The characters of Rurouni Kenshin do not be belong to me. They are the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki, Jump Comics, Sony, Media Blasters....yada yada, you know the drill =D

Chapter 3:  Separations and Reunions

“Yahiko-chan!!! Come back here Yahiko no baka!” A young dark-haired woman with glittering blue eyes waved a wooden sword angrily as she sat on the porch of a dojo, threatening a young teenager with spiky hair. “You know I can’t chase you in my condition you stupid brat!” Himura Kaoru looked down at her incredibly large midsection and sighed.

The teenage boy immediately looked contrite and turned back to give his instructor a worried glance as he ran a hand through his mop of unruly dark hair. “Hey, ugly, are you sure you’re okay?”

Kaoru glared at him. “I’m fine. You’re turning into another Kenshin, Yahiko. Why does everybody keep treating me like an invalid! It’s bad enough I have to stop teaching classes and let you take over the dojo, but now everyone starts hovering over me as soon as I step outside the door.”

“We’re just worried about you, Kaoru-koishii,” spoke up a calm and soothing voice from behind her. An arm came around her slim shoulders as her husband settled himself beside her on the porch. Kaoru turned to him and sighed, wanting to argue but finding herself unable to. There was something about his violet eyes that always managed to melt her resistance, no matter how angry she was. So instead of arguing, she merely sighed and placed her head on her husband’s shoulder.

“I’m fine, Kenshin no baka! You don’t have to worry about me or the baby.” Kaoru grimaced as she felt a quick kick to her lungs. “Gosh, he must get his strength from you. He won’t stop moving.”

Yahiko grinned as he watched Kenshin reach over to lay a hand on Kaoru’s growing belly. “With the two of you as parents, the poor kid probably won’t be very big no matter how strong he is. But you wouldn’t know that by just looking at you, ugly. You’re huge!”

Kenshin smiled, his innocent violet eyes widening with good humor. “It’s her ninth month Yahiko. You can’t expect her to be thin as a reed.”

“Well I wish the ninth month would hurry up and be over. I’m beginning to look like a gigantic whale,” grumbled Kaoru while Yahiko and Kenshin grinned at each other.

Suddenly the dojo gate opened with a loud creak as a familiar voice blasted across the yard. “Yo Kenshin! Jo-chan!”

Sagara Sanosuke, a tall man with spiky brown hair and a red headband tied around his forehead, entered the dojo yard with a small boy settled on his shoulders. Next to him stood his wife Megumi, who looked at Kaoru with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

“Raccoon girl, you look ready to burst!” she greeted the younger girl with a sly smile and a toss of her glossy dark hair.

“Megumi, don’t start with me. How are you doing Souzou-chan?” Kaoru reached for the little boy on Sano’s shoulders, who with his rascally grin and spiky hair bore a striking resemblance to his father at the age of two. Little Souzou went eagerly into Kaoru’s arms, one little hand clutching at the young woman’s kimono. Grabbing a fistful of the silky material in his hand, Souzou’s brown eyes promptly closed as he fell asleep in Kaoru’s lap.

Megumi chuckled, her red lips turning up in a smile as she gazed down at her son fondly. “He’s must be tired. Souzou spent all day playing with Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan at the clinic. Between the three of them, they basically tore the place apart.” She gave her husband an arch look. “By the time he grows up he’ll be more of a troublemaker than his father.”

“Hey, fox lady! You’d think after three years of marriage you could let up with all that crap now?” Sanosuke asked in annoyance, but everyone could see the laughter lurking in his devilish brown eyes.

Suddenly there was a another knock on the gate and a voice called out, “Is anybody here?” Yahiko shrugged and trotted around the corner to unlatch the gate, only to return moments later with a dark-haired young girl dressed in a white hakama and blue gi. The kenshin-gumi exchanged uneasy glances, wondering if another of Kenshin’s enemies had come looking for revenge. The former hitokiri seemed to attract trouble the same way honey attracted vermin. The young girl’s violet eyes widened as her gaze swept the group staring at her warily. Then her gaze fixed on Kenshin and a large grin spread across her face.

“Well, it appears I’ve found the right place. Long time no see, Himura.”

Kenshin’s eyes widened as he gave his wife’s hand a reassuring squeeze before standing up. He blinked a few times and then a warm smile touched his lips. “What brings you here, little rabbit?”

The young girl rolled her eyes at the nickname, oblivious to the curious glances being thrown her way. “You know I love Tokyo so I thought I’d drop by to see how you were doing. And I don’t recall you stopping to say hello the last time you were in Kyoto either. Anyways, I heard from Uncle that your wife was expecting so I decided to pay you a long overdue visit. If you don’t mind, that is.” She flashed the group a winsome smile, her eyes dancing with unconcealed merriment.

Kaoru, Yahiko, Megumi, and Sanosuke glanced at each other in surprise, wondering who the new stranger was. But it wasn’t anything unusual for their rurouni to know many people from all sorts of backgrounds, and the four finally began to relax, realizing that the small girl posed no threat to them.

Kenshin suddenly remembered his manners and looked back at his wife, whose eyes were burning with unanswered questions. “Rabbit, let me introduce you to everyone. This is Kaoru, my wife, and that little one sleeping in her lap is Sagara Souzou. Sanosuke and Megumi over there are Souzou’s parents, and this is Myoujin Yahiko.”

The stranger stepped forward and sketched a quick bow. “Nice to meet you, everyone. I’m Hiko Kasume.”

Kaoru's blue eyes widened as Sano's sharp intake of breath was heard throughout the yard in the sudden stillness that had fallen upon the Kenshingumi.  After a moment of stunned silence, Yahiko’s jaw dropped. “Hiko? You mean Hiko as in Hiko Seijuro? Kenshin’s shishou?” he squeaked.

Kasume nodded with gleeful grin on her face. “The very one. I’m his niece. It appears that Uncle’s reputation extends all the way to Tokyo. I’m properly impressed, Himura.”

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“Wow, Kasume, this food is really great! You cook a lot better than ugly does,” mumbled Yahiko around a large mouthful of rice.

Sanosuke nodded in assent, too busy chewing to aim any barbs at Kaoru’s less than satisfactory culinary skills.

“You two better be careful. Otherwise you’re never going to get another free meal at the Kamiya dojo again. Right Kasume?” Kaoru winked at her newly found friend.

“You bet, Kaoru!”

Kenshin bit back a grin as he watched his old friend and wife chatter happily about random topics that came up. Kasume and Kaoru got along like a house afire, which wasn’t surprising since both were incredibly tomboyish and stubborn females. The two women had kept up a steady stream of conversation during the entire meal. Yahiko and Sanosuke stopped chewing long enough to bicker with each other occasionally while Megumi busily fed Souzou his meal. At the end of dinner Yahiko and Kasume began to clear the dishes while Sanosuke and Megumi said their good-byes and walked back to their home.

Kenshin noticed Kaoru blinking sleepily and covering up a yawn. “You must be tired, Kaoru. Why don’t you go to bed and get some rest? It’s been a long day.”

His wife smiled at him weakly and nodded. “Do you mind setting up the empty room for Kasume? I don’t think I have the energy to do it.”

“Of course. Come on, I’ll help you to bed.”

“I am not an invalid, Kenshin! I can walk perfectly well by myself, thank you.”

Ignoring his wife’s protests, Kenshin gently picked her up from her seat at the dinner table and swiftly made his way across the floor. Kasume and Yahiko came out of the kitchen in time too see Kenshin carrying a tired but still indignant Kaoru to their bedroom at the other end of the dojo.

“Those two are so funny,” laughed Yahiko.

“Tell me something, Yahiko. Is Kenshin as happy as he seems?” asked Kasume thoughtfully.

“Of course! Why would you ask something like that!”

Kasume grinned at him. “It’s just that I’ve known him for a long time, and he’s never seemed so content before. This marriage thing is definitely good for him.”

“I have no idea what he sees in Kaoru, but they do seem happy together,” replied Yahiko with a smile.

“Oh, come now,” admonished Kasume. “She’s perfect for him. Kenshin needs some fun in his life, and she’s just the person to give it to him.” She sighed and stretched her hands behind her to work out the aches in her muscles. “It must have been a longer road trip than I thought. I’m feeling dead on my feet.”

“Hey, Kasume, why don’t you go get some rest? I’ll finish up cleaning the kitchen. Besides, if ugly knew I made you help me, I’d be forced to do a hundred katas tomorrow morning.”

Kasume laughed. “Thanks. I think I’ll go outside and get some fresh air for a bit before sleeping though. It’s such a nice night outside.”

“No problem,” replied Yahiko, who was already walking back towards the kitchen.