OMG, you guys. I feel like I apologize at the beginning of every chapter, but it doesn't make it any less sincere. I hate that it has taken me this long to get this final chapter out, but here we are. I do have a legit excuse this time, though I wonder if it will be of any consolation. So last year my laptop broke. Like physically broke, and I couldn't get it to come on. Considering how much of my life was saved on that laptop, I literally had a meltdown. I was so terrified that I had lost all of my stories; posted, finished, and otherwise. Not to mention all of the photos I had saved. And none of it was backed up. I bought a backup at one point, but I found out that it had quit working too. (FML) Luckily, I was able to finally pull all of my photos and documents off of that POS, but I wasn't exactly in a position financially to just go out and buy a new laptop immediately. I only just got a replacement this year, and believe me, I was going through withdrawals by that time, lol. Anyway, I was so excited, but also anxious, to finish this chapter, that I rushed it the first time. It took a little longer than I wanted to edit it into a version I liked, but I am finally satisfied, and I hope you enjoy. Thank you for sticking with me all the way to the end.

Disclaimer: Every story has an end… but it's not really the end, is it?

Chapter XLVIII: The Beginning

The small pegboard on the table rattled slightly as Kaoru's shaky left hand knocked the peg in her grip against several of the other pegs already placed in the pattern. The scowl already firming her mouth darkened, and she glared in concentration as she missed the hole she was aiming for. Again. A frustrated sigh huffed out of her nose, and it took everything she had not to throw the damn peg across the room. Instead, her arm jerked back into her lap and she voiced her irritation aloud. "This is ridiculous!"

"It's alright. You're doing just fine, Miss Kamiya." The kind physical therapist that was helping her smiled from the other side of the table, and her voice was soothing. "There's no rush."

The muscles around her eyes and lips twitched, and sapphire irises dropped to the table. "But I can't go back to work like this." In spite of herself, there were tears in her voice, and her scowl twisted in disgust.

"Girl!" The growl came from the man sitting next to the door, and Kaoru sniffed before rubbing her forearm roughly over her eyes.

"What, Oji?" Her face turned away and her voice snapped. "I'm not in the mood for a lecture."

"Girl." There was a warning tone in his command now, the same way a parent's voice would turn when scolding a child. "Look at me." Reluctantly, Kaoru peeked around her bangs. A second later she gasped, and was forced to snatch the throwing knife he had chucked at her out of the air.

"What the fuck, Oji!?"

The exclamation was automatic, but even as he sneered slightly at her, her whole body relaxed in wonder. Due to his positioning by the door and her own seated figure directly across from him, she had been forced to utilize her left hand. And it had not failed her.

"Mr. Saitou! That was completely inappropriate and dangerous!"

"Now throw it." His finger pointed back behind her at a larger wooden pegboard that was hanging from the wall. Blinking, Kaoru shifted in her seat, and flipped her arm to toss the small blade in its direction. Unfortunately, it hit long ways and clanged roughly to the ground. "You're thinking about it too hard. Try again."

"Mr. Saitou. I must protest."

"We already tried it your way, woman. Now we're going to do it my way."

The therapist stood with a huff and marched out the door, muttering angrily the entire way. On her way out she ran into Kenshin, but when he asked how Kaoru was doing he earned a glare for his trouble. A peek into the room revealed a scenario he had not expected, but was not truly surprised by. Doing something that was more natural to her would no doubt be much more helpful than something as monotonous and boring as sticking pegs into holes.

"K-Kenshin." His name from her mouth was still uncertain, but he was glad that she was at least trying to be more comfortable with their relationship. Kaoru was much more at ease when they were alone, but he had already known she was a private person. "Miss Kaoru." The acknowledgment tinged her cheeks just slightly pink, but a bite of her lip focused her back on throwing the knife she had just caught. Again it clattered to the floor, but she was given little time to dwell on it as Saitou proceeded to flip another at her to catch.

"Her fine motor skills have improved." The aside to Saitou was met by a low grunt.

"Not fast enough for her." Saitou paused, but reluctantly continued through the twitch of his disapproving mouth. He still hated that she was in a relationship with a vampire, but knew he could do nothing to stop it now. "She was getting frustrated and needed an outlet before we fly back to Europe tomorrow."

"Once we return home she'll have plenty of options to help her."

A sharp thock pulled all eyes to the large pegboard, and Kaoru jumped up excitedly as one finally stuck, though barely, into the wood. "I did it!"

Saitou sniffed to hide the automatic pull of his muscles. "So you did. Now pick them all up, and work on that stress ball they gave you." Standing, Saitou was much taller than Kenshin, and he purposefully used the height advantage to stare down on the old vampire. Having only experienced raising boys, Saitou was unused to the need to say something and be at a loss on what. So he glowered and settled on something simple. "Don't fuck up." Both red brows lifted towards his hairline, but Saitou had already pushed through the door to no doubt find somewhere to smoke.

With all of the throwing knives in hand, Kaoru stood and grinned toward the door, only to find Kenshin standing there alone. He smiled, even though her own faltered, and detoured to the table to collect the stress ball Saitou had spoken of. Though she was more at ease with their relationship when they were alone, she was still guarded and unsure. He suspected it had more to do with her amnesia than anything else, as she had expressed worry a few times about possibly acting in a way that wasn't normal for them. Despite his reassurances, she still shook when they touched.

"Shall I escort you back to your room?" Ever so slightly, she jumped, because he was directly next to her now. She tried to look at him, but once their eyes connected and she saw how close he was to her, she quickly looked away. Kaoru, however, was not one to run from her discomfort, and a moment later she half-turned toward him with a blatantly determined set to her features. "I-I'd like that." Tentatively, her free hand wrapped around the fingers hanging at his side, and her lip pulled back between her teeth. He recognized the expectance in her eyes and scent, and he wanted to meet those expectations and more. He wanted to curl himself around the flames of her soul. He wanted to remember what it was like to be burned by her. The already heavy affection in his gaze warmed, and he brushed his knuckles against her cheek to push back her bangs. Dark lashes fluttered in encouragement, but despite everything, there was also something tangy warping her fragrance. He hated that tangy smell more than anything else. Instead of responding to the intimate atmosphere, his eyelids fell to shield the disappointment he felt, and his smile returned to being kind. "Shall we?"

A shaky breath pulled into her lungs, and she backed slightly away. "Okay." Abruptly her scent thickened, and regret speared painfully through his chest.

The small room she met with the physical therapist in was ten floors down from where their living quarters were in the Brazilian Branch Headquarters. While trapped within the elevator, his regret deepened when the smile Kaoru forced herself to return was sad. As the doors dinged open, however, they were both distracted from their worries by a happy shriek down the corridor.

"Kaoru!" A tall girl with long blonde hair and a heart shaped face was running towards them, and her wide grin showed off pointed teeth. "So lucky! I thought I wouldn't get to see you until tomorrow!"

"Who?" Before Kaoru could question this new girl's identity, and before the girl could barrel into her, Kenshin stepped between them and held up his forearm as if running interference.

"Mitzi, calm down."

Mitzi's grin turned sheepish, but the scolding did not dampen her enthusiasm. "Right." With eyes now closed, she popped her head to one side to beam at Kaoru around the side of Kenshin's head.

Unsure what to think, Kaoru smiled back. "Do I… know you?"

"Oh right! We met once before. I tried to steal you from Himura," Kaoru's eyes widened, but dropped to watch as the girl acted out a thrust with her right hand, "but you stuck me in the ribs and got away." She laughed, and seemed completely fine with it.

"I stabbed you?!"

"Yeah, but… I kind of knocked you around a little." Hazel eyes glanced nervously at Kenshin, who was still blocking her, and she ducked slightly in on herself in response to his amber-eyed glare. "It's alright, 'cause you were really cool! You even patched me up afterwards. I am sorry that I ruined your dress, though. It was a really pretty dress."

"Alright Mitzi, that's enough."

"Ahhhh, but I wanted to talk to Kaoru some more. You guys haven't let me see her at all!"

"That is because you are still a potential danger and are under probation." A large man with jet black hair stood within the doorway to a room down the hall. Kaoru had seem him a few times in passing, but had never been introduced to him. Ever so slightly, Kenshin tensed in front of her.

"But I wouldn't hurt Kaoru. I wanted to be friends." Something sad crossed her features, and her already pouty mouth tugged deeper into petulance. Like a child trying to win over an adult for sweets. "I know… we can't be family, but… I thought we could be friends at least."

"Are you flying back to Europe with us tomorrow?" Heartstrings officially tugged, Kaoru touched a hand lightly to Kenshin's still outstretched arm.

Hazel eyes lit up in renewed excitement. "Yes!"

"Would you… like to talk more on the plane?"

"Oh, I'd like that very much!"

"Are you satisfied, girl? Now get back here. We still have a lot to discuss."

"Yes, sir." Once Mitzi disappeared into the room, the dark eyes of this new man stayed locked on Kaoru. Kenshin's arm did not lower.

"It is a pleasure to officially meet you, Kamiya-san." The sudden switch to Japanese was unexpected, and he bowed too as he introduced himself. "I am Hiko Seijurou XIII, Master of Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu, Chief Councilman for the Council of Vampires, and First of the Fourth Bloodline."

His announcement was met by silence, and Kaoru blinked at him as she tried to make sense of everything she had heard. "I have so many questions about what you just said."

Unexpectedly, Hiko chuckled. "Then ask."

"What does First of the Fourth Bloodline mean? Megumi said my grandmother was turned by the Progenitor of the Fourth Bloodline, but they told me he was dead."

Though not as bitter towards Hiko as he had been, Kenshin was still uncomfortable with him being near to Kaoru. Hoping to rush the unplanned encounter, Kenshin answered quickly for him. "Hiko-sama was the first human to ever be turned by the Progenitor, and is therefore first of the line. I am second."

"You're not." The correction caused Kenshin's features to harden, and Hiko crossed his arms. His tone always turned condescending when he spoke to Kenshin, as if he were still an ignorant, bratty child. "Her grandmother would have been the second. You were turned by me, so you don't really count." Sapphire eyes widened with this revelation, but Kenshin's expression was unamused. "If you wanted a title, then you should have accepted the one I offered over three hundred years ago when you mastered Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu. As the fourteenth master, you would have become Hiko Seijurou in my place."

"I have no intention of ever taking that name."

"You're Kenshin's master?" No longer concerned with anything else that he had claimed in his title, Kaoru side-stepped Kenshin's still half-extended arm and bowed low at the waist. "It's an honor to meet you."

"The girl has manners." Her actions were met with approval. "You could learn a thing or two from her, baka."

"Kaoru is only being polite because she does not know you very well." With a hand lightly placed on her shoulder, Kenshin returned her to an upright posture. "We should be going."

"Fine. I've got my hands full with this girl in here. Now that she's the first known vampire from the Third Bloodline to be registered, thanks to you, I've been elected as her guardian. My life's been nothing but a series of problems since I met you."

"The feeling is mutual." Slowly, Kenshin had led Kaoru around the door Hiko was still standing in to walk further down the hall.

"By the way, boy. The Council accepted your request. You have six months to get your affairs in order before I come collect you for confinement. I had to vouch for you. Don't make me regret putting my ass on the line."

"Confinement? What's he talking about, Kenshin?" Kenshin's eyes closed.

A frown marred Hiko's face. "You didn't tell her?"

"I was… waiting for the right time."

"… I see you're struggling with that lesson I gave you." It was Kenshin's turn to frown, but Hiko had already dismissed him to bow again towards Kaoru. "We will talk more at a later time, Kamiya-san." The door shut firmly between them and left Kaoru out in the hall with Kenshin alone.

"Kenshin?"

Smiling tightly, Kenshin once again wrapped his hand around hers to lead her down the corridor. "It's getting late. Do you have any other appointments to worry about? If not, you should probably get some rest before our flight tomorrow."

Sapphire eyes narrowed on the back of his head as she let him drag her towards her room. "It's not that late, and no, I don't have any other 'appointments,' so tell me what the hell is going on."

Sharpness honed her scent into a deadly blade, and Kenshin had to hide his smile as it became genuine. Perhaps Sano had been right. He liked it when she spit fire at him. It felt much more natural when she responded without hesitation or anxiety. A moment later, his grin slowly slid into sorrow. I didn't want her to feel rushed by a deadline… because I already do. "Let's talk in your room." At least there they could have privacy. Since they were staying in a building owned by vampires, and knowing how sharp their hearing was, every one of the personal rooms had been soundproofed.

Explaining the reason behind the sentence was harder than explaining the sentence itself, as he did not want Kaoru to blame either Aoshi or Misao for the punishment he was receiving. Thankfully, Kaoru seemed less bothered by that aspect of it, and had a harder time understanding what he meant by confinement.

"Are we talking… five years of house arrest or something? I mean, 'cause if that's all, it sounds awful-y boring for you, but… I can visit, right? I don't mind staying in."

Something painful furrowed his brows, and Kenshin gathered both of her hands in his. "No. When the Council says confinement, what it really means is something more like… solitary."

"Solitary? Are they putting you in a box?!"

"Well, it's a very fancy box, but…" Kaoru was unimpressed with him making light of the situation, so he sighed before explaining in better detail. "The Council has a special building they keep in Greenland just for those sentenced to confinement. I'll have my own room, but I won't be allowed to leave it. Unless the Council needs my assistance, which I imagine is the only reason they're allowing me to stay in confinement instead of the underground penitentiary. I won't be allowed visitors, either. I will, however, be allowed to keep my phone as well as my laptop, if I wish. I'll still be in touch…"

"But I won't get to see you?" The thick sorrow gradually enveloping her scent could be seen in the slump of her shoulders and the downward pull of her lips. "For five years?"

"Kaoru." The automatic tone of placation in his voice rubbed her in just the wrong way, and every emotion he had put a scent to abruptly spiked as her jaw clenched.

"I barely even remember you, Kenshin!" The hands he had lifted to reach for her were slapped away, and she pushed hard against his chest in aggravation. "What the hell am I supposed to do with that?! For five years?!" Harshly she pushed against him again. "You said you were going to make me fall in love with you again, but all you've been doing is treating me like I'm made of glass! You've given me nothing, Kenshin! Nothing!" Both of her wrists were finally caught as she flailed her arms wildly about, and he had to dig in with his heels to keep her from yanking away from him. "And you get this look on your face! Like you're upset! And I know it's because I'm not acting the way you're used to, but I don't know what's normal and you keep lying and telling me everything's fine when I know it's not! Why are you lying to me?! Is it because you were going to just end everything once you leave?!" Tears were threatening her eyes and constricting her throat, and he fought the tightness in his chest for one breath.

"This is it."

"This is what?" Irritation and confusion made her already shiny irises look vulnerable, and he carefully cupped her face with his hands.

"This is what's normal." She looked at him like he was crazy, and he couldn't help but smile. "When you say what you think and what you feel without any restrictions. Facing everything head-on. Being your straightforward, strong-willed, independent self. Just yourself, without any barriers. This is what I'm used to. This is what is normal."

"A-and that's fine?"

"Of course." Briefly his fingers constricted inward against her cheekbones. "It wasn't like you were this way with me immediately. I knew it would take you a little while to be truly comfortable again. I was and am still willing to wait for that. But you don't have to censor yourself with me. You don't have to worry about what you say, or how you act. I want every side of you, every emotion, especially the ones you show no one else. I'm not giving you up, Kaoru. Not in six months, or five years, or much longer than that."

She sniffled, and licked her dry lips before swallowing. "So if… I had something I wanted to say to you right now, that'd be okay?" Violet eyes were staring at her almost eagerly, a light smile pulling at the corners of his mouth, and he nodded. She took a quick, deep breath. "You're pissing me off, Kenshin." Both red eyebrows disappeared into his hairline, and his features were almost comically shocked. "Don't you know how embarrassing it is to make a girl straight-out ask for it?" Now his eyes had widened, and she crossed her arms with a pout. "I mean, you already made me ask once. It's unfair to make me ask again."

"I want you, Kenshin. Can I have you?"

Callused fingers slipped from her cheeks, but when she darted a look up at him he had already turned around to walk to the door. A noise of protest worked up her throat, but a second later the deadbolt on her door snapped decisively into place. For a moment he didn't move, and when he turned back around, there was something strangely golden about his irises. "I thought we had agreed, Miss Kaoru, that you were to tell me about any memories that came back to you."

"W-well, it was a little… embarrassing, and…" Nervously she backed into the dresser next to her bed, and had to lick her dry lips again as he advanced on her. "…arousing."

"You've been nervous around me for days now. Is that why?" Gently one hand tilted back her chin, and the gold had darkened impossibly into something almost heated. Slowly she nodded. "I see." Amber eyes dropped to her mouth, and then focused back on devouring her gaze. "I should warn you… I fully intend to honor my promise and give you all of myself, but… I have been restraining myself thus far. So you must tell me now, are you sure you're okay with this?"

A deep breath struggled into her lungs. "How about we just try a kiss first?"

"Fair enough." There was a thick amount of amusement in his reply, but he had to fight to keep his composure as the trial kiss almost immediately drenched her scent in demanding desire. When she answered this time, she was struggling for air for a much different reason than anxiety.

"Uh yeah, I'm sure." The air hitched from her mouth when he hefted her against him, and she held on for dear life as he lowered them both on the bed. "D-do we… need to worry about protection?"

Briefly his features were adorably confused. "Protection from what?"

Bursting with laughter, Kaoru covered her face with both hands and groaned. "God, you are so old."

X

Upon arriving in Europe, they were detained from returning to France and the chateau for another week. Instead, Kaoru found herself staying once more in one of the vampire council headquarters as the investigation on what had happened to her and her friends wound down. Kenshin had assured her that they would be going "home" soon. Since Kaoru was still uncertain what that actually consisted of, she was a like anxious, but eager, to find out. Mostly she realized she was just excited about finally laying eyes on the castle she had apparently been working on for over a year.

Megumi helped her with her physical therapy now that they were back in Europe, and Saitou worked her hard with training exercises, since it appeared she responded better to them. He would be leaving to finally return to his own family before they went home, though. In consequence, she had been told, rather gruffly, to have Himura help her out once he was gone. Saitou did not seem to particularly like Kenshin, but it also did not appear that he hated him. Kaoru wasn't sure what kind of history they had, but it was always a little tense when they were in the same room together.

On the fifth day, Kaoru found herself navigating the large skyscraper to one of the many Council chambers. A summons had been sent to her not an hour before in the form of a very well-dressed man and a spoken request to make her way to the top floor. She was a little nervous about going alone, but the well-dressed man had informed her that Kenshin had been summoned as well. Kenshin had been busy for most of the day, and she had been unable to find him so that they could go together. In fact, he had been absent for much of their time at the European Branch Headquarters. Ever since their argument in Brazil, however, she had found him passed out in her bed upon waking each morning. Sometimes he woke her up when he came in, but for the most part he let her sleep. It was slowly starting to ease her anxiety about her amnesia.

When the elevator finally dinged for the top floor, Kaoru stepped out slowly into a long corridor lined with many doors. A few other people were conversing at the end of the hallway off to her right, but she didn't recognize any of them. As she tried to bypass them in search of the numbered conference room she had been told to seek out, she glanced sideways at them, more out of habit than curiosity. At first, her mind did not register the violet eyes of the man looking back, because certain other features about him were much too different to be familiar. When his hand wrapped around her forearm, though, and he called her name questioningly, other details about him clicked into place, and she turned sharply to blink at him in shock.

"Kenshin?"

"Did you forget what I looked like?" The question was half spoken in amusement and half in disbelief.

"What happened to your hair?!" There was a note of accusation in the demand, and he smiled sheepishly. The once long hair he usually kept in a low ponytail was now short enough to see the back of his neck. Some of the length had been kept around his face, but the new style made his features look even younger than before. His hair appeared a bit darker as well now. The obvious scar on his face was even more evident without some of the covering from his longer hair, but since the right side of his face had been towards her initially, it had been hidden by the angle of his body.

"Ah." The others he was speaking to chuckled, but made their way down the corridor to give them some privacy. "Well, it's become a bit difficult to deal with since I can't… lift my left arm anymore." Kaoru's face fell, and his smile softened. "Did you like it that much?"

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't like it, but… why didn't you tell me about your arm?"

"It's not so bad." The hand at her forearm lowered to capture her fingers. "I can still lift it to about shoulder height, and luckily it isn't my dominate arm. I may need some help performing certain tasks at work, though. Do you think you would mind assisting me?" Sapphire eyes blinked, and since her teeth were gnawing her bottom lip, she shook her head. A laugh escaped him, and he tweaked her nose. "It certainly won't stop me from other tasks, so don't worry so much." A pout popped her lip out from the torture of her teeth, but she followed him complacently when he began walking them to the Council chamber.

"I could have helped you with your hair, you know." The mumbled words were petulant, but Kenshin knew, without having to say out loud, that Kaoru was more than aware of the impending five-year period when she would not be able to help. Since the corridor was now empty, Kenshin planted a gentle kiss against her temple. "I could always let it grow out again."

"If you two are done flirting, we would like to start the meeting." Hiko's booming voice echoed from out of the open door of their destination, and Kaoru blushed. Inside the Council chamber, the meeting appeared to consist of only ten members seated around a large table. Surprisingly, Megumi and Saitou were there as well. "Sit." A heavily cushioned chair conformed to her small stature, and she felt swallowed by the size of it. Even the large table in its circular fashion felt intimidating due to its chest level height. It almost made her feel like a child waiting to be punished as she sat before the principal.

Directly across from her was an older lady that appeared to be in her seventies. Her eyes were a light brown, but were sharp and clear despite her apparent age. She was staring at Kaoru, but no hint of her intentions could be gleaned from her expression, which was very much guarded. Next to her was a man that was maybe in his fifties. The air about him was a bit more carefree as he smiled at no one in particular. There was something eerily dangerous about him, though, that made Kaoru wary. Besides Hiko, Saitou and Megumi, Kaoru did not recognize anyone else.

"To honor formalities, we asked that Saitou Hajime attend this meeting as a representative of the Hunter Association." Hiko's voice was concise, as if well-practiced in speaking at such meetings. "Takani Megumi was also requested to attend as a medical authority. Please note that the highest members of our Council are present. Be mindful of your words." For some reason, Hiko's dark eyes speared through Kenshin when he said this.

"Thank you, Councilmember Hiko." The stately older lady spoke up, and it felt like the entire room stopped breathing. Even Kaoru felt slightly winded by her unhurried speech. "As our young guest is neither a member of the Council nor the Association, let us not stand on formalities. She, after all, is not beholden to our laws."

"If that is what you wish."

"Um… if I may?" To Kaoru's chagrin, she actually half-lifted her hand as if requesting permission to speak. Forcibly, she shoved it back into her lap. "I don't understand why I'm here exactly."

"Due to recent events, it has become clear to us that we will need to develop new laws and countermeasures specifically for the anomaly you have introduced into our world." The older woman seemed unfazed by her awkward actions.

Kaoru licked dry lips. "May I ask your name?"

"You may call me Lady Lilis." Strangely, she did not give her family name, and Kaoru fought a frown.

"Alright, Lady Lilis. What does that mean?"

"Has Dr. Takani explained any of her research to you?"

"I guess not." Kaoru paused, and then looked at her hands. "I mean… she might have, and I just don't remember."

"It's alright, Kaoru." Megumi, who was sitting to her left, squeezed her hand gently. Then she took a deep breath to address the entire table. "I suppose the most important aspect of my research thus far includes the resilience of Kaoru's blood, specifically towards foreign bacteria and viruses. Her immunity to all types of illnesses will eventually by groundbreaking for humanity in the medical field. Its ability to not just heal, but practically regenerate will also be important. What will affect the Vampire Council the most is Kaoru's ability to ward against vampire blood." A small mummer of surprise between the other members of the meeting was hushed by a hand in the air by the older lady.

"Explain."

"Kaoru is not simply immune to the vampire change. She, in fact, has the ability to remove it." Cinnamon irises averted to Kaoru, and Megumi smiled at the stunned look on her face. It was the same expression she had worn when Megumi had told her so the first time. "For now, it is limited to the bloodline that is most similar to her. As we all now know, there are four vampire bloodlines, not three. The Fourth Progenitor was very secretive, and shared his blood with only two people. Kaoru's grandmother was one of those people, and was in fact changed by the Fourth Progenitor while pregnant with Kaoru's mother. Due to an anomaly, Kaoru's mother was born human, and later gave birth to Kaoru, who is also human. However, Kaoru retains traces of the Fourth Bloodline in her DNA. In theory, her blood could turn a vampire of the Fourth Bloodline into a human."

"You mean, reverse the change?" The astonished question was spoken by one of the lesser members of the Council.

"No, I don't believe so. It won't reverse the change, as that would mean turning the vampire back to how they were prior to ingesting vampire blood. This will require a lot more research, but I believe the end result will more than likely be a second change rather than a reversal. The changed vampire would be more like Kaoru is and theoretically retain some of their vampire traits."

"Which presents many potential problems." The man seated next to Lady Lilis finally spoke, and though his voice was just as lighthearted as his outward appearance, there was something grim in the words.

"How so?"

"Imagine, if you will, a widespread population of super humans, immune to all known illnesses, with super strength, that flourish in the sun, adapt by night, live abnormally long lives, and all have their own agenda. These beings will not be shackled by the need for blood to survive, will have no difficulty surviving in any terrain or environment, and could only be challenged by others of the same ilk. What do you think would become of the regular humans in such a world? What do you think would become of vampires? We are all but human at the core, which makes us flawed. War would become more horrific. Viruses, which are known to adapt, would turn so deadly that the regular humans amongst us would be wiped out. Some may even be able to hide without ever being seen, or convince others to do horrible deeds for them. Laws would have to be changed and adapted."

"But Dr. Takani already said that this will only work for the Fourth Bloodline. There are only two living members of that bloodline left."

Sapphire eyes swung to Kenshin as the truth of what was being said sank in, but he returned the look with a somber expression. It was obvious he was processing the conversation differently than she was.

"For now. The possibility that I could develop some way to apply the effect to the other bloodlines is very likely."

"Megumi…" The soft interjection interrupted the flow of the conversation, and Megumi focused her attention on Kaoru. "I understand that… vampires can't reproduce. Would this new change… would it negate that?"

Megumi seemed pensive for a moment, but began to nod her head slowly. "There's a possibility. Research suggests that the only reason why male vampires can't reproduce is because their cells are volatile and react adversely to all foreign cells. Unfortunately, female vampires completely stop all reproduction cycles upon changing. Since a woman is born with a set amount of eggs, it may not be possible for female vampires, but I wouldn't rule it out without conducting more research."

"I see. You are trying to discern the full effect it would have on population density and growth." The man beside Lilis spoke up again, this time in approval.

"I don't care about that." Kaoru turned on the table with a frown. "I just don't see how this is a bad thing. You already have a large population of people with super strength, healing, and immunities. The only difference is, your population depends on human blood to survive. Why would taking that out of the equation be a bad thing? Why would allowing those that would prefer to live without that dependence be wrong? Are you worried because you suddenly won't have any control over them? Why don't you think about how this would help the supply of blood for humans that need it? And it isn't like being this way is all great. My blood is the only blood like it in the entire world. Which means I almost died because my body won't accept any other blood but its own."

A hand was placed on her shoulder, and she stopped to glance at Megumi. "You should also understand that the first generation are probably going to be the only ones that fully retain their vampire traits. If reproduction is possible, then all of those traits are going to be diluted. You have to remember that the only reason why Kaoru's life span is so long is because of what happened to her grandmother. From what information I have, it appears that her mother was aging at an even slower rate than she is. That alone confirms that some traits do not retain their consistency when passed on to children. Most of Kaoru's extraordinary traits come from the vampire DNA that she retains. Yes, it may affect the world's population in a way that we don't fully understand yet, but this isn't an immediate possibility, or even one that could happen in the next century."

"The doctor is correct." The clear voice of Lady Lilis once more calmed the meeting. "While it is a good idea to think ahead, I believe it best to consider our immediate options at this time. Mr. Himura, as your blood is the closest in resemblance to Miss Kamiya's, would you be willing to be the guinea pig for Dr. Takani's research?"

For a moment it seemed like Kenshin couldn't breathe. "Of course."

A small smile almost pulled at the corner of Lilis' mouth. "Then, for now, we will keep a close eye on Dr. Takani's research and the development of this new change. Depending on the outcome of the trials, we will decide how to progress our needs for the future. Shall we move on to our second order of business?" No one disagreed, and Lilis nodded. "Good." A rather regal wave of her hand passed the floor to one of the lesser councilmembers.

The female vampire cleared her throat, before picking up the discussion. "Up to this point, we have been relying on Mr. Himura to act as unofficial protection for Miss Kamiya. The most recent deaths of the Third and Fourth Progenitors, as well as most of the Third Bloodline, have drastically lessened the threat to her life; however, because we cannot be completely certain that all vampires of the Third Bloodline have been eradicated, we must take measures to assure Miss Kamiya's safety in light of her importance. Within six months, Mr. Himura will be required to carry out his five-year sentence in solitary confinement. We need to decide what will be done with her for those five years. Any suggestions?"

I don't get a say? The expression on her face must have revealed her irritation, because Kenshin squeezed her hand.

"Obviously, she will come stay with me." Saitou spoke up first, and the no nonsense look on his face dared anyone to disagree. "Her father personally entrusted her safety to me. I am the only choice." While it did seem like the most reasonable decision, Kaoru still didn't like it.

But that means I won't get to work on the chateau, and I won't get to see Kenshin! For five years?!

"I'm not sure you would be enough of a deterrent. You're getting old for a human, and will no doubt be less spry. I also understand you were injured during the fight with Rikuto. Vampires from the Third Bloodline are much stronger and faster than the rest of us. I doubt your ability in this matter, sir."

"Would you like a demonstration?" The question came out more like a threat, but someone else interrupted with their own suggestion.

"In terms of physical strength and ability, Councilmember Hiko would be the best candidate. He is also Mr. Himura's teacher, and blood father. Would he not be better suited for this task?"

Hiko grumbled and scratched his chin. "I'm not sure…"

"No." Kenshin's refusal of this suggestion was firm. "He could be a danger to her himself."

"I have seen no reason to distrust him. He has kept calm throughout this meeting, and we have been shut in this room for nearly an hour."

"I will not agree."

"It may not be such a wise idea. Hiko is now guardian to the only registered member of the Third Bloodline. Even if Hiko could be trusted, she could not be."

"We could request assistance from the Hunter Association. She could stay at one of their headquarters."

"No one unregistered as a hunter is allowed in the Hunter Association headquarters."

"Then register her, and keep her in training."

"No." This time both Kenshin and Saitou spoke up, and they exchanged a look of agreement.

"They would require her to go out on missions, and that would be dangerous." Saitou settled for the easiest explanation, while Kenshin kept his mouth shut. If the Hunter Association found out how proficient she was at fighting, they would want to use her as much as they could. That was something Kenshin did not want for her, and it seemed Saitou did not either.

"We could put her in confinement." This suggestion was met with more approval than Kaoru cared for. "If we put her in the same building as Himura, he'd still be able to keep her safe."

"OR…" The word was loud to make sure it was heard, and both of Kaoru's hand flattened against the tabletop to brace her as she stood. Both hands were shaking, and the sharp scent of her anger stabbed through the air like violent spears. "I could protect my damn self." The grin on Kenshin's face was almost a reflex by this point.

"You?" Sarcasm dripped off every syllable of the word, and Kaoru's eyes shot to the disbeliever.

"Like Oji said… would you like a demonstration?" The man blinked, and Hiko started laughing.

"Perhaps you didn't hear, councilmember. She held her own against the Third Progenitor, and she almost took down the Fourth Progenitor, if what I was told by Dr. Takani is the truth."

"That seems a bit far-fetched."

"I don't care what you believe, or frankly what you think." The tight muscles in her clenched jaw were starting to protest, but Kaoru knew it was better than what she wanted to do. "I will not be passed off to someone like a child needing a babysitter, and I sure as hell won't be locked up like a criminal." Accusing sapphire eyes swung from one person to the next to make sure they understood her. "I want to get back to work. I want to get back to my life and my friends. No matter how important you all think I am, I'm still a person, not a damn lab rat. I'm agreeing to cooperate because I want to, not because I have to. Just like Lady Lilis said, I'm not beholden to your laws, so I don't have to do a damn thing you say."

"I could make her, if you like?" The man next to Lilis spoke up lazily with his chin in hand. Kaoru's anger seemed to affect him little, and he almost appeared bored by her actions.

Both Kenshin and Megumi shot to their feet in objection, and the meeting erupted into chaos. "Master Macerio, that is completely inappropriate and inhumane! I would not allow it!" Once again, it was the oldest vampire in existence who calmed the room with a single hand.

"She is correct. We cannot make her do anything. Though I find her decision to be inadvisable."

"How about a compromise?" The suggestion came from Hiko this time. "Miss Kamiya is technically still healing. Give her the next six months. When I go to pick up the boy for confinement, I'll test her. If she convinces me she's capable of taking care of herself, then I'll vouch for her abilities. Would that satisfy the Council?"

"You have been doing that a lot recently, Councilmember. Are you showing favoritism?"

A heavy sigh pushed from his lungs. "The idiot is my apprentice. I suppose I have some responsibility to him… and his family." Kenshin seemed shocked, and the frown lines on his face were deep as he stared across the table at his old master.

"It seems we don't have much choice in the matter. But… if she does not convince you?"

"She will." Kenshin's hand covered hers on the table, and her chest tightened as he openly supported her. With hardly any coaxing, the sharpness in her scent was overwhelmed by the intoxicating aroma of her happiness. "I was there, and I will vouch for her ability. Kaoru does not need me to protect her. I do because I wish to, and not because it is necessary. If, for some reason, you discover one or more vampires you have reason to believe are a threat, then use me. That is the entire reason you are putting me in confinement instead of prison, is it not?"

"I suppose that sounds reasonable." The main dissenting councilmember spoke up grudgingly. "Can we all agree?" Acceptance of the terms was unanimous, though slightly reluctant, and Kaoru relaxed with one long, slow breath. "If there is nothing further to discuss, then I move to adjourn."

As the lesser councilmembers dispersed, Kaoru found herself anxious to leave. It frightened her a little to know some organization she hadn't even be aware of until the last few months could so thoroughly and easily discuss the controlling of others' lives. Kenshin's obvious, though largely unspoken, discomfort with their situation and surroundings made much more sense to her now.

"Miss Kamiya." Kaoru turned to find Lady Lilis behind her, and she gasped in a short breath. It was strange how this slender and aged woman made her feel so restless. "If it would not trouble you, would you mind to accompany me? I wish to speak with you more, in an informal setting." She looked only at her, but waved a hand to the side dismissively. Kenshin's face had been darkening slowly. "Mr. Himura may come as well."

"I, um…" Seeing no reason to deny her, Kaoru gestured for her to lead on. "Of course."

Hiko joined them, and Kaoru found herself back on the elevator. As the numbers on the screen dropped below level one, she looked at Kenshin in confusion. There was something troubled about his expression, but his hand still held hers encouragingly. When they exited, she found that they collected into a small, inconspicuously placed room with screens and monitors. A closer inspection revealed vital signs and readouts on display.

"There is no reason for you to be anxious, child. You will not be harmed here. I only wished for you to see her. You are her last remaining descendant, and she will not be here for much longer." Kaoru was directed away from the monitors and to the full glass wall behind her. Through the glass was a large, white room, and inside that room was a single occupant. The woman was lying on a bed with tubes and wires coming off of her. The sound of her breathing was harsh and erratic, as if she were struggling to live… or to let go.

"Who is she?"

"Her name is Karin. Sadojima Karin. You are of her bloodline. Like you, she was born human, but with very special traits. She grew up like a normal human, she married, and she even had children. Unfortunately, she was not allowed to live her entire life as a human because of the greed and anger of the Third Progenitor. I will spare you the details. The only other thing that you should know… is that she is my friend." Uncertainty touched with compassion creased Kaoru's features, and she stepped closer to the glass. Out of the corner of her eye she saw movement from Lilis, and she blinked when the older woman bowed low at the waist. "I would ask a favor of you, young Kamiya. Please grant her peace."

"Me? H-how?" Taken aback, Kaoru felt an immediate flush of anxiety. Who was she to give anyone peace, let alone someone she didn't even know?

"Tell her who you are."

"T-that's it?" Dark brows drew together, and she shot a look back through the glass. "But why? She doesn't even know me."

"Ever since she was taken away from her own children, she has not seen or known anyone from her own bloodline. Meeting you might convince her to finally let go." The clear, but concise voice of the old vampire softened for the first time, and Kaoru finally felt as if she were speaking with someone closer to her own level.

"She can't… be saved?"

"…No."

Kaoru chewed her lip, and then nodded. "Alright."

"Is it safe for her to go in there?" Kenshin, who had so far stayed quiet, spoke up from the back of the room. His tone was by far the most respectful she had heard him be towards anyone.

"Even if Karin had the strength, she has been restrained. Worry not, Himura. She will be safe."

The door to the room slid aside with a soft, mechanical sound, and Kaoru stepped cautiously into the room. It was a short walk to her bedside, and for a moment she stood uncomfortably looking down upon this strange woman. Although she was supposed to be her ancestor, Kaoru saw nothing familiar about her features except for her obvious Japanese origins. Glancing uncertainly back into the other room, she took a breath and inched closer.

"H-hello." The small sound of her voice threaded through the sterile air, and she cleared her throat before continuing in soft Japanese. "My name is Kaoru. Kamiya Kaoru. I was told… that I'm related to you… somehow. I don't know you… but if it's true, then… I'm grateful. Grateful that you bore my ancestor… and that you passed something special on to me." Slowly Kaoru clasped her hand around Karin's fingers, and took another difficult breath. "Something that will allow me to help someone close to me… someone precious." For some reason, she could feel tears at her eyes as she stared down upon Karin's unconscious face. "Thank you." They fought hard to be free, and her breath gasped with emotion when the rhythmic beep of the heart monitor slowed to a shrill, deafening drone. A quick turn back towards the observation room revealed panic, that perhaps she had sone something wrong, but Lady Lilis had already reached for the switch to turn off the noise. The door reopened, and Kaoru was waved back out.

"Thank you, Miss Kamiya. That was all she needed."

X

Comfortable heat warmed Kaoru's skin as she lay against Kenshin's side, but her active mind would not allow her drowsy-eyed stare to fully relax into sleep. Beside her, she could feel Kenshin was suffering the same fate as his hand wandered absentmindedly up and down her side. Of course, she understood that it was no doubt difficult for him to sleep at night for other reasons than she.

"What are you thinking about?" The quiet question rumbled under her ear.

"Hmm… too much. You?"

"The same…"

A yawn pulled at her muscles, and then Kaoru settled on a thought that had been bothering her. "Lady Lilis is… pretty intimidating, isn't she?"

"Yes. She is the oldest vampire in existence."

"R-really?" Surprised, Kaoru chewed her lip. "How old is she?"

"I believe she is about 3500 years old." There was a touch of amusement in the statement as he anticipated her reaction.

"Oh my God." A strained breath wheezed from Kaoru's lungs, and she reflexively hugged herself tighter to Kenshin's side. "She… bowed to me."

A noncommittal noise hummed Kenshin's chest, and he turned his nose into the crown of her head. "I've never heard of her bowing to anyone… or calling anyone friend. You should not take her actions or words lightly." The room went quiet once more as they retreated into their own thoughts. After several long minutes, Kenshin's voice once more disrupted the darkness.

"Why…" The question died, as if he had changed his mind, and Kaoru braced herself up on an elbow to look him in the face.

"Why what?"

He didn't appear uncomfortable, but rather extremely reluctant. "Why… did you ask Megumi about children?"

Kaoru blinked, and then settled herself back against his side. "Well… I kinda have this feeling that… you actually really want children." The arms lightly wrapped around her tightened.

"I… I've never told you that. I've never told anyone that."

"O-oh yeah?" A few chews of her lip stalled for time as she collected her thoughts. "But that means you do, right?" He didn't answer, and she shifted to reach for what was left of his hair. "It's not a complete memory, but I think I saw you once… with a baby in your arms. You looked so… envious. Painfully envious. It made my chest hurt." Her face turned into his side. "It still does."

The silence stretched for so long that Kaoru thought he might not wish to talk of it any longer. Saddened, but content to wait, she closed her eyes to coerce herself into sleep.

"I do want children." The confession was nearly anguished. "If it's something that ends up being possible… then I do." Kaoru smiled, but kept her eyes closed.

"Yeah. You'll be a great dad."

X

It was only a few days later when they were finally allowed to return to France. Before that, Saitou also returned to his own family, and Kaoru promised to visit and torment him sometime in the near future. He seemed a bit offended that she did not want to stay with him while Kenshin was in confinement, but had agreed that having her around all the time would have been a pain in the ass.

Aoshi and Misao had left before them, and prepared Shigure and Tsubame for Kaoru's amnesia. What no one could prepare for was the destruction found at the chateau. Misao physically cried to see the windows busted, the mermaid fountain broken in half, and the many other things, including the fresco she had redone, vandalized or destroyed. As Kaoru still had little to no memory of the chateau, she was spared the initial heartbreak, and felt only sorrow for the state of things. Luckily, most of the valuable pieces were still locked up and safe within the annex building.

As the weeks past, Kaoru's motor skills improved enough that she felt confident about working alone again. While her hand still shook at times, she was better able to control it and recognize when to take a step back. The broken windows were once more restored, and while Misao set in on the fresco, Kaoru returned to the foyer and the broken mermaid fountain. As Megumi suggested, returning to a normal routine brought forth her memories better than anything else, sometimes piled atop one another. It took some time to sort through them, but she was lucky to have a family that loved and supported her. They were not always complete memories, but she understood that they might never be.

Unfortunately, as her memories returned, she began experiencing something new. Some buried memory that even her mind wished to suppress brought about night terrors. The nightmare was always the same, more a sensation than a vision, of some thick, hot liquid filling her mouth and pushing its way down her throat. The repetitive nature of it confirmed for her that it was something she had experienced. Every time, she would wake gaging and screaming from sleep, and then muffle her cries into her pillow. If Kenshin wasn't already in her bed, then two sharp beeps from her phone would soon alert her to his concern. He always knew when she was upset, and a sinking part of her realized she would miss him too much when he was no longer there.

Work distracted her, and she fell in love all over again with Chateau d'Anemone. She also made sure to stay in touch with Mitzi, whose full name was now Mitzi Krause. Due to her situation, and that she had been unregistered for her entire vampire existence, a trial had been held. During their investigation, though, it had been discovered and confirmed that Mitzi had only killed one human, and it had been while feeding. It had, in fact, happened during her very first feeding, which was known to be a struggle. She had killed other vampires after that, but no other humans. When asked why, she had shrugged her shoulders and seemed rather unfazed and dismissive about it. "I didn't like it."

Her sentence would have meant a few decades in prison, but Megumi had taken the stand to argue a different outcome. After plenty of study, Megumi was able to definitively prove that the defect in the Third Bloodline was not related to the individual, but rather to the bloodline itself. That meant that, as a vampire, Mitzi was not fully in her right mind. The fact that, even while under its influence, she was capable of making a decision not to kill humans as the others of her bloodline had in excess, meant she was not completely unsavable. By studying Kaoru's blood and the way it interacted differently with the Third Bloodline versus the Fourth Bloodline, Megumi was confident she could at least stabilize Mitzi's blood and possibly her psyche in the process. The Council had reluctantly agreed to release Mitzi permanently into Hiko's care and allow Megumi access to her for testing. Mitzi was now being held in a high-tech lab, and while she could not leave, she was being treated fairly.

During their correspondence, Kaoru had learned about what had happened to Mitzi and the orphanage she had called home. Kaoru had expressed sorrow and sympathy, and Mitzi had gladly accepted it. However, Mitzi already had plans for when she was finally "all better" and allowed to go free. She wanted to open her own orphanage, and make it a safe place for children to live that had no families of their own. As a vampire, Mitzi wanted to use her strength to make it safe for them. That way no other child would have to go through what she had. She understood, though, that it would be many years before then.

Misao was also going through an adjustment period, as she grew used to being a vampire and what that meant for her every day life. Aoshi barely left her side, but Misao refused to move out of her apartment for now, as she wanted to be there for Kaoru once Kenshin was no longer there. As was her way, she told Kaoru everything, which was a little more than Kaoru wanted to know. Particularly about the horrible taste of blood, and how Misao compared its consistency to spoiled milk. Kaoru did not envy her, but it did give her a bit of insight into Kenshin's disgust with being blood dependent.

Kenshin spent a large portion of his time sorting out his businesses, who would run them while he was gone, and which ones he planned to completely shut down or sell. The chateau would continue without interruption, with Sano basically in charge. Since Kenshin would still be in touch via phone, and would be keeping track of progress through his laptop and video calls, not much would change when it came to ultimate decision making. When it came to a few of his overseas businesses, though, Kenshin had requested that Kaoru work with Sano when it came time for inspections. Kaoru wasn't very certain this was a good idea, since she was still practically a new employee, but Kenshin assured her that it would be more of a learning experience than anything else. Kaoru also suspected he might have been worried about Sano, as he still had difficulties walking at times. He would never express that worry to Sano out loud, for fear of hurting his pride, but the fact that he was concerned made Kaoru realize… they were actually really cute best friends.

The official statement to the press to explain Kenshin's upcoming five-year hiatus was that he had a medical condition that required a risky operation and extensive recovery. Details about his alleged medical condition were being kept secret, of course, and where he would be recovering was also officially unknown. Unfortunately, in the midst of the mystery, a new story surfaced to feed the media monster, and Kaoru found herself thrust into the center of attention. Which was where she never wanted to be. Pictures of their time in Venice were suddenly all over the internet, and Kaoru had to stare at moments she herself didn't even remember. Due to all of the speculation, not all of which painted her in a good light, they were forced to discuss releasing a second statement about their relationship. Since Kenshin didn't like his personal life being public any more than she did, they settled for something simple to confirm they were indeed in a relationship, but were taking things slow. Kenshin had assured her that the rumors would die down after a while.

With only a few weeks left before the end of Kenshin's six months, Kaoru found herself walking with Misao through the chateau to the front doors. The sun was setting, and Aoshi was waiting out front with the car. For the tenth time, Kaoru made an excuse to stay. There was something else that she wanted to do before she left, but in order to do so, everyone else needed to be gone. Sano had already long since left, and Kenshin had buried himself in a project in the study. Once Misao and Aoshi were finally out the door, she would be able to discuss it with Kenshin.

The memory had come to her early that morning. Thankfully, she had also remembered a small detail that kept her from discussing the memory with anyone not already aware of it. The excitement had killed her for most of the day, and now as she watched Aoshi's car disappear through the gates to the front lawn, she turned to skip her way up the stairs to Kenshin. He was obviously ignoring the time, as he was still half stuck down a utility access in the floor. Kneeling down across from him, she peered down into the dark to see what he was up to.

"Mr. Himura?"

"Yes, Miss Kamiya? Was there something you needed?" He didn't jump, so she figured he had already been aware of her presence.

Bracing a chin in her hand, she watched him struggle, upside down as he was, to identify the wires strung along below the floorboards. Since his eyes naturally adjusted to the dark, he hadn't even bothered with a flashlight. "It's pretty late. Are you almost ready to go?" Suddenly his watch lit up in the darkness, for her benefit more than his, and he sighed.

"So it is. I apologize, Miss Kamiya."

"No need." She grinned at him as he pulled himself back out of the hole, and then handed him a towel that had been lying on the floor nearby. Dirt and cobwebs were smeared across his face and arms and sticky from his hair. "I was hoping to show you something before we leave."

"Very well. Let me clean up a bit."

With everything squared away, Kenshin followed Kaoru out of the study and down the foyer steps. The overwhelming silence inside the house confirmed that they were alone. "Everyone else has already left again. You do not have to wait for me every time, Miss Kamiya." The statement was a sigh, and a touch sad, but Kaoru blatantly rolled her eyes at him.

"If I didn't keep track of you, you'd end up staying all night." A small grin pulled at his mouth, and she rolled her eyes again. "This way." She led him into the library, and then across to the large marble fireplace. When she stopped to turn towards him, the smile had disappeared from his face and he was looking at her curiously.

"Kaoru?"

The slip caused her to purse her lips, but she reached out all the same to push the hidden button at the back of a wooden column. Quietly the marble framing the fireplace swung inward, and the spiral staircase leading down into the secret room glowed softly in the lamplight. "Do you mind if we talk about this?"

Violet eyes studied her intently. "…How much do you remember?"

Averting her gaze from him, she stared instead at the opened door. "I remember finding it, and telling you. More importantly," she flashed him a grin, "I remember you didn't want anyone else to know." One hand waved at the door while the other pulled a flashlight from her back pocket. "Can we look? It's been killing me all day." Kenshin chuckled at her enthusiasm and encouraged her to go first. A quick click of a built-in switch on the extension cable strung down the stairs lit the entire expanse up with light. Just as quietly, the door closed behind them.

"Have you been working on it?" Three carts were already pushed against one wall, and they were stacked with the books from the large, central table off to their left. A vacuum was also placed carefully against the wall, as well as a set of neatly placed tools.

"Not without you. We worked on it a couple of times together… before Venice. We ran a duct for heating and cooling down through the fireplace first, and then we hooked up some temporary lighting into the library wiring." His hands moved while he spoke to indicate the progress they had made. "Nothing more than that. I was… waiting for you to remember." A gentle smile warmed his expression. "I'm glad you did before I left."

"Me too." The reminder that he was leaving dampened her excitement, and she turned away with a deep, indrawn breath. It would do no good to think on it now.

As Kaoru wandered around the large space that spanned the length below the library and billiard rooms, Kenshin watched her take in the furniture and knickknacks with muted delight. When she had finally made a full circuit, she stopped next to him and folded her arms over her chest. "I'll wait." A quick glance of her eyes up at him checked to see if he understood what she meant. "Until you're back. Then we can work on the rest of it."

Some fierce pressure pushed outward from the center of his chest, and he lifted his chin just slightly. "I would like that." Happily, her aroma wove itself around him, and even though it was tinged just slightly with heavy sorrow, he accepted it and understood. "Miss Kamiya." She looked at him again, this time curiously, and he turned himself to face her head on. "I would like to break the rules. Just this once."

"Uh…" A duck of her head tried to hide the burn of red across her cheeks. Knowing what it meant to her, he let her think it over and decide without any pressure. A few seconds later, and she lifted her chin decisively. "Just this once."

With one hand resting against her cheek, he leaned in to share a chaste kiss. Anything more and they would end up shattering the rules for good. At that moment, though, it did not need to be anything more, as the emotion filling his heart felt near to bursting. Warmth, gentle yet wild, burned away at the intoxicating scent wafting against his nose, and he finally succumbed to the truth of his own feelings for young Miss Kamiya Kaoru.

"I love you." Sapphire eyes opened wide, and his own expression creased with a foreign sensation of nervousness. "Without a doubt." The bubble of emotion that swelled inside her was blatantly easy to watch, but she still surprised him with a happy squeal and her arms around his neck.

"You said it!" Stumbling backwards, he caught her against him and laughed helplessly.

"Careful."

"You really said it." Though fierce joy was the main emotion practically strangling him, other aromas were twisting her scent and exposing themselves physically in the tear-soaked tone of her voice. "I'm gonna believe you, you know? So you have to mean it." Gathering her closer in his arms, his amusement softened into affection and echoed in his deep voice.

"I said 'without a doubt'. I would not say it if I did not mean it."

"Yatta." She sniffled softly, then seemed embarrassed with her own reaction. Gently untangling herself from him, she pulled back to try and gloss over her show of emotion. "So I win, right?" Confused, Kenshin lifted an eyebrow, and her grin, though slightly crooked, was fighting to be smug. "You told me to find it in you, and I did, so I win." Both hands slid from around his neck to push between them, palms up in demand. "Where's my prize?"

Willing to play along, Kenshin tilted his head to one side and faked offense. "I'm not enough?" She snorted rather rudely, and a chuckle rumbled from deep within his chest. "Very well, but you asked for it, Miss Kaoru." Both arms tightened against her back, and he decided it would be fine to ignore the rules. Just that once.

Fifty Years Later

Eight months. That was how long he had been forced to live in that lab. It did not seem like that much time in comparison to some of the other instances he had been forced into isolation. In truth, he was even happy to be there, because being there meant achieving something he had thought impossible for most of his life, but had longed for all the same. The problem was… this was the longest he had been away from his wife since their marriage, and it really sucked, as Sano would say. Nearly four hundred years alone had long since disappeared, and he had grown used to his wife's company, laughter, and warmth in his bed.

To be fair, it was not originally meant to take eight months, but since he was the first person to undergo this change, there were a lot of unknowns. The longest, known vampiric change had latest three weeks. There was technically one other that had gone on for over a month, but the person had died due the extreme nature of it. Because there were so many unknown variables, and because Megumi was being extra cautious, they had taken the introduction of Kaoru's blood at a slow pace. That faze of the trial had latest six weeks, but Kenshin had begun to feel the effects of it after four.

To say it had been worse than his vampiric change was a stretch, but nothing about it had been fun. Kaoru's blood had forced something inside of him to shift, and that shift had been met with a lot of resistance. Mainly his body's ability to create its own blood. For a large portion of that faze of the change, his body had still needed blood from an outside source. Unfortunately, the blood from Kaoru had made it impossible for his body to accept any other blood. It had been dangerous for few weeks, and not just because he could have died. If they gave him too much of Kaoru's blood then the risk that her blood might kill him increased. However, if they gave him too little, then he would die from blood loss. In the midst of everything, his survival instinct had kicked in and had made him violent. For that part of it, he was glad to not be anywhere near Kaoru. Having her see him react the way he had, even knowing it had been involuntary, was not something he ever wanted. He was still apologizing to Megumi for it.

Despite his feelings of shame, Kenshin was relieved as well that his need for blood from an outside source had been the first vampiric defect to be taken away. Being dependent upon blood for survival had always sickened him, and he had gone to great lengths to make sure Kaoru never witnessed that aspect of his life. He never wanted that image of him in her mind, and now he was finally free of it. At long last, he could truly say he had nothing left to hide.

Other weaknesses that came with being a vampire took a little longer to correct, but Kenshin simply smiled the first time Megumi had consoled him. "Kaoru's blood works slower than you're going to be used to. I expected this to an extent. It takes its time and does it right." There was something… amazing about knowing a part of the woman he loved was physically inside of him, and not because of any harm he had done to her. Instead of taking her blood, as others had wanted, as he had wanted when they first met, she had offered herself to him willingly out of love. Love that was finally freeing him from the darkness.

The last three months of the trial had been spent on extensive testing, to confirm the extent of the change and that it was indeed permanent. Happy though he was with the outcome, Kenshin was more than tired of being poked and prodded on. He was ready to see something other than the white walls of his room and the holograph chamber that he had access to which mimicked the outside, for sanity purposes. What he wanted most, however, was to see his wife. While they had been allowed to talk over the phone, Kaoru had been strictly kept out of the lab for fear of what affect she might have on him. Since Kenshin had been able to smell her as a vampire, and because her blood did have some effect on his senses, he and Megumi had both wanted to make sure that nothing bad happened. Especially by accident. Today was meant to be the last day, and Kenshin was already planning how he was going to surprise her.

A double knock announced someone at the door of his room, and he confirmed he was decent before his visitor came in. It was a formality, as the room had cameras that monitored him at all times. Only the bathroom didn't have a camera so he could have some privacy. Seated at the only small table in the room, Kenshin smiled amiably as the door swung open and he anticipated Megumi to appear. What he was not expecting was his wife to poke her head into the room and grin mischievously.

"Kaoru." Kenshin was on his feet before she could fully enter the room, but a voice over the intercom froze his next move in place.

"Stop right there, Ken-san. You are still under my care, and you will behave appropriately or I will have you restrained." Megumi's voice was a touch bossy, but a muted chortle could be heard before the intercom cut out.

"You heard the lady, anata. Sit." Eyes practically alight with glee, Kaoru stabbed a finger downwards as if the action would magically force him back into his chair. Slowly, he obeyed.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm the final test." Fitting herself into the chair across from him, Kaoru scooted herself into the table and then folded her hands on the metal top between them. "Are you ready, anata?"

Violet eyes were preoccupied with studying all of the familiar planes of her face, and his lips twitched lightly upwards as he relaxed. "Yes." Being in her presence again was still quite intoxicating, even without the well-known flavor of her scent wrapping itself around him. A sudden crease formed between his brows, and he sat up a bit straighter. "How long have you been here?"

The intercom beeped, and Megumi answered smugly before Kaoru could open her mouth. "Seven days."

Kaoru giggled at the look of shock on his face. "Just wanted to make extra sure you didn't hang on to that sharp sense of smell of yours. But we've been separated by several walls up to this point. How about now? Can you still not smell me? Even a little?" One hand lifted to wave gently through the air in an attempt to waft her scent in his direction. Little by little, the frown on his face disappeared, and red lashes drooped in contentment.

"I can smell you." Both of Kaoru's eyebrows shot up to disappear behind her bangs, taken aback by his unexpected answer. Tenderly, he wrapped his fingers around her offered wrist, and leaned forward to press his nose against her skin. One deep inhale closed his eyes completely, and he smiled.

"You smell… like jasmine, I believe." Warm violet eyes parted once more, and he released her, though reluctantly. "Am I right?" The tense span of her shoulders relaxed with a huff for being tricked, and her eyebrows reappeared as she pouted.

"Lucky guess."

"Alright, none of that in my lab. There are cameras in there, if you remember. Let's get on with this, I'm ready to see my own husband, you know."

"Right." Even after fifty years, Kaoru still blushed, and Kenshin loved it. A quick shift straightened her in her chair, and she slid the hand still on the tabletop directly into the middle before releasing what was clasped in her fingers. Almost fatefully, the dark, metallic shine of her butterfly knife revealed to him the final test. "I thought… it'd be appropriate." Red lashes lifted to focus his gaze on her, and he knew she was thinking of that day so long before when that same knife had revealed to her his true identity as a vampire. Today it would prove that he no longer was.

Almost reverently, he gathered the knife into his hand and then let it rest in plain sight on his opened palm. No pain seared his skin, and no smell of burnt flesh filled the air. To fully test it, he gripped the knife firmly, switched it to his other hand for good measure, then locked eyes with Kaoru. She was practically glowing with happiness; for him, for them. Feeling slightly mischievous himself, he held her gaze and mimicked her by demonstrating his own skill with a blade. Once Kaoru realized what he was doing, she started to laugh, and that dimple he loved appeared on her left cheek.

"Congratulations, Ken-san. You are officially human once more. Or, as human as Kaoru is, anyway."

With a final flick of his wrist, the butterfly knife returned to its dormant state, and he folded his arms against the table. Not once did his eyes leave Kaoru. "Am I free to leave?"

"You are free to leave."

"Good." Standing, he lifted his right arm to hand the knife back to Kaoru, but captured her other hand in his. "I believe it is time to start on the next faze of testing, right koishii?" Kaoru frowned in instant confusion.

"Huh?"

Two fingers lifted her chin and he planted a tender kiss full on her mouth. "We can discuss the details later. For now, we should put in some more practice."

X

A/N: Again, I apologize it took me this long to get this finished. This is the official last chapter of the story. However, as I previously mentioned in my last chapter, I plan to do a couple of extra chapters with basically just fun nonsense and scenes that I wanted to include in the story, but had no room for in the plot. There will also be some additional situations that happen after the events of this chapter, so I would be very grateful if you looked forward to it. 😊

On a side note, while I waited impatiently for my savings to include enough funds to replace my laptop, I spent much of my free time playing Dragonquest Builders 2. It is quite addictive, very cute, and a lot of fun. If there is anyone interested, I spent more time than I would care to admit building an island that I uploaded to the network. If you care to visit, the island includes a replica of a castle (that is really modeled after a chateau) that is currently closed to the public due to the current state of the world. I wasn't able to fit all of the surrounding gardens on my island, but I did as much as space would allow. If you are able to guess which castle I built just by looking at it, that would make me very happy. My uploader ID is ntJEYQa3EF.

Thanks again for reading my story, and I hope you will join me for the extras. Stay safe!