Chibisensei: I know it's been a long time, but I'm back again with the second last chapter of this story.

Hiko, Megumi, & Sano: Finally!

Chibisensei: *coughs lightly* Yes, I dragged this story out a lot longer than I should of and, well, it's almost time to put it to bed. I thank everyone that ever reviewed this story and hope you enjoy this chapter.

Sano: Chibisensei110787 does not and never will own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters. Her OCs, on the other hand, do belong to her. Right Kei-san?

Kei: *looking around* Um, where am I?

Chibisensei: *sweatdrops and pushes Kei out the door* Back to the story with ye!

Kei: Hey, what the- *gets door slammed behind her*

Chibisensei: *sighs* Ok, on with the show.

Chapter 24: Where the End Nears

Kenshin could smell the blood before he even entered foyer and there was blood. On the floor amongst the still unconscious bodies of the grunts, were trails and speckles of blood. He scanned the room further to find a man he could only assume was Naoto lying unconscious on the floor, a large pool of blood by the bound stump that was now his arm. He could still feel a weak ki emanating from the man so he knew he was not dead, but he would need medical attention soon. His vision trailed to the pair sitting on the ground. Her ki had substantially weakened since they separated. "Kei!" he yelled, running towards them. The look on Samuel's face was clearly disturbed when he saw Kenshin. As far as Kenshin was concerned, he better be afraid because he would receive no mercy for what he had done.

Yahiko and Kaoru could hear see commotion from blocks away. Large groups of police officers had been mobilized and were headed towards the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Yahiko shouldered his boken."Great, so how are we supposed to get past those guys?" They knew they shouldn't be there, but…

"We'll go around them," stated Kaoru determinedly. "It will take time for them to surround the building, but we have to hurry."

Yahiko grinned, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's help Kenshin and Kei!"

Kenshin stopped about 10 feet away from Samuel and the bleeding Kei, his eyes narrowed and his hand grip tight on the handle of his sakabato. "Let her go Samuel," he growled. "Your fight is with me now."

"Kenshin," started Kei.

"He's not who you think he is Kei," growled Kenshin.

"Kenshin…"

Kenshin glanced at Kei and spotted the slash on her back. He glared at Samuel angrily. "Get up," he commanded. Samuel's face paled at the rage in the man's voice and even more so at the amber flecks in his eyes. "Get up," Kenshin repeated. "Pick up your sword."

Shakily Samuel stood up. "Himura-san, I-"

"I don't want to hear it," he said coldly.

Kei struggled to her feet, coughing blood as she rose. "Stop, you don't understand."

Kenshin looked at Kei. "No, YOU don't understand. One of Isamu's men was sent to the dojo and he KNEW it!" He sent another menacing glare Samuel's way. "If Kaoru was hurt in any way…"

Samuel gulped. Kenshin was going to kill him. Kenshin took a step forward and Kei stumbled between them.

"Don't hurt him!" pleaded Kei. "Please… Kaoru-san and Yahiko-kun are safe, I made sure of it. Please."

Kenshin stopped. "What do you mean?" he questioned seriously.

"I wasn't sure if Samuel would be enough to ward off an attack on the dojo so I asked my cousin for help."

Kenshin frowned. "You what?"

"I know I should have told you, but it was the only way I could be certain my plan would work! He's broken, Kenshin. He only wants to see his sister's smile again. I told him that if he helped, maybe he would. That's why he agreed."

Kenshin frowned again. "You're right, you should have told me." He sent another glare Samuel's way. "But it still doesn't change he did."

"He made a mistake!" said Kei.

Kenshin glared at Kei. "Why are you defending him?"

"Because he's my son!"

Kenshin froze. "What?"

Kei looked down. "Look, we don't have much time. I-" Her sentence was cut off by a pain-filled cringe. It was then Kenshin noticed the steady dripping of blood from the back of her gi.

For the moment, he forgot Samuel's presence completely and walked to her, concerned. "You're wounded," he said.

"It's just a scratch," Kei stated with a weak smirk.

Kenshin gave her a disapproving look."If it were just a scratch, your face would not be contorted in pain. Let me see."

"I'm telling you it's nothing." Kenshin ignored her and examined the slash mark.

Isamu smirked from his hidden spot near the ceiling. Such an amusing exchange of words. He pulled out a kunai from his gi. Throwing them wasn't his specialty, but he had pretty good aim.

"Himura, Kei-chan!" yelled a voice from behind them. Samuel, Kei, and Kenshin turned their attention towards the Ministry entrance. It was Yamagata along with a group of policemen. Isamu grinned when he saw the man. This was all too perfect.

"And here comes the Calvary," said Kei to no one in particular.

Yamagata looked at the scattered bodies of unconscious men. "I see we've come a little late. I knew I could count on you."

"Yamagata," said Kenshin. "Kei needs medical attention." Yamagata looked at Kei and the blood dripping behind her.

"Of course, Himura. I'll get a medic." Yamagata spotted Samuel. "And who are you young man?" Samuel flinched and looked at the ground. So this was the end.

"He-," began Kenshin.

"Is my student," finished Kei, earning a look from Kenshin. "He just came because he heard I was here."

Yamagata raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"He looked at Kenshin. "Is this true Himura?" Kei tossed a pleading look to Kenshin. Kenshin opened his mouth to answer, but…

"I'm one of them," said Samuel softly. "Sensei is just trying to protect me. I worked with Isamu-san."

"You confess?" Samuel raised his head to nod when a glint of metal near the ceiling caught his attention. His legs were moving before he even realized what he was doing.

"Yamagata-san!" he yelled, tackling the man to the ground as a blur of silver shot from above.

Samuel yelped as the kunai lodged itself in his right shoulder. He rolled off the government official with a hiss.

"Seichi!" yelled Kei, rushing to him.

Kenshin had seen the trajectory of the object and looked up fast enough to catch a glimpse of the perpetrator. He took off in chase.

Kei turned to see Kenshin's retreating figure speeding up the stairs. "Wait!" But he was already gone.

Isamu knew he didn't have long to make his escape. Kenshin's speed was well known around Japan and he was no stranger to the stories. He grit his teeth. That

Yamagata got off the floor with the aid of a few police officers. That's all they seemed to be good for these days mused Kei.

The mustached man looked at down at Samuel. "You saved my life," he said. "If you worked with Isamu then why?"

Samuel bit his lip hard and yanked the kunai out of his shoulder. "It wouldn't have been right if I didn't." The sound of braying horses and hoofs on cobble stone interrupted the conversation. Shots rang from the outside. The rooms inhabitants quickly filed out of the room towards the commotion to find a lone figure riding out of view. 10 dead lay in the aftermath.

"Damn it!" cursed Kei. She spotted the three remaining horses brought to the Ministry.

"I know where he's going," said Samuel, clenching his useless shoulder tightly.

Kenshin heard the sharp shrill of broken glass and ran towards the sound at top speed. The room was empty, but the braying of the horses clearly signaled Isamu's retreat. He looked out the window to find the dismembered bodies of 10 officers followed by the entrance. He grit his teeth as the clopping of hooves pounded and began to fade. He jumped out the window to join the remaining group on the ground.

"Kenshin!" called a voice.

Kenshin looked to the left to find Kei sitting on a horse, the reins of another in her hand. He ran over to her. "What are you doing? You're in no condition to-"

"Shut up and get on," said Kei tossing the reins to Kenshin. Reluctantly, Kenshin listened. There were more pressing matters than arguing with the stubborn woman.

"Hi-ya!" yelled Kei, snapping the reins of the horse. Kenshin repeated the action to his horse and the duo rode off in chase.

Kaoru and Yahiko watched as a dark figure escaped the Ministry on horseback.

"Who do you think that was?" Yahiko asked Kaoru.

"I don't know, but we have to hurry before someone sees us!" said Kaoru, pulling Yahiko behind some bushes against the side wall on the outside of the property.

"Hey, watch it Busu!" said Yahiko a bit too loudly.

"Be quiet Yahiko-chan," hissed Kaoru. The renewed sound of hoofs on stone paused whatever other things she was about to say to her student. They both peeked out of the foliage to see 2 more figures riding away, seemingly following the first. For a brief moment, Kaoru thought she caught a glimpse of red hair in the dim lamplight before it disappeared in the distance. "Ken-!"

Yahiko covered her mouth. "Shhhh!"

"Hey, who's over there?" yelled one of the police officers.

"Now look what you've done Yahiko-CHAN!" yelled Kaoru.

"ME? You're the one who was yelling!" countered Yahiko.

Kenshin's eyes narrowed as they chased their foe. He knew better than anyone how much damage a single man can do, but this…

"Do you know where we are going?" he asked Kei.

"Yes," she answered simply. "I know exactly where we're going." Kei's brows lowered in a small frown. To the last place I would have expected him to be… She snapped the reigns of the horse again. "Kiya!"

Isamu heard the muffled clopping of horseshoes on dirt continuing some ways behind him and frowned. That brat must have told them where I would be… He pulled the reigns of his horse to stop its run. "Easy does it, boy," he muttered to the tired animal. The horse stopped in front of a rather large estate and Isamu jumped down. He petted the animal briefly before making his way towards the rotting front gate. The owner of the estate had died some 11 years ago and the property now lay in disarray, most of the possessions within it long gone. Isamu kicked the door open and entered with a smirk. There was absolutely nothing to worry about. He patted the sword at his side. They would be in his playpen this time.

"Who are you?" questioned the officer at Kaoru and Yahiko.

"W-we're nobody!" said Kaoru with a nervous chuckle.

"Yeah!" Yahiko played along. "We thought that maybe a fight was going on and decided to check it out!"

The officers looked at them suspiciously. "And what would make you think that it was a fight?"

Yahiko's eyes widened at his now obvious mistake in wording and looked at Kaoru who was now glaring at him. "W-well…"

"I think you two should come with us," said the second guard.

"Nice going, Yahiko-chan," hissed Kaoru as the guards ushered them firmly inside, Kaoru and Yahiko's bokkens now in their possession. They stopped in front of a makeshift guard station.

"Sir," said one of the officers to his superior. "We found these two lurking outside the gate."

The superior frowned. "What is your business here?" he questioned sternly.

Yahiko glared as one of the guards grasped more tightly on his arm in silent warning that he better listen.

"We're here to see if Kenshin is okay," Kaoru confessed.

"And to tell him we're alright too," Yahiko ground out.

The superior frowned. "I don't know who this Kenshin is, but I do know you two are in a lot of trouble." He looked towards the guards. "Interrogate them; see how much they know."

"Yes sir," answered the guards with a salute.

They tossed rough looks at the captured trespassers."Come on," one growled, yanking Yahiko along. The other following suit, ignoring the protests from the young woman and brat.

Kaoru and Yahiko were led to the side of the building and temporarily left where a familiar face was also held in custody. The boy's head was down, his hand lightly clutching his bandaged shoulder.

"You!" yelled Yahiko angrily pointing an accusing finger at Samuel.

The young man looked up, but didn't seem to be all there. "All this time I was wrong," he muttered. "I'm sorry."

"You think an apology is going to erase everything you've done?" countered Yahiko. "Well I got news for you: it isn't!"

"Yahiko…" started Kaoru.

"It's not! Samuel is a traitor!" roared Yahiko.

"Seichi," said the young man. "If you're going to hate me, you might as well hate me by my birth name." Taking in Kaoru's confused look, Seichi continued. "Mother told me I was half Japanese after I injured her. I injured her. I didn't realize how warped my views had become until then… but not now."

"Yeah right," scoffed Yahiko. "You're mother is in England. How could you have injured her? You have to been adopted over there or something for something like that to-" Yahiko stopped his rant as the realization hit.

"Kei…is your mother?" asked Kaoru, eyes wide with shock.

Seichi nodded. "And I hurt her." He looked down again. "Himura-san and Mother are chasing Isamu on horseback to the mansion on the northern edge of the city."

"Then that's where we're going," stated Yahiko, determined. "And you're going to lead us there." It was a strict command that Kaoru found surprising to come from Yahiko. "All we have to do is get our bokkens back."

Kenshin and Kei arrived at the front gate of the mansion, Isamu's horse still standing idilly by. Kei closed her eyes as a brief memory crossed her mind. She had been inside a few times, but no farther than the courtyard. Playing inside the house was never a good idea. No wonder she didn't recognize it.

"Do you know what this place is?" asked Kenshin.

Kei stared at the decaying wood of the gate. "The Kiyosato residence."'

Chibisensei: Well, that ends that chapter!

Sano: It was pretty short for this story.

Chibisensei: Well, I had major writer's block. I know how the story will end, but I didn't quite know how to get there so this is what I got.

Sano: Whatever you say…

See ya in the final chapter!