Disclaimer: All Rurouni Kenshin characters are the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I'm just borrowing them for a while for my own amusement. This includes beating Kenshin up, making Kaoru cry, and other such fun things.

Chapter 1-

Kaoru pressed her hand lightly against her stomach, smiling to herself, letting the soup ladle dangle over the pot of miso soup in front of her. She looked up towards the window, watching as her husband sat in the courtyard, finishing the day's laundry. His eyes were soft and content as he followed the movements of his hands, folding the white sheets. She could hear him humming softly to himself as he worked. Her smile grew wider and she looked down at the pot, stirring the bubbling soup slowly, watching the chunks of tofu swirl lazily in it.

The days were becoming more like these. Quiet, simple, happy, the two of them sharing the pure joy of each other's friendship in their marriage. She laughed quietly to herself as she remembered the first days of married life, living together at the dojo, just as they had before, but now as a husband and wife. Perhaps they had been a little bit lovesick, still feeling the elation of newlyweds. Her cheeks had ached from smiling so much and Kenshin's eyes always seemed to drift her direction, even if he had been speaking to someone else. This had drawn ceaseless teasing from their friends, and a sense of satisfaction for Tae-san.

"I knew that one day you two would come to your senses and just marry each other," she told Kaoru at the Akubeku, her eyes twinkling. "And I don't pretend to not give myself any credit for it."

So, a year passed by in serenity, with Kaoru teaching students regularly, Kenshin helping around the dojo like he always had before. It seemed that their adventure days were coming to a close.

Again, she paused, closing her eyes as she touched her abdomen, her heart fluttering in sweet anticipation. This would be a new kind of adventure.

Her eyes still closed, she giggled to herself.

And a wonderful anniversary present for her beloved rurouni.

"Kaoru."

She jumped, startled, hot miso soup dribbling from her mouth and down her kimono. She whirled around, pointing the ladle at Kenshin angrily. "Look what you made me do!"

He grinned at her, balancing the large basket of folded laundry against his chest.

"This one was just making sure you didn't eat it all."

She smacked his bottom with the ladle as he turned to walk out of the kitchen.

"Oro?" It was his turn to be startled. He turned his head, his violet eyes dumbfounded.

"No more of 'this one', Kenshin," she reminded him, shaking the spoon under his nose. She smiled brightly. "Though I do like to hear an "oro?" once in a while."

Planting a kiss on his cheek, she turned back to her the soup, again lifting the ladle to her lips, feeling smug satisfaction. Her cooking was improving, that much was certain. Even Sano had grudgingly admitted it the last time he ate with them.

"You should have married Kenshin earlier," he had said, slurping up noodles with his chopsticks. "It would have easier on my stomach."

And she was sure that now Yahiko wouldn't be able to deny that her ohagi was as good as Megumi's.

Yahiko.

The thought of her former student made her heart ache for a moment. Had it been almost a year since he left the dojo? Leaning back against the wall, she calculated the days in her mind. Yes, he had left two months after she and Kenshin had married. She grimaced, remembering his teasing. It had been the worst and the most embarrassing, especially since he lived with them. He had watched them endlessly, his eyes glinting mischievously, always ready with a comment.

"Hey, Kaoru, Kenshin had to make your bed this morning. But I guess that's okay, because it's his bed too!"

"Kenshin, why don't you just go ahead and kiss her? You know you want to."

"Can't you guys go somewhere else to stare at each other like that? It's distracting me in my bokken practice."

For all of his teasing, it was obvious that Yahiko now felt out of place at the dojo. He worked longer hours at the Akubeku, spent more time with Sanosuke, and began visiting other dojos more often. He often avoided being alone with them, always finding an excuse to leave.

Kaoru hardly noticed his absence until Kenshin pointed it out to her one evening as they sat in the courtyard, watching the dwindling light.

"Yahiko is restless, that he is," he had said quietly as she leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder. "He doesn't feel like a part of us anymore."

Kaoru sat up and looked at him, the coolness of the night touching her warm cheek. "What do you mean?"

"Things are different, Kaoru," he said, looking into down into her face. "It's not like it used to be."

"No more Kenshin-gumi," Kaoru said with a smile.

He grinned slightly. "No. Those days are over." He took her hand and kissed it lightly. "We're married and Yahiko is left with something I don't think he expected."

"That's ridiculous," she snorted. "We're still the same people we were before."

"No, Kaoru, we're not," he corrected her gently. "We are one, while Yahiko is left on the outside, alone. And I don't think he knows what to do with himself now."

He was quiet for a few moments as he looked towards the sky, his violet eyes thoughtful. "He needs to wander."

Kaoru stared at him in surprise. "What?"

He turned his gaze back to hers. "Yahiko needs to find out who he really is. He has never truly known."

She shook her head. "If you asked him, he would just say that he's a Tokyo Samurai."

"Merely a title to give him a shred of identity to grasp at. After his life as a pickpocket, we were the only life he had. Now, even that life is gone." Kenshin again looked up at the sky. "It's time for Yahiko to find out who he truly is. And I have a feeling he isn't going to find it here."

"So he should wander? Become a rurouni?" She nudged at him. "A lot of good it did you."

He nudged her back. "You forget that it's because of wandering that I came here in the first place, that you do."

They were quiet as the dojo doors opened. Yahiko stopped when he saw them.

"Good evening, Yahiko," Kenshin said as the young man reluctantly shut the doors behind him.

Kaoru watched as Yahiko stood in front of them, his hands folded behind his back, his eyes looking at the ground. She was reminded of times past when he wanted to say something, but felt like he couldn't say it.

Yahiko lifted his eyes. "I'm leaving tomorrow."

Koaru looked at him in surprise, then glanced at Kenshin. His face was calm, as if he knew it had been coming.

Looking back at the ground, Yahiko shifted his feet. "I…it's not like I…don't…" He sighed impatiently. "I just need travel for a while. See a few things. Meet some new people. But…I'll be back."

"Where are you going?" Kenshin asked quietly, obviously sensing the boy's discomfort.

"I…I'm not sure. Maybe Nagasaki. I'll stop by Kyoto too." Again, he flickered his eyes upward at them. "You…you aren't angry?" He looked at Kaoru, pleading in his eyes.

She looked at him for a moment, but recovered her voice. "No. No, I'm not."

He looked relieved and he laughed breathily. "I was worried that you might have hit me or something."

"Well, I still might if you don't come back to finish your training."

"Oh, I'm coming back for that," he said earnestly. "It's not like I'm leaving forever. I'll be back."

"When you have found what you're looking for?" Kenshin asked.

Yahiko looked at Kenshin, his face hopeful and determined. "Yes. When I have found what I'm looking for."

True to his word, Yahiko left the next day, with nothing but a sack of supplies and his ever-present bokken strapped to his back. As he stood at the doors of the dojo, Kaoru was surprised at the tears that were threatening her eyes. She couldn't help but hug him before he turned to walk down the road. He stood stiffly, as if embarrassed, one arm awkwardly pressing against her back.

"Remember, you promised to come back," she said, holding him at arms length. "You have to finish your training or I'll track you down and pummel you myself."

He grinned at her, the challenge bright in his eyes. "I'd like to see you try."

She gave him a playful shove, smiling through the sheen of tears. "Farewell, Yahiko."

He turned to Kenshin, who smiled and put his hand on his shoulder. "Farewell, Yahiko. Safe travel on the road."

He blinked at both of them, as if realizing that he was truly leaving. Taking a deep breath, he straightened his shoulders, his eyes downcast as he seemed to struggle for words.

"Thank you," he said finally, meeting their gazes "For everything. I don't…" He paused. "I don't know what I would have done with you," he finished in a quiet voice.

All three of them were silent for a moment. Kaoru took her husband's hand and brushed away the remaining tears from her eyes, doing her best to be tough in front of her student. Yahiko merely smiled softly at her, genuine fondness in his eyes.

"Good-bye, busu."

"Good-bye," she whispered.

Slowly taking one last look at the dojo, he turned and walked down the path, his steps wide and purposeful. Not once did he look back.

"He's almost seems too young to be wandering so far," Kaoru sighed as she watched him disappear into the distance.

"I was fourteen when I left Master Hiko and came to Kyoto," Kenshin said, his eyes towards the road. "Yahiko will do well, that he will."

"I hope he comes back."

"He will. He made a promise." Kenshin smiled down at her. "And there is

Tsubame to come back to of course."

At the mention of Yahiko's sweetheart, Kaoru felt a twinge of sympathy for the young shy girl. She would probably feel Yahiko's absence the keenest.

And she had. Kaoru frowned as she ladled miso soup into bowls. It had been almost a year, and still no word from Yahiko. It was breaking poor Tsubame's heart. She eventually had stopped asking Kaoru about it, but every time she saw her, Kaoru saw the hopefulness in her eyes. And every time Kaoru had to disappoint her.

"Well," Kaoru huffed as she set the bowls on the table in the dining room. "He had better come back soon. He doesn't know what he's missing."

Tsubame had truly blossomed in the last year. The girlish face had transformed into the sculpted features of a pretty young woman. She moved with grace, and she turned heads now wherever she went. Not that she noticed. Her innocence and quiet loyalty to Yahiko was steadfast.

"If only the jerk would come back." Kaoru paused as she placed the chopsticks on the table. "Even I miss the little brat."

"A jerk? A brat?" Kenshin asked as he came into the dining room. "Have you been talking about me again?"

She chuckled to herself as he sat at the table, smiling. How calm his eyes looked. Calm and content.

"You just made a joke," Kaoru said as she sat with him. "This is amazing."

He looked at her quizzically. "Haven't I always made jokes?"

She rolled her eyes. "Are you kidding? You were always the one to laugh last."

Shrugging his shoulders, he looked down into his soup. "It is so strange," he said quietly. "I have changed…so much. Being married to you, I-" He looked up and Kaoru was surprised to see the sheen of tears in his violet eyes. "I think I have finally begun to heal."

Kaoru leaned over the table and put her hand over his, their eyes searching each other's in silence for a long moment.

"Kenshin no baka," she said quietly, a gentle smile on her face.

He smiled back at her, seeming to savor that familiar, somehow endearing phrase.

Kaoru passed the kitchen, eyeing Kenshin as he dried the last bowl with a hand towel. Again, she felt her stomach clench in happy anticipation and she bit her bottom lip in fear of laughing. To see the surprised look on his face tomorrow…

"I know you're there, Kaoru." He turned his head and looked over his shoulder, his eyes smiling. "You come just as I have finished washing the dishes. You are very sneaky, that you are."

She laughed aloud now, stepping into the kitchen. "I can't believe this. That was the second joke you've made this evening. Are you feeling all right?" She mockingly pressed the back of her hand against his forehead.

He laughed as well, softly, as he reached up and touched her hand with his fingers, still damp from washing dishes. "Perhaps I am just happy."

"That's possible," she murmured.

He leaned close, his eyes dancing. "Tomorrow…" he said. He paused.

"Tomorrow?" she urged, her eyebrows arched.

He looked away and turned back to the washbasin.

"What?" she asked.

He glanced at her mischievously, but said nothing.

"Kenshin!" she punched him lightly in the arm. "What are you hiding?"

His face broke into a grin. "You will have to wait and see, that you will."

Kaoru resisted the urge to touch her abdomen as she turned and walked out of the kitchen, her face flushed with her happy secret.