as he cuddled her against him again. He would have been content to stay that way forever.

And nestled in the warmth of his arms, safe and happy and loved, Kaoru felt exactly the same way.

THE END

Glossary…

Hakama – men's pants/skirt that were traditionally worn over a kimono or gi. Kenshin's white pants throughout the series are hakama.

Hitokiri – Used in the series as "manslayer," translated in the manga as "assassin." Kenshin's job during the revolution earned him this title. It also is used to indicate his state of mind, for when he's like this his eyes turn narrow and gold, and he stops referring to himself as sessha and starts using a more boastful masculine "I." This part of him can be seen in the series and manga usually only when he's angry, but like many fanfiction authors I've chosen to use it for any strong emotion, including love.

Kitsune – fox, in Japanese mythology a fox spirit is known for wiles, seduction and cunning. It's Megumi's animal in the manga, just as Kaoru's is the raccoon.

Koishii – sweetheart, or beloved. Endearment used by men to women.

Rurouni – wanderer, a word created for the series, most likely based on 'ronin' which was a masterless samurai. Also indicates his state of mind. Kenshin's oros, sesshas, and humor are all part of this personality.

Shihandai –assistant master (of a school or style of kendo), it's Kaoru's title in the manga although I don't think it's used in the series

shiro-maku – wedding kimono