Kenshin and Sano walked quietly down back to the Kamiya Dojo after the meeting. Snow was still falling around them, reminding Kenshin slightly of the day Tomoe had died. But the thought was set aside. Kenshin was over her death, hard to believe, and he had Kaoru to thank. "Kenshin." Kenshin snapped out of his dream world at the sound of Sano's voice, making the wanderer turn his head towards the fighter for hire with a confused "oro?" "You've been really quiet since the meeting. Is everything OK?"

"Oh, everything's fine Sano, that it is." But Kenshin knew he was lying, not only to Sano but also to himself. He was worried about the war. He knew that if he died, he'd never be able to see Kaoru again, but then again, if he didn't help in the war, he would probably never be able to see his remaining family again. Kikyou and his grandmother were the only family he had left, and he didn't want to lose them, but he loved Kaoru, and he didn't want to be torn away from her. What was he going to do? It was getting all confusing, and it was making Kenshin's head hurt. "Kenshin!" Kenshin stopped in his tracks at the sound of his sister's voice as Kikyou run up to them from the shadows in an ally way to their left. She was breathing hard from running, clutching her chest to try and ease the stitch. "Kikyou-Oneechan? What's wrong? You look like you've run a mile."

"I have to talk to you." Kikyou said, stopping just short of Kenshin's face, breathing hard.

"What about?"

"Kaoru just spoke with me. She was in the market when I was passing by to get some food." Kikyou said reaching into the folds of her hakama. "She wanted me to tell you that she and the rest of the Kenshin-gumi who weren't fighting decided to throw us a going away party."

"With booze I hope." Sano said, taking his hands out of his pockets and rubbing his busted hand, broken from his fight with Shishio. Kikyou and Kenshin rolled their eyes.

"Well, anyway, Aoshi and the others are going to be there. It starts at seven in the dojo. She wants you to pick up some sake and egg rolls." Kikyou added, handing Kenshin a list of things from the market. "I told her I would get them, but she wants you two to do it to keep you away from the dojo for awhile whilst they get ready."

"Sounds like a plan." Kenshin replied, tucking the list into his hakama. "We shouldn't be gone long." And with a nod to each other, they parted ways. Kenshin watched as his sister ran down the road, probably looking for Aoshi. Sano just shrugged and started down the road again, his hands once again shoved into his pockets, chewing on his fish bone.

* * *

"Yahiko, help Suzume carry that tray of food will ya?" Kaoru snapped at her assistant master. "Remember the last time she carried a tray on her own?"

"Jeez, like you have to remind me." Yahiko snapped back, quickly taking the heavy tray from Suzume's hands and giving her a lighter bag of bread to carry. Suzume, Ayame and Dr. Genzi had been invited to join them, and the girls were helping with all they could. They were still busy getting ready when Kenshin and Sano stopped back home to drop off the food and sake they picked up. "Kenshin, you guys can't be here until the dojo is ready?!" Yahiko scolded them, taking the stuff from them.

"Only here to drop the stuff off and then head over to Kikyou's place to wait." Sano pointed out, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder to show Kikyou's wolf, Rogue standing behind him. "Besides, we know the party starts at seven. We won't be back until 7:05 at the latest." And then, with a wave good bye, the two men and the wolf walked back down the alleyway.

"Let's hope they don't get into any trouble on the way." Yahiko quietly wished, not wanting his two older friends to get into any fights with the Shadow Wolves.

* * *

"Party time!" Misao cried as she walked into the dojo later that evening. She and Yahiko then did a little dance together, singing at the top of their lungs. Aoshi just looked at them with a bemused look on his face, Saitoh looking as if he'd rather be somewhere else.

"Wow Kaoru, you really out did yourself." Kikyou said marveling at what they had all done. Kikyou was wearing a beautiful kimono Aoshi had given her, unbeknownst by Misao, who thought that some Nomad Wolf had made it for her. It was beautiful satin pink, silver dragons embroidered into it, and her hair was done up into a bun with pink dyed chopsticks.

"Oh Kikyou that kimono looks wonderful on you!" Kaoru stated, taking one of the sleeves carefully and admiring it. "Where did you get it?"

Kikyou quickly glanced over at Misao, who was drinking sake with Kenshin and the others before taking her voice down to a low whisper. "Truth be told, this is the only kimono I'll wear. I hate wearing them, just ask Kenshin. As for who gave it to me, Aoshi did. Misao would get so mad if she knew. She's not too fond of me." Kaoru snickered.

"I'm guessing because he loves you and not her."

"Damn skippy!"

Kaoru smiled at Kikyou and handed her a cup and bottle of sake, and scooted over to make room for the girl. Meanwhile, Sano had challenged Saitoh to a shot drinking contest using sake. "You want to challenge me, a veteran drinker, to a petty contest like this?" Saitoh asked, looking at Sano as if he was stoned. Sano nodded a confidant smirk on his face. Saitoh stared back into Sano's fiery brown eyes with his cold black ones. "You're on." It didn't take long before Saitoh, who really didn't have that high of tolerance for alcohol, fell over, giggling and mumbling something about cucumbers. Well, Sano, who was still not that drunk and had a rather high tolerance for alcohol, challenged Kenshin next.

"Um, I don't think I should get drunk, that I don't." Kenshin throwing his hands up defensively as Sano beckoned him forward.

"Ah come on bro!" Kikyou said, already drunk, Kaoru hanging off of her, red in the face and giggling uncontrollably. "You're funny when you're drunk!" Yahiko, Ayame and Suzume all sat in the corner, watching this as it happened. They didn't need to get up and do something, this was getting entertaining. Kenshin looked over at his sister like she was nuts and finally sighed, taking the sake glass and poising himself, ready for action. Sano smirked, raising his hand, two fingers extended. With a quick motion, he brought his hand down and they both drained their cups, quickly refilling them and draining them again. This took a total of ten minutes until Sano finally was beet red in the face, snickering. Kenshin was also red in the face, finally quitting his drink and swaying from side to side, bobbing his head simultaneously and singing a queer little song.

"Oh I wish a cucumber, a cucumber, a cucumber... I wish I was a cucumber and just as cool!" All of a sudden, after drinking a few more shots of sake, Saitoh stood up. Kenshin and the others, now all drunk, except for Aoshi, who was sitting in the corner opposite the kids, looked over at Saitoh, wondering what he was going to do. The out of nowhere, Saitoh did a little dance. Yahiko and the girls burst out laughing. This was indeed getting interesting. Saitoh was doing his dance to Kenshin's Cucumber Song; Misao was swaying along with Kenshin, and also bobbing her head. Kaoru and Kikyou started singing the Cucumber Song also, and getting the words wrong. Sano just fell over, looking as if he passed out, every now and then giggling and mumbling something about a moose coming to eat him.

Everyone was going nuts, except still for Aoshi, who was plaintively sitting and drinking his tea. "Pathetic souls." Aoshi muttered under his breathe. "I'm glad could never tolerate the presence of alcohol." Aoshi took another sip of his tea, watching them, before finally saying, "I wish was that happy." He couldn't help but laugh at the others as they continued to make fools of themselves, every now and then smiling at Kikyou, who he was glad that she was enjoying herself.

Several hours later, the food was eaten, the sake was drunk, and everyone had finally worn off all the alcohol in their systems. Well, most of it anyway. Sano and Saitoh were still giggling every now and then, but for the most part things had started to finally calm down. Suzume and Ayame had fallen asleep, Suzume in Kenshin's lap, and Ayame in Kikyou's, nestled under blankets. Yahiko and Kaoru had dozed off leaning against each other, Yahiko snoring loudly. Saitoh finally stood up, the alcohol gone from his system for the most part. "I'd better head home before my wife has my head." Saitoh said, grabbing his katana from beside the door. "I will see you tomorrow at work Aoshi." Aoshi nodded, knowing he had to meet with Dogma the next day with Saitoh. It wasn't that important, but he needed to go, even though he would have rather spend the day with Kikyou.

The girl in question was tucking the two girls into futons on the far side of the dojo, and then started to clean up some of the trash. She had released her hair from her bun, letting it fall over her shoulders. Aoshi looked around at everyone else, who were all sleeping. Kenshin had positioned himself against the wall, allowing Kaoru's head to rest on his lap. Sano was curled into a ball, holding onto a futon blanket like a baby. Aoshi smiled. He could remember well when Misao still did that. They had shared rooms when she was little, and he took her in to train and care for her. He loved her like a sister. But he knew it hurt her when she would occasionally catch him and Kikyou together. Aoshi smiled about the good times and turned his attention to Misao, who was lying sprawled out, her head resting on Yahiko's stomach, and the two of them snoring loudly. *Some things never change.* Aoshi giggled inwardly, getting up and walking over to Kikyou. "Kikyou-koy?" Kikyou turned from the dishes to look Aoshi in the face. She didn't expect him to be kneeling right next to her, pressing his lips against her's the second she turned around.

"Aoshi-koy..." Kikyou muttered, resting her hand on his shoulder and half pushing away. "Someone might be watching."

Aoshi just smiled. "Let them watch." He then kissed her again, caressing her cheek with his hand. At that moment, Kenshin watched them out of the corner of his eye, smiling broadly, before looking at Kaoru, still smiling, and falling fast asleep.