A/N: Wow, I say I can update earlier and I actually do it later. I am sooooo sooooo sorry!
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or anything else that is not mine =)
It was raining again.
The day seemed so clear in his mind now, it was almost unbelievable.
When he'd been adopted he'd wanted to throw away everything from his past and had blocked it all off in the deepest pits of his mind.
The town looked almost exactly the way it was when he left it.
Thunder boomed loudly in the sky above as he approached the all too familiar place.
The Kamiya dojo looked worn after it's many years of use.
Kenshin cautiously opened the door and was amazed at the sight that lay before him.
Kaoru's father lay on the floor with a bottle of whiskey in his hand.
He was filthy and hardly recognizable.
"Who are you boy?" his words slurred together as he sat up.
"My name is Kenshin sir. I came to ask you a few questions regarding your daughter."
"Kaoru? Have you seen my beautiful Kaoru? She probably looks like her mother now, but no one can ever be quite as beautiful as her mother."
"Sir, didn't you cheat on you wife?"
"I did that for show kid! I didn't want Kaoru to think that her mother was the reason for our separation!"
"What?" Kenshin questioned.
"My wife wasn't quite as innocent as she seemed. She was having an affair with her boss. Despite her betrayal I loved that woman and Kaoru looked up to her. She never found out that I knew about her little secret so I did what I had to do for Kaoru."
Kenshin was in total disbelief.
"Why do you ask boy? Do you know where my Kaoru is?"
"Yes sir, I'm in love with her."
"Could you do me a favor then boy?"
"Hm?"
"Tell her I'm very sorry for all that I've done and that I love her very much."
"I don't know how long it will be before I see her but I swear I'll tell her somehow."
"You're a good man."
Kaoru lay amongst her friends in almost total disbelief.
In her lap lay a letter Kenshin left her.
"It's really hard to believe. He's so different now." she whispered.
The rest of them remained silent, unsure of what to say.
Tears began to form in Kaoru's eyes.
It was just all too much, he'd hurt her twice now.
"Kaoru, I know that being one of your best friends I'm usually supposed to agree with you on such relationship decisions, but I think you and Kenshin are meant to be. God didn't bring him back to you just to crush you. I think you need to go set things straight with him. I think you need to set things straight with your father too." Misao whispered.
"Even if I wanted to that, I don't have a clue as to where Kenshin has gone." she sighed.
"I think you should wait a little while Kaoru. I'm sure he'll resurface." Sano gave her a reassuring pat on the back.
And so the days passed, Kenshin hadn't been seen in forever and Kaoru went on with her busy life.
Misao and Aoshi got married months later in June and everything seemed to be at peace.
The first week of July Kaoru went to visit her mother, which proved to be a big mistake.
She was going through some boxes in the attic, searching for some of her old belongings when she came a cross a box marked 'private'.
Kaoru had always been known to be a bit too nosey so opened the box.
Her eyes widened as she caught a glance at the pictures and letters that lay sprawled everywhere.
It was her mother and Mr. Jin, who'd been her boss many years ago.
Everything in the box dated back to at least a year before her father's unfaithfulness.
Her entire body grew numb and tears began to surface.
She grabbed the one letter that was dated after the divorce and noticed it was from her father.
She read aloud to herself:
"I'm sorry things had to end this way darling. I couldn't bare the suffering any longer and I tried not to hurt Kaoru. It's better that she hates me rather than blame you for not being there. I just want you to know I still love you and will until the day I die. I'm more sorry than you could ever understand. Goodbye my love."
Her silent tears turned to loud sobs as she tried to hold herself tightly.
"He knew! He knew the whole time! He didn't want to hurt me! He did this for you! You damn whore he did this for you!" she screamed.
Kaoru's mother came up the stairs but froze when she saw the box.
Kaoru also froze when she caught a glimpse at her mother.
"Kaoru, I-"
"I don't want to hear it! I hated him for so many years because he was trying to protect you! How could you fucking do that to him! He loved you!"
"That's enough Kaoru! I didn't ask him to do anything and though he did it for you and I, he still cheated on me!"
Kaoru shook her head and pushed passed her.
"And where do you think you're going?!"
"I'm going to see my daddy!" she yelled and slammed the front door.
The flight was long but it was worth it.
The town was just as beautiful as it'd been all those years ago.
She stopped in front of the stone pathway leading up to the Kamiya dojo.
With a deep breath she marched up to the dojo and slid the doors open.
In the middle of the room sat a man with long red hair tied in a ponytail.
His violet eyes sparkled in the light.
"Kaoru?" Kenshin nearly jumped at the sight of the girl.
"Kaoru?" a rough male voice echoed as a middle aged man stepped forward.
"Daddy!" Kaoru kicked off her shoes and ran embrace the old man.
"Kaoru, I've missed you so much!" tears were clearly welling up in her father's eyes as he hugged her tightly.
"Daddy! I found out about everything! I've blamed you this whole time! I'm so sorry daddy!" she was also on the verge of tears.
Kenshin stood back and let the two have a moment.
Kaoru pulled away and turned to him.
"Kenshin I-"
"Kaoru, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you in any way. I was a fool all those years ago. I'm not going to ask you to forgive me."
"Kenshin, you never hurt me. Shinta did, but when we were together as Kenshin and Kaoru it was the most amazing weeks of my life. The whole realization that you and Shinta were the same person really freaked me out but over the time you've been gone I realized something. I realized that I'm in love with you."
Kenshin was in total shock.
"And you best not turn her down in front of her father." he chuckled and placed his hand on his sword.
"I love you too Kaoru. I want to be with you but this time we can start over as Kenshin and Kaoru. I very willing to leave Shinta behind."
She smiled and hugged him tightly.
She knew with Kenshin she'd finally gotten her happily ever after.
A/N: The End! Thanks so much for those reviewers who kept with me despite the fact that I was lazy towards the end with my updating! Sorry!