One Month Later

“A sword is a weapon to kill, just like I killed Kanryu. Neither of you have to agree with it but, in my mind, he deserved to die. That’s why I’m going to study Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu with Hiko; I want to learn the discipline that I know all about already. I want to be able to protect people.” Kenji told his parents as he stood next to Aoshi and Misao. He had made the decision to move to Kyoto with them and learn his father’s sword discipline. He had been told that he was already a genius with swordsmanship, and he had proven his skills, now he wanted more.

“Don’t worry Kaoru; we will make sure that he is okay.’ Misao grinned as she ruffled Kenji’s red hair, drawing a grimace and a stuck out tongue from the boy.

“I know that you don’t believe killing is right, and I have come to believe that myself. However, Kenji can still lend his hand to keeping the peace during the Meiji era. The decision not to kill will have to be his own, you cannot force it on him,” Aoshi’s straight face had lightened since Misao had come back. There was even rumor that they would be planning on being married in the coming winter when Kenshin and Kaoru made their trip up there. Aoshi seemed less afraid of losing people and making commitments to those he cared about now because of what Kaoru had said to him, and Misao was more willing to wait for Aoshi to be ready because of what Kenshin had said. Both Kenshin and Kaoru knew that they would make the right decision of themselves.

“Hey kid, train hard and one day you might be able to win the Sakabato back from Yahiko.” Sanosuke said as he knelt in front of Kenji. Kenji grabbed onto Sano, who drew the boy into a tight hug. Kenshin and Kaoru spent some more time with their son as Sano went over to shake hands with Aoshi and got a flying hug from Misao. After a few more minutes of heartfelt goodbye’s Aoshi, Misao, and Kenji headed out towards the horizon, heading off to Kyoto to continue life.

“I didn’t think that you could be so caring Sanosuke?” Megumi teased as she came up to Sano, wrapping her fingers into his and leaning her head on his shoulder. Kaoru snickered behind them, winning a glare from Megumi. Whispering to one another Kenshin and Kaoru walked back into the dojo hand in hand, both completely happy.

“Look, I’m only being nice because you aren’t trying to trick me into anything. Besides, I’ve been thinking about something recently.” Both of them walked towards the woods, both of them steering one another in the clearing, their clearing.

“You’ve been thinking, I didn’t know you knew how to do that.” Megumi was nudged for her comment.

“It was something that we had in common when we were planning on attacking Kanryu, a lullaby. I was thinking that life is like a lullaby.”

“You know there is a song about life like a lullaby, Kaoru and Aoshi were talking about it. I was eavesdropping of course.” Megumi grinned slyly, laughing to herself, the fox ears popping up from her head.

“I was thinking that, like lullabies, life is something that moves up and down, through highs and lows, it is also something that is best when it lasts for a long time and is not discarded because doesn’t like it or because of someone else. It doesn’t protect the nightmares, but it makes the dreams sweeter. Just something I’ve been thinking about.” Sanosuke pulled Megumi in front of him, his eyes glaring into hers. Since he had seen her again, that first time on the boat, he had found the ability to get past his own pride and arrogance and to truly see her as the woman he had loved since he was nineteen. Now he was as old as Kenshin had been when he met him, Yahiko was as old as he was nine years ago, and he had learned enough from both of them.

“Sanosuke, A life worth living is one that stays alive, just as a lullaby worth singing is one that survives. When did you get so philosophical?” She tried to take her eyes from his but he pulled her chin up with his strong hand.

“It’s because I hung out with old people like you and Kenshin for so long that it rotted my brain.” Sanosuke was reprimanded by a swift poke in the chest. Wincing, he watched as Megumi flung her hair back into his face as she turned around. With a grin he pulled her back into his chest by her hand and wrapped his arms around her.

Megumi looked up at him, a sly grin on her face, “I don’t know why I’ve put up with you so long Sanosuke Sagara.”

“Yes,” he said to her, brushing her hair behind her ears then tracing the line down her shoulder, “You know exactly why you put up with me.” Leaning down he pushed his lips against her as she wrapped her arms around this strong torso.

As the sun set, the Kamiya Dojo was a peace. Kenshin and Tsubame were busily cooking dinner and bringing it to the table while Yahiko told Kaoru of his apprehension and excitement at being a father to be. Sanosuke and Megumi sat next to them around the table hand in hand.

*Things have changed for all of us* Kaoru thought as she watched everyone eating. Sano was stealing food from Yahiko’s plate, earning the young man’s ire. Megumi had her fox ears out as she tipped something into Sanosuke’s sake, earning a laugh from both Tsubame and Kenshin, *But truly, we have all stayed the same to one another, and that’s all that matters.*

IIIII

A/N – THANKS!!! I hope that you like this epilogue-ish thingy. Thanks for your reads and your reviews. I do wish I could have gotten more but I’m glad that you all liked it! My story makes me happy, I hope that it makes you happy too. Good luck on all your fanfiction endeavors and I hope to catch you again in one of my other fics! I just started one about the Priestess Midoriko from Inuyasha...if anyone's interest.

Im so thankful that you guys read this, and now it is finished. And we will probably break 30 reviews...not bad, not bad. Thanks!!!