Thanks for stopping by! I've been sitting on wanting to write about what happened after Jinchuu for years. It feels so good to be back and writing! Author's notes are at the bottom!

Disclaimer: The characters don't belong to me. I'm just filling some plot holes!


Coming Home to You

Chapter 1: The Island

"Hey, hey. Hey... I'm here, Kenshin. I'm here." All he could see was sand, but that voice felt like home.


Multiple things were happening at once.

Saito was directing the police force that had finally made its way to the island, scouring every inch for proof of weapons dealing. Aoshi sat near the boat, eyes observant as Sano paced near and far, eerily quiet. Megumi was preparing to check wounds. Misao and Yahiko swarmed near like bees, alarmed and protective. And while to a degree, each was in their own little world, everyone was hyper aware of what was happening to Kenshin and Kaoru.

Kenshin couldn't tell you what Kaoru said to him that day on Enishi's island. What she whispered into his hair as his legs gave way to the realization that it was over. Jinchuu was over. Tears stained his hair as she hiccuped repeatedly in an effort to keep from sobbing of exhaustion and relief.

He could tell you that the breeze on the island flooded his senses with the smell of sweat, blood, and jasmine. She always smelled faintly of jasmine. A sob ripped through him. He'd missed that smell.

He could tell you that the pattern she stroked onto the back of his gi, trembling fingers caressing around wounds, old and new, was the kanji for her name. He was later told as he lay crumpled in her arms that the only words he'd said at that moment were her name, a mantra on his tongue spoken like a man broken.

He could tell you that his glassy eyes burned with weeks of tears that he hadn't been able to release until this moment. They streamed down his face, soaking into the kimono of the woman he'd missed the most, owed so many apologies, and craved nothing more than her forgiveness.

He could tell you that Kaoru's voice, body, and presence kept him grounded in a way that before he'd never imagined possible- a lifeline he'd thought he lost. 'This is real. She is real.' His nails dug deeply into the cloth of her kimono sleeves as he clung to her and tried to breathe. 'Was he shaking or her?' She too held him too tightly; neither cared.

The heaviness Kenshin was feeling wasn't limited to his legs, as he felt the weight niggling- burrowing- into his chest. Ignoring it was hard to do at that moment. Tripping on the sand had been a minor inconvenience. After two strenuous battles against multiple opponents and the depth of the injuries that he'd sustained over the last few months, anyone could understand his exhaustion.

But Kaoru caught him. Like she always did. And the strong, gentle hands of the most important person- his most important person- supporting his being did nothing to hold back the dam of his emotions bursting out of his chest, eager to escape the hellish experience of the last few weeks.

Jinchuu had been successful, and Kenshin had thought she was dead. They all did. For weeks. They'd almost lost Yahiko, possibly Tsubame too. Sano and Megumi had almost left for good. And Kaoru had been trapped alone on an island with a crazed man capable of murder for weeks.

'Because of me.'

His breathing narrowed becoming more and more shallow as his chest constricted. The hands that had grasped her arms in an attempt to anchor himself sunk as Kenshin's hands clutched weakly at his heart, scratching at his clothes and the skin covering his chest.

"-nshin, you're okay. I just need you t-"

Kenshin's world tilted and his vision swam.

Whereas he had been facing the ground, Kenshin's view now consisted of the blueness of the sky- 'Kaoru's eyes are a prettier shade of blue'- and the brightness of the sun. Kenshin's eyelids slammed shut and immediately back open repeatedly as the shift in light caused him to hiss, unable to find any air to for his body to utilize. The realization that he was no longer in Kaoru's arms, but sitting on the ground, supported by Sano's body disarmed him further. The faces of the Kenshin-gumi leered close and closer, spewing words he couldn't process. He winced as his arms were jostled. 'Where did Kaoru-dono go?'

Megumi's voice faded in.

"...need space. Kenshin, if you can hear me, you've got to-" Megumi paused, seeing Kenshin's hand struggle to reach out past her. His lidded eyes were frantic with worry, and she found her own softening in understanding. 'He's reaching for-' "Kaoru, come here. Quickly."

Scrambling forward, Kaoru grasped his hand desperately, first with her left than her right. Her right hesitated first, moving to swipe abruptly at her eyes in an effort to keep her face free from her tears. However, Kenshin's arm continued to stretch for her face. With Kaoru supporting the weight of his arm, he summoned the last of his strength to nuzzle her left cheek with the back of his fingers affectionately.

'Smooth. No scar.'

Kenshin smiled gently, eyes creasing with happiness as the lack of oxygen hit his lungs once again, sending him into a gasping fit. His eyelids flickered. Somehow Kami-sama kept giving him gifts that he could only hope that one day he would deserve. Because the woman clutching his hand and yelling at him to keep his eyes open was here with him. And this moment that he deserved least of all was heart crushingly real.

Kenshin's eyes fluttered closed.


Kaoru delivering Tomoe's diary to Enishi wasn't really a surprise. The Kenshin-gumi knew that Misao and Yahiko planned on bringing it. Enishi's disappearance from his holding cell on the ship, however, was a bit more of a surprise. This was followed by Saito's decision to dock the ships until a thorough search for the wanted man could occur, leaving seven restless souls anchored in the bay.

"I can't believe we're still stuck on this damn ship."

"Honestly, Saito could get this ship moving. He' not even thinking of what Kenshin needs!"

Two of the seven, Yahiko and Misao, were a bit more vocal about the delay than the others.

"What Kenshin needs is peace and quiet," Megumi scoffed, leveling the two with a glare that could kill a hundred times over. Unfortunately, the rowdy two weren't getting the messaging.

"Misao, aren't you an Okashira or something? Doesn't that mean anything? Get this thing moving!"

Aoshi sighed while Misao's face flamed red, flickering just in front of Yahiko and grabbing the front of his shirt to pull him as close as threateningly possible. "It doesn't work that way, squirt," wrenching her forehead against his.

"I don't care, you Weasel! If it's real, pull some strings and let's move!"

"Why I outta-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" "Please. Let Kenshin rest." Everyone paused. Kenshin's chest continued to rise and fall evenly, his breathing slightly labored.

Megumi had been a ticking time bomb at the two's immaturity, but no one had expected the contrast of Kaoru's quiet command. Soft but firm, Kaoru's reaction to Misao and Yahiko's tantrum was nothing that the Kenshin-gumi were used to, and the energy in the room remained frozen as the remaining five took the chance to study Kaoru. She sat back straight as a board in a chair to the left of Kenshin's European-styled bed, choosing to focus her attention on Kenshin's cyclical breathing rather than the sudden stillness in the room. Her right hand clasped his left. The dim lighting did nothing to hide the bags under her eyes. She looked skinnier. Some discoloration on her neck peaked out from her collar, and everyone's eyes narrowed. Sano growled lowly as Misao gasped, hand at her mouth. Yahiko looked away in anger. Aoshi's eyes slid shut.

Megumi, hands clenched, took advantage of this moment to clear the space. "You heard her. In fact, there's really too many of us in here. We'll visit Kenshin in shifts, starting with Kaoru. Everyone else, find a new place to be." No one moved. "Now."

Save for a few "Bye, Kaoru" and a "See ya, Jou-chan," the Kenshin-gumi quietly filtered out of the room. Palm flat against the wood, Megumi closed the door behind the others, choosing to stay in the room a bit longer. Turning to the kettle on the side table near Kenshin's bed, she poured hot water into the cup. "Do you have any pressing injuries that I need to focus on, Kaoru?" Megumi whisked the matcha into the water with ease, keeping her eyes trained on Kaoru for any break in her expression. Kaoru's eyes glazed, and her hand started for her collar. But she came to before her hand reached destination, balling into a fist over her heart. "Not pressing, no."

'It's not a verbal yes, but...' Megumi noted. "I'll be back in fifteen minutes," the doctor stated pointedly. "In the meantime, don't move around too much or jump in the line of any more bullets you hear?" At this, Kaoru rolled her eyes with a look that screamed, 'Really?' Megumi fired back in a heartbeat. "Oh, I'm very serious. Finding you was a miracle, and I don't want to find out if we can do it again. Ken-san's already had an anxiety attack today so give our hearts a break. Let me know if he awakens and is experiencing any pain. I'll be in to check on him periodically."

Kaoru cut her eyes and snorted, but remained quiet as Megumi placed the tea on the table next to a small glass of water and a wash cloth, giving a quiet thanks as Megumi opened and walked through the door.

"It's good to have you back, Tanuki." she said lowly eyes watering in hidden relief as the door shut behind her.

A soft click. Then it was the two of them.

Kaoru hunched immediately. Giving Kenshin's form a quick scan, Kaoru felt giddy and exhausted, concerned and relieved, and above all had so many questions. 'What happened while I was gone? How is the dojo? Is everyone okay? Is Kenshin?' Glancing down at his hand, she found her thumb had a mind of its own and had been stroking the soft skin of the back of his hand. 'Surprisingly soft.' Her eyes crinkled as she felt the corners of her mouth pulling upwards. Though he'd fluttered in and out of consciousness on the island, the man was finally resting. had experienced so much together and made it through yet another obstacle. "Maybe now life will calm down a-"

"What a nice sight to see."

Face flushed, the raspy voice jolted Kaoru's hunched form ramrod straight, quickly ripping her hand from Kenshin's before relaxing again. Unable to hide her adoration, she gazed at the man in front of her with tears in her eyes. "Hi, Kenshin," she whispered, a smile on her face and in her tone. Kaoru glanced down at her hands then to her right, scanning the wooden side table to find a means to look useful outside of staring at the very clearly awake redhead in front of her. Seeing the wet cloth again, Kaoru grabbed it as she stood and began dabbing at the exposed skin on Kenshin's face to keep his body cool.

"How are you? Your body? Your arm?"

"Uncomfortably numb." Oh. Kaoru hesitated in her dabbing. "Let me go and get Megumi then." Kenshin shook his head, eyes filled with mirth "No, it's alright. This is how it should be. It means the medicine is working." Kaoru's mouth formed a small O, making him chuckle. The sound, though comforting, was charred, and it reminded her to offer the water on the side table. He accepted willingly. After some moments, Kenshin spoke again, his tone casting warmth. "It's good to see you, Kaoru-dono. How are you feeling?"

Kaoru smiled tiredly, eyes watering. "I'm so good, Kenshin. So good now."

Kenshin returned a small smile of his own that slowly faded as his eyes searched her own.

"Megumi-dono made some extremely valid points earlier, Kaoru-dono. Losing you just as we found you… that would would have been- I don't know that I..."

'Of course he wasn't sleeping.' This concerned Kenshin was familiar. Kaoru shook her head, facing away from him. Her mouth twisted, and her fingers wrung the long forgotten cloth nervously. "I wasn't expecting to, I swear! I just saw you there and my body just moved." Her shoulders drooped as she sighs. She shifted her gaze to the floor and continued. "But I'd do it again. In a heartbeat."

"Absolutely not." Kenshin roared, upper torso flying forward only to be stopped by the intense protest and pain in his muscles. Hissing as Kaoru helped him rest back on his pillow, she continued. "That's unfair, Kenshin, and you know it. You always put yourself in harm's way to protect me that I-" A pause. "It's not wrong that I want to protect you too." Finishing quietly, Kaoru reverted her gaze back to Kenshin, amethyst inspecting ocean blue inquisitively.

Not knowing what to say in the wake of Kenshin's silence, Kaoru sat and found another task with the rapidly cooling matcha that Megumi had left her on the table. 'This room is chilly. Kenshin might need more blankets if we don't get moving soon.' Ready to take a fresh sip, the glass was almost to her mouth when Kenshin spoke again:

"Kaoru-dono, I have a favor to ask."

Kaoru paused to look at Kenshin, but his eyes remained on his own cup of water he was gently twisting between his fingers. Eyes dilating as Kenshin turned his head towards her, Kaoru found herself overwhelmed by the full depth of attention the man that she cared for was now giving her. His own eyes completely unguarded. "I would follow him anywhere," she realized. The thought had her stomach fluttering freely.

"Come with me to Kyoto."

Kaoru's eyes widened much quicker than her jaw dropped, a comparably slower descent as Kaoru began to comprehend Kenshin's words. 'Can he read minds?'

A soft smile- a true smile- remained on Kenshin's face portraying emotions in his amethyst eyes that made Kaoru's breath catch, delaying any and all words. And while Kaoru didn't respond verbally, not a single sound echoed through the room, save the crash of the cup for tea that slipped from Kaoru's loosened fingers. Porcelain littered the ship's cement floor underneath the bed, jolting Kaoru back into the moment at hand.

"Kenshin, I- oh, hold on a sec- such a baka," she mumbled, jumping backwards as she averted her attention to the remaining shards of the cup on the ground. "Baka, baka, baka, baka..." Kneeling down, she picked up the pieces, trying hard not to cut herself on the broken glass.

Kenshin's figure maintained his amused expression. Eyes crinkling and hands grasping the tea cup in his hands in an almost unnoticeable grip. If Kaoru could see him, she'd see his nerves betrayed by the slight tremble in his fingers every few moments. "Not forever. Just one day, Kaoru-dono. Just the two of us," he nudged. "I'd-" Indecision flashed across Kenshin's face, and peering down into his cup, he shifted uncomfortably.

"I know after all of this, I'm the last person who deserves to ask something like this of you-" Kaoru opened her mouth, ready to interject, but he continued. "But... I'd like for you to come with me. To meet Tomoe."

Kaoru paused, staring at the cement. The shards in her hand clinked against each other musically at her sudden stop.

"...There's no one else I would want with to come with me, Kaoru." The murmur tugged in such a beautifully cruel manner on her heartstrings. Her mind- almost euphoric- couldn't place why.

"A day in Kyoto?" she whispered, left hand piecing through the shards in her right carefully.

"Ah. A day in Kyoto." he returned gently, still slightly unnerved that she was still out of his line of sight. 'Her face would tell me everything that I need to know in moments like these." He smiled again, a silent chuckle bubbling at his thoughts.

Honestly, Kaoru knew she would have promised him all of the days that she had left in the world if he'd asked. But this day, right now, her heart felt light just to be near him again. Her eyes shone charmingly so.

"Yes. Kenshin. Yes, of course. I'd be honored."


This pilot chapter held so much! I've strayed from this storyline and more specifically RK for a very long time. Nobuhiro Watsuki's actions made me question a lot of the storyline, and trying to write again when I did felt hurtful to a lot of what I had looked up to in my childhood. I'm not sure if I'm writing this story in an effort to say goodbye to the series or to help shift my perspective to seeing Kenshin in the way that I always believed he was and could be. I've got a few chapters written in advance, so I'm extremely excited to figure out what this journey out of Jinchuu will look like for my OG favourite couple.

My hope is to utilize a two week update schedule but my heart is telling me that it should be a month. Follow the story, review, leave what you liked and constructive thoughts. How is the chapter length? Flow? Let the record show: I'M LOOKING FOR A BETA READER. PMs accepted!