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Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin characters are all owned by someone else.

Important Notes: Kaoru speaks. This takes place immediately after Kenshin leaves in chapter 31 of My Life.

Warnings: Kaoru speaks.

Moments in Time: Chapter 3 - Kaoru

Kaoru felt like she had hit a brick wall. It was impossibly strong, erected by the master of walls himself, Kenshin Himura. For a time, she worked at it, pulling it apart, brick by brick. For awhile, she thought she could see to the other side. She saw him, and he was—in her mind—crying, reaching out, asking for help. Asking to be seen, this cheerful, warm young man that she knew he was trying to hide.

It was all for nothing. She threw away her tools, washed her hands too soon, and he was rebuilding the wall. When she least expected it, when she tried to rush toward him, he stepped behind it, and she collided, head first. And it hurt like hell.

“I’m so sorry,” Kaoru whimpered, collapsing to her knees. Omasu was beside her, arms around her, and Kaoru latched onto the girl, pressing her face into her quiet friend’s shoulder. “He doesn’t see…”

Omasu rubbed her back and sat in uneasy silence, not entirely sure what had just happened. Weeping openly, Kaoru did not attempt to explain anything. Together they sat, waiting for Kenshin to come to his senses and return.

I didn’t know what to think. Whenever Kenshin was involved, things just seemed to go to pot. It reminded me of the old Nancy Drew novels I read when I was a girl. The main characters rarely went looking for trouble. It just found them. Kenshin was like that. He did not seek out trouble, and he certainly did not want it, but it followed him around wherever he went.

There was something about him, though. Despite all the difficulties, I felt myself drawn to him. There was this endearing quality to him, behind the cold, selfish walls he created. The mischievous, cheerful side that he rarely showed. I like to think he would be like a bright, wide-eyed youth if someone had helped him when he was younger.

Yet, that was not the young man I wanted to see either. The sarcastic streak in him was vicious, and it was funny. I loved the way he tried to protest whenever I wanted to do something silly. He always gave in, though. Complain as he did, he liked it. He would have been long gone if he didn’t.

But back to his luck. I don’t know how, but I often got sucked into this abyss of bad luck. It was okay, really. I was not affected as much, though it hurt to see him in pain. Like that night when he woke me with his tossing and turning. I was surprised he didn’t cry. Me? I would have been sobbing. I did sob.

Then, the night when he disappeared. I should have known he would figure out that I told his uncle about that attack. Kenshin was too self-reliant for a twenty-year-old still mostly under the governing control of his guardian. He thought he could do everything on his own, but no one can do that and come out on top. Maybe it’s because I’m a girl, but I could never live without someone to turn to for comfort and assistance. Guys don’t go for all that, but it’s hardly normal circumstances.

Sometimes I honestly had to wonder… why the heck was I still seeing him? Who knows? Emotions are funny that way.

Kenshin didn’t come home that night. Kaoru was frantic. Kenshin always came home.

She dug out Kenshin’s list of phone numbers, tucked in the stack of miscellaneous papers by the phone. Her first instinct was Sanosuke, so she called him.

“Frank’s bar and grill,” a deep, annoyed-sounding voice came on the line. “What do you want?”

“Not since yesterday,” Sanosuke said finally. “It’s after midnight, Kaoru. Maybe he’s studying at the library.”

“He got mad and left a few hours ago,” Kaoru closed her eyes, trying not to cry. “I’m really worried, Sanosuke.”

“Call his uncle,” Sanosuke advised. “I’ll call Megumi and put the word out.”

Kaoru hung up the phone, biting her lip as the first of the tears spilled down her cheeks. Picking up the phone again, she dialed Hiko’s number.